North Iceland
The tiny rocky islet of Drangey (drown-gay), in the middle of Skagafjörður, is a dramatic flat-topped mass of volcanic tuff with 180m-high sheer…
Must-see attractions in North Iceland
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North Iceland
The 18th-century turf-farm museum at Glaumbær is the best museum of its type in northern Iceland and worth the easy 8km detour off the Ring Road,…
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North Iceland
The bizarre swirls, spirals, rosettes, honeycombs and basalt columns at Hljóðaklettar (Echo Rocks) are a highlight of any hike around Vesturdalur and a…
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North Iceland
Goðafoss (Waterfall of the Gods) rips straight through the Bárðardalur lava field along Rte 1. Although smaller and less powerful than some of Iceland’s…
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North Iceland
On the Vatnsnes Peninsula's east coast, 30km north of the Ring Road, there's a car park, viewing platform and path leading to the splendidly photogenic…
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Akureyri
The most northerly botanical garden in the world makes a delightful spot for a fragrant wander on sunny days. The wealth of plant life on display is truly…
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North Iceland
This excellent museum provides all you need to know about the impressive creatures that visit Skjálfandi bay. Housed in an old harbourside slaughterhouse,…
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North Iceland
Húsavík’s beloved church is quite different from anything else seen in Iceland. Constructed in 1907 from Norwegian timber, the delicately proportioned red…
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Icelandic Folk & Outsider Art Museum
North Iceland
This excellent, eclectic museum 12km from Akureyri on Rte 1 (look for the sculpture of a tall blue man out the front) is a beautiful space filled with…
Akureyri
Dominating the town from high on a hill, Akureyri’s landmark church was designed by Guðjón Samúelsson, the architect responsible for Reykjavík’s…
North Iceland
The striking stone arches of Arctic Henge are the darling of many a brochure, and in real life they live up to the exalted mood. The massive stone circle…
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North Iceland
On the west side of Vatnsnes Peninsula is Illugastaðir farm, with wonderful views of peaks along the Strandir coast in the Westfjords. A 10-minute walk…
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North Iceland
The town’s most significant building is Kaupvangur, a restored customs house. You’ll find an excellent cafe and information centre on the ground floor,…
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North Iceland
The unsealed but magnificent old coastal road (Rte 870) around the wildlife-rich and little-visited Melrakkaslétta (Arctic Fox Plain) bumps along for 55km…
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North Iceland
Flatey (pronounced Flat–eh) is a serene 2.5km-long island 9km from Húsavík, on the northwest edge of Skjálfandi Bay. The name simply means flat island …
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North Iceland
The remote, reconstructed turf farmhouse Sænautasel, dating from 1843, brings the past to life…plus it sells pancakes and coffee. This is one of several…
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Akureyri
The most interesting of the artists’ residences in Akureyri, Nonnahús was the childhood home of renowned children’s writer Reverend Jón Sveinsson (1857…
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North Iceland
Hjalteyri (population 43) was once a major herring harbour, and its old fish factory was Iceland's largest herring-processing plant when it was built in…
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North Iceland
Tindastóll (989m) is a prominent Skagafjörður landmark, extending for 18km along the coast. The mountain and its caves are believed to be inhabited by an…
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North Iceland
The geothermal site Hveravellir, on Rte 87, about 20km south of Húsavík, provides some of Húsavík's hot-water supply and the means of power production…
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North Iceland
Eyjan is an island-like mesa covered with low, scrubby forests and small ponds.You can walk a 7km trail around Eyjan from Karl og Kerling to Vesturdalur…
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Akureyri
This sweet, well-curated museum houses art and historical items relating to town life, including maps, photos and recreations of early Icelandic homes…
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North Iceland
Around 19km west of Blönduós, a 6km detour along Rte 721 leads you to a precious stone church, Þingeyrar, sitting quietly and photogenically beside Hóp…
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North Iceland
North of Akureyri, on the road to Grenivík you'll find the beautifully photogenic turf houses at Laufás, a preserved manor farm dating from the 1860s…
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North Iceland
A folk, maritime and natural-history museum rolled into one, the Culture House is one of the North's most interesting regional museums. ‘Man and Nature’…
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North Iceland
Opened in 2014, this museum salutes the history of human exploration, covering Viking voyages and polar expeditions, but its most nootable exhibition…
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North Iceland
The town's prime attraction is the prominent Icelandic Seal Centre on the harbourfront, where you can learn about conservation of seals, historical seal…
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North Iceland
Take the detour off Rte 711 (or accessed via Rte 716 off the Ring Road) to reach mysterious Borgarvirki, believed to be a defensive fortification from the…
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North Iceland
Karl og Kerling (‘Old Man’ and ‘Old Woman’), two rock pillars, believed to be petrified trolls, stand on a gravel bank west of the river, a 2km return…
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Ystafell Transportation Museum
North Iceland
Some 37km south of Húsavík on Rte 85 (or about 9km off the Ring Road), this impressive, remote museum is well worth a stop for any petrolheads passing…
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North Iceland
At 9am and 2pm weekdays (from mid-May to mid-September) you can tour Iceland’s only tannery (500kr), or stop by the visitor centre anytime to admire (and…
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Akureyri
Stimulate your senses at the Akureyri Art Museum, which hosts eclectic, innovative exhibitions – from graphic design to portraiture – and is surrounded by…
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North Iceland
The Rauðhólar (Red Hills) crater row, just north of Hljóðaklettar, displays a vivid array of colours in the cinder-like gravel on the remaining cones. The…
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North Iceland
Take Rte 715 south off the Ring Road to reach the scenic waterfalls at Kolugljúfur, an enchanting canyon that legend has it was once home to a beautiful…
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North Iceland
This high-quality folk museum is set in a photogenic 18th-century turf-roofed manor house southwest of Vopnafjörður township. The on-site Cafe Croft…
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North Iceland
At the tip of the Tjörnes Peninsula is the Mánárbakki Museum, home to the eclectic personal collection of friendly farmer Aðalgeir, who will give you a…
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Akureyri
Akureyri's newest entry on the exhibition scene, Into the Arctic displays cover the great north's wildlife, settlement, explorers and culture, from dog…
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North Iceland
A walk along the duck-filled stream of the endearing town park, which is as scenic as the waterfront area, offers a serene break. Access is via a…
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North Iceland
Set in a head-turning modern building on the north bank of the Blanda River, this small, attractive museum displays local handicrafts, painstakingly…
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North Iceland
On 13 January 1976 Kópasker suffered a severe earthquake that destroyed several buildings and cracked the harbour wall. Today, there’s a small earthquake…
