Things to do in Akureyri
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Krua Siam
Eating Thai noodles while staring out into a blizzard can be a bit strange, but Krua Siam does a darn good job of transporting tastebuds to the Land of Smiles, despite being a mere 40km from the Arctic Circle.
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Brynja
Slightly out of the centre but well worth the effort to get to, this legendary sweet shop is known across Iceland for the best ice cream in the country.
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Friðrik V
If you’re going to choose one place to splash out on a gourmet Icelandic meal, this is the right place to do it. Friðrik’s eponymous master chef helped create our ‘Unofficial Foodie Tour’ – and is known throughout the country for championing the Slow Food Movement. Each dish is a carefully prepared medley of locally sourced ingredients presented in a forward-thinking manner. There’s skyr brulée, filet mignon carpaccio, rhubarb sorbet, langoustine with roasted veggies, skyr mozzarella caprese…the list goes on. In summer, the owners organise a weekly ‘food safari’ (Ikr20,000) where they take visitors around Eyjafjörður to collect ingredients for their evening …
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Mt Súlur
A pleasant but demanding day hike leads up the Glerádalur valley to the summit of Mt Súlur (1144m). The trail begins on Súluvegur, a left turn off Þingvallastræti just before the Glerá bridge. Give yourself at least seven hours to complete the return journey.
With two days, you can continue up the valley to the beautifully situated Lambi mountain hut (at N 65°34.880', W 18°17.770'), which accommodates up to six people. Alternatively, from the Hlíðarfjall ski resort there's a challenging but beautiful day hike up to the small glacier Vindheimajökull and the 1456m peak Strýta. For more information on hiking in the area, contact Ferðafélag Akureyrar.
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Akureyri Museum
The Akureyri Museum houses an interesting collection of art and historical items from the Settlement Era to the present. Among the displays are photographs, farming tools and re-creations of early Icelandic homes. An interesting exhibit details the life of early settlers along Eyjafjörður and displays artefacts from Gásir, one of Iceland’s most fruitful archaeological digs. Plans are afoot to turn the site (near Árskógsströnd) into an interactive historical attraction. The museum garden became the first place in Iceland to cultivate trees when a nursery was established here in 1899.
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Lystigarðurinn
A host of exotic species from as far away as New Zealand, Spain and Tanzania flourish in Akureyri’s botanical gardens, Lystigarðurinn, thanks to the region’s moderate microclimate. The wealth of plant life on display is truly astonishing considering the gardens’ proximity to the Arctic Circle. You’ll find examples of every species native to Iceland here, as well as an extensive collection of high-latitude and high-altitude plants from around the world, all meticulously labelled with scientific names and countries of origin.
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Jaðarsvöllur
For anyone who loves to play golf, there’s something strangely appealing about teeing off at midnight. At only a few degrees south of the Arctic Circle, Akureyri’s Jaðarsvöllur basks in perpetual daylight from June to early August. In summer you can play golf here around the clock; just book ahead for the midnight tee-off. The par-71 course is home to the annual 36-hole Arctic Open, a golf tournament played overnight in late June. Contact the club for the latest information on green fees and club rentals.
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RUB 23
Pulling off ‘minimal chic’, trendy RUB lets patrons create their own marinades (or ‘rubs’) for their fresh fish and lamb. If you’re not so keen on turning your meal into a science project, then you can select from their sushi remix – Icelandic maki prepared with savoury Japanese ingredients. Then, for dessert (called ‘sweet rubs’) you can have a ‘chocolate three-way’. Is the bark a little bit bigger than the bite? Perhaps. But you have to give the place credit for thinking outside the bento box.
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Arts Festival
Akureyri's annual arts festival runs from late June to late August and attracts artists and musicians from around Iceland. There are special exhibitions, concerts, free jazz on Thursday, theatre performances and everything from clay-pigeon shooting to historical walks. It all culminates in a weekend street party and parade. For details on events and exhibitions, contact the tourist office.
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Nonnahús
Nonnahús was once the childhood home of the renowned children’s writer Reverend Jón Sveinsson (1857–1944), known to most as Nonni. The house dates from 1850; its cramped rooms and simple furnishings provide a poignant insight into life in 19th-century Iceland. A collection of old photographs and original books completes the display.
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Icelandic Aviation Museum
In a hangar at Akureyri airport, the newly improved Icelandic Aviation Museum charts the history of aviation in Iceland, from the first flight in 1919 to the present. Several restored aircraft fill the exhibition space, including a coast-guard helicopter and the remains of a British war craft that crashed near Akureyri during WWII.
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Hlíðarfjall Ski Centre
The Hlíðarfjall ski centre, west of town 7km up Glerárdalur, is Iceland’s premier downhill ski slope, with green and blue pistes suitable for beginner to upper-intermediate skiers. The longest run is 2.5km, with a vertical drop of about 500m. There’s also 20km of cross-country ski routes and a terrain park for snowboarders.
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Karolína Restaurant
Hip, trendy and very slick, the upmarket Karolína is run by Iceland's Chef of the Year 2003. The menu is appropriately daring, mixing traditional Icelandic flavours with international culinary ideas (think octopus tempura and tandoori arctic char) with the emphasis on fresh and flavoursome seafood (including dolphin).
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Kjarnaskógur Woods
About 3km south of town is Iceland's most visited 'forest', the Kjarnaskógur woods. This bushland area has a 2km-long athletic course, walking tracks, picnic tables, an amusing children's playground and some novel fitness-testing devices. Check out the amusing log sundial designed by Icelandic Scouts.
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Summer Tours
Akureyri's main tour agency, Nonni Travel, runs a host of summer tours, including daily trips to Mývatn. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday self-guided trips by ferry can be arranged to Hrísey and Grímsey. The Grímsey tour can also be done by combining a ferry and flight.
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Flugsafnið
Flugsafnið, in a hangar at Akureyri airport, charts the history of aviation in Iceland from the first flight in 1919 to the present. Photographs and memorabilia are on display, and you can visit the workshop where historic gliders and small aircraft are stored and repaired.
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Akureyrarkirkja
Dominating the town from high on a hill, Akureyrarkirkja was designed by Guðjón Samúelsson, the architect responsible for Reykjavík’s Hallgrímskirkja. The church continues his geological theme, but is less blatantly ‘basalt’ and has a more traditional interior.
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Bautinn
A local favourite, this friendly, relaxed place in the centre of town has an excellent all-you-can-eat soup and salad bar (Ikr1500) and an extensive menu featuring everything from pizza, fish and lamb to such Icelandic favourites as puffin, whale and horse meat.
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Helgi the Lean
On the hill near Klapparstígur, a five-minute walk from the city centre, is a statue of Helgi the Lean, the first settler in the Akureyri area. There's also a view disc, but the view, of shops and office buildings obscuring the fjord, isn't brilliant.
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Karolína Café
Self-consciously cool and a favoured hangout with the young and trendy, this art-strewn café is a relaxed place serving great coffee and cakes. The deep leather sofas, tasty sandwiches and mellow music make it easy to while away a few hours here.
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Strikið
This slick, minimalist top-floor restaurant has great views over the harbour and an eclectic menu featuring everything from soup and burgers to Thai noodles, pasta, and meat and seafood dishes. Friendly waitresses serve Kaldi – Akureyri’s microbrew.
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Café Paris
This old-style cafe with wooden interior and chilled atmosphere is a great spot for breakfast or lunch. The huge windows and outdoor tables provide prime locations to watch the world go by and the good-value lunches (often veggie) draw the crowds.
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Pólar Hestar
Horse tours and hire are available from a range of outlying farms; ask at the tourist office for a full list. The best-known operator is Pólar Hestar, which offers week-long wilderness trips in the surrounding mountains and valleys.
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Café Karolína
Self-consciously cool and a favoured hangout with the young and trendy, Karolina is a relaxed place serving a limited selection of coffee and cakes. The deep leather sofas and mellow music make it easy to while away a few hours here.
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Greifinn
Family-friendly and always buzzing, Greifinn is one of the most popular spots in town. The menu features plenty of comfort food, from juicy burgers and nachos dripping with cheese to good pizzas, salads and devilish desserts.
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