Things to do in The North
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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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Saltvík Horse Farm
Short horse rides (one to three hours) and longer tours (five to nine days) are available at Saltvík horse farm, 5km south of Húsavík.
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Whale Watching
Húsavík lies on the edge of Skjálfandi, a wide, deep bay with good water circulation, natural shelter and little variation in tides - ideal conditions for whales. The area has become Iceland's premier whale-watching destination, with 12 species coming here to feed in summer.
Minke whales are by far the most common species seen in the bay, with regular sightings of white-beaked dolphins, humpback whales and porpoises and less frequent appearances by orcas, fin, sei or pilot whales, and the 'big one' - blue whales.
It takes about an hour to sail to the prime feeding grounds, where crew and participants get busy looking out for telltale signs of a surfacing whale. Although…
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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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Whale Watching, Norður Sigling
The original whale watching operator is Norður Sigling, which started whale watching here in 1994. It has four boats, including the 20-tonne oak schooner Haukur. Trips run up to four times daily from mid-May to mid-September. Hot chocolate and pastries are provided during the trip, but it's still a good idea to wrap up well before departure as it can be bitterly cold out on the boat, no matter how warm it feels in town.
In early and late season both operators may have only one departure daily, so check in advance. If there are no sightings, you can usually get on another trip for free.
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Gentle Giants - whale watching
The second whale watching operator in Húsavík is Gentle Giants, with two boats making trips up to five times daily from June to mid-September. Hot chocolate and pastries are provided during the trip, but it's still a good idea to wrap up well before departure as it can be bitterly cold out on the boat, no matter how warm it feels in town. In early and late season both operators may have only one departure daily, so check in advance.
If there are no sightings, you can usually get on another trip for free. You can buy tickets from the 'lighthouse' ticket booth opposite the church.
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Lundey & Flatey
The small islands of Lundey & Flatey lie anchored in Skjálfandi, near Húsavík. Lundey (Puffin Island), rises dramatically from the sea in a series of high, nest-covered cliffs and is a breeding ground for puffins, fulmars and other sea birds. Flatey (Flat Island) lives up to its name, rising only a couple of metres above sea level. It's now abandoned, but as recently as 1942 it had a population of more than 100.
Tours to both islands are possible with the two whale-watching companies, Norður Sigling and Gentle Giants.
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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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Húsavík Museum
A folk, maritime and natural-history museum all rolled into one complex, the Húsavík Museum is one of the best local museums you’ll find in Iceland. The museums occupy the 1st and 3rd floors of the building (the library is on the 2nd floor), and an annexe nearby. The natural-history display has the usual array of stuffed animals, including arctic foxes, a frightening-looking hooded seal, and a stuffed polar bear, which was welcomed to Grímsey in 1969 with both barrels of a gun.
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Icelandic Phallological Museum
The unique Icelandic Phallological Museum houses a bizarre collection of penises. From pickled pickles to petrified wood, there are over 300 different types of family jewels on display. There are no actual human contributions though. But don’t rush to volunteer – four donors-in-waiting have already promised to bequeath their manhood (signed contracts are mounted on the wall). Quirky sidenote: all displays are translated into Esperanto.
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Húsavík Whale Museum
Best visited before you head out on a whale-watching trip, the excellent Húsavík Whale Museum will tell you all you ever needed to know about these gracious creatures. Housed in an old slaughterhouse at the harbour, the museum interprets the ecology and habits of whales, conservation and the history of whaling in Iceland through beautifully curated displays, including several huge skeletons soaring high above (they’re real!).
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Húsavíkurkirkja
Húsavík'slovely and unusual church is quite different to anything else seen in Iceland. Constructed in 1907 from Norwegian timber, the delicately proportioned red-and-white church would look more at home in the Alps. Inside its cruciform shape becomes apparent and is dominated by a depiction of the resurrection of Lazarus on the altarpiece. The carved font is also worth seeking out, as are the 17th-century murals and candlesticks.
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Gamli Baukur
The lovely timber-framed restaurant-bar serves excellent food (juicy burgers, succulent fish soup and a zingy curry bouillabaisse) and flavourful coffee among shiny nautical relics. Live music and a sweeping terrace makes it the most happenin’ place in northeast Iceland. It is one of those rare places that manages to be both a favourite local hangout and a wonderfully friendly place for tourists.
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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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Húsavíkurfjall
Húsavík's lovely setting looking out over the blue-green bay to the mountains and sheer cliffs to the south makes it an appealing location for some hiking. In a couple of hours you can make it up the steep trail (4.9km) to the summit of 417m-high Húsavíkurfjall. The path starts on the main road just 1.8km north of town.
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North Sailing
North Sailing operate their whale-watching tours from Húsavík harbour. It has a fleet of beautiful old-school boats, including the 20-tonne oak schooner Haukur. Their popular ‘Whales, Puffins & Sails’ tour stops at beautiful Lundey, and overnight trips to Grímsey are possible a few times during the summer.
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