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
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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 …
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…
Akureyri
The most interesting of the artists’ residences in Akureyri, Nonnahús was the childhood home of renowned children’s writer Reverend Jón Sveinsson (1857…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Akureyri
This sweet, well-curated museum houses art and historical items relating to town life, including maps, photos and recreations of early Icelandic homes…
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…
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…
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’…
North Iceland
Opened in 2014, this museum salutes the history of human exploration, covering Viking voyages and polar expeditions, but its most nootable exhibition…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Akureyri
Stimulate your senses at the Akureyri Art Museum, which hosts eclectic, innovative exhibitions – from graphic design to portraiture – and is surrounded by…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
