IS
Akureyri
Capital of the North
Capital of the North
Goðafoss (the “Waterfall of the Gods”; 50km east on the Ring Road; free; the finest 12m horseshoe waterfall in Northern Iceland; the finest mist and rainbow; historically significant (pagan idols thrown into the falls at Iceland’s 1000 AD Christian conversion)) is the finest free waterfall in Northern Iceland.
Goðafoss (free; 50km east of Akureyri on the Ring Road; the “Waterfall of the Gods”; the finest 12m horseshoe waterfall in Northern Iceland; the finest mist and rainbow; historically significant (pagan idols thrown in at Iceland’s 1000 AD Christian conversion)).
Lake Mývatn (100km east; the finest geothermal lake landscape in Northern Iceland; the Námaskarð Hverir mud pot field (free; the finest sulfur landscape in any Nordic geothermal site); Dimmuborgir lava formation (free; the finest lava cave system in Northern Iceland); the Mývatn Nature Baths (from 4,000 ISK; daily 9am–midnight in summer)) is the finest geothermal day excursion in Northern Iceland.
Lake Mývatn (100km east; Námaskarð Hverir mud pot field (free; the finest sulfur landscape in Northern Iceland); Dimmuborgir lava formation (free; the finest lava cave system); Mývatn Nature Baths (from 4,000 ISK; daily 9am–midnight in summer)).
Akureyri Town (the Hafnarstraeti (the finest Northern Iceland shopping and café street; Bláa Kannan from 600 ISK)); the Akureyri Botanical Garden (free; the finest outdoor garden at 65°N; open daily 9am June–September); Akureyrarkirkja (the finest church in Northern Iceland; the finest Eyjafjorður fjord panorama) are the finest free Akureyri town experiences.
Akureyri Town: Botanical Garden (free; open daily June–September; the finest outdoor garden at 65°N in any Nordic city); Akureyrarkirkja (the finest Eyjafjorður fjord panorama); Hafnarstraeti (the finest Northern Iceland café street; Bláa Kannan from 600 ISK).
Húsavík whale watching (the finest whale watching in Europe; 90km northeast; North Sailing from 12,900 ISK (northsailing.is; the finest traditional oak schooner; the finest humpback whale encounter in Europe) or Gentle Giants (from 12,900 ISK; gentlegiants.is)) and Dettifoss (120km northeast; the most powerful waterfall in Europe; 193 cubic metres per second; free) are the finest Northern Iceland active and natural experiences.
Húsavík whale watching (90km northeast; North Sailing from 12,900 ISK (northsailing.is); the finest humpback whale encounter in Europe; traditional oak schooner; also Gentle Giants (gentlegiants.is) for high-speed RIB).
Akureyri dining is North Iceland’s finest and significantly more affordable than Reykjavik: Rub23 (Kaupvangssteti 6; consistently rated the best restaurant in North Iceland; the robata grill menu with Arctic char, reindeer, and North Iceland lamb; ISK 4,000–8,000 pp), Strikid (the Akureyri skyline restaurant; the lamb fillet with skyr sauce and rhubarb; ISK 3,500–6,000 pp; the most panoramic restaurant view in any Icelandic town outside Reykjavik), and the Akureyri fish market (the freshest North Atlantic fish at the most affordable prices in Iceland: the haddock and the wolffish are the most specifically North Iceland fish; ISK 1,500–2,500 pp for the fish-of-the-day with bread and butter). The Blaeja bakery (Rani’s; the most celebrated bakery in North Iceland; the skyrbolludur (Icelandic cream puffs with skyr filling); ISK 300–600 each; the most specifically Akureyri single morning pastry). The Akureyri Costcutter and Kronan supermarkets (the most affordable self-catering in North Iceland; the lamb meatballs, the skyr, the Icelandic rye bread, and the smoked lamb (hangikjot) are the most specifically Icelandic self-catering items).
Drive east from Akureyri: Myšvatn (geothermal lake; 1 hour), then Husavik for afternoon whale watching (1.5 hours). Return by 7pm. The finest day in North Iceland.
The Akureyri fjord in winter (December–February) has northern lights most clear nights. The Hlida&rfjall ski resort above town has runs lit until 10pm.
Ambassadors Whale Watching departs Husavik daily at 9am (ISK 11,900; 3 hours). Book the evening before online. Morning sea state is almost always calmer than afternoon.
The Arctic Open golf tournament (June; midnight tee times) is Iceland’s most celebrated sporting event. Spectators welcome; the midnight sun makes it genuinely surreal.
The “Capital of the North” has no trains — you get around on foot, by bus or by car. The compact town centre is easily walkable, with a small local bus service (free in town). For the Diamond Circle — Lake Mývatn, Goðafoss and Dettifoss — and the wider north, a rental car is by far the best option (Iceland drives on the right), or join the tours and whale-watching trips that run from the harbour. Akureyri has a domestic airport with quick flights to Reykjavik, a handy shortcut across the island, and it’s a stop on the Ring Road. Iceland is largely cashless and uses the króna (ISK).
Akureyri Town walk: Hafnarstraeti (the finest Northern Iceland café street; Bláa Kannan from 600 ISK). Akureyri Botanical Garden (free; the finest outdoor garden at 65°N). Akureyrarkirkja (the finest Eyjafjorður fjord panorama). Goðafoss (50km east; free; the finest horseshoe waterfall in Northern Iceland). Mývatn Nature Baths (100km east; from 4,000 ISK).
Goðafoss (the finest free waterfall in Northern Iceland; 50km east; the finest morning timing is 8–10am (the finest light on the horseshoe at 9am in summer; the finest mist and rainbow before the tour bus groups arrive from Akureyri at 10am)). The Goðafoss south bank viewpoint (accessible via the small bridge 100m north of the main car park) gives the finest close-up view.
Húsavík whale watching (90km northeast; North Sailing from 12,900 ISK; northsailing.is; the finest humpback whale in Europe; 2.5h; depart by 9am from Húsavík harbour). Ásbyrgi Canyon (95km northeast; free; the finest horseshoe canyon in Iceland; the finest 2km birch forest floor walk). Dettifoss (120km northeast; the most powerful waterfall in Europe; 193 cubic metres per second; free).
The Mývatn full day (the finest geothermal day from Akureyri): depart by 9am → Goðafoss (9:30am; 30 min) → Námaskarð Hverir mud pots (11am; 45 min; the finest sulfur landscape in Northern Iceland) → Dimmuborgir (noon; 45 min lava cave circuit) → lunch at Mývatn Station (from 2,500 ISK per main course) → Mývatn Nature Baths (2pm; from 4,000 ISK; 2h) → back in Akureyri by 6pm.
The Akureyri budget advantage over Reykjavik: accommodation is 15–20% cheaper, restaurant meals are 10–15% cheaper, and the Myvatn Nature Baths (ISK 5,500) are 45% less expensive than the Blue Lagoon Comfort (ISK 9,990).
The whale watching from Husavik (ISK 11,000–13,000) combined with the Myvatn Nature Baths (ISK 5,500) and the Godafoss waterfall stop (free) give the most complete North Iceland natural experience for ISK 17,000–19,000 pp in activity costs.
Fosshotel Myvatn (Myvatn; the most dramatically positioned hotel in North Iceland: the lakeside log cabins; the sulphur steam from Namaskarð visible from the terrace; the in-house geothermal pool; ISK 35,000–65,000/night) is.
🛂 Entry rules: EES and ETIAS
Iceland is in the Schengen area, which has two EU border systems for non-EU visitors.
EES (in force): since 10 April 2026 the EU’s Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors’ passport details, fingerprints and a photo the first time they enter the Schengen area, replacing passport stamps. Allow extra time at the border on your first trip; later crossings are quicker. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are not registered.
ETIAS (not yet running): a €20 online travel authorisation for visitors who don’t need a visa, such as UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens. It hasn’t started and no start date has been confirmed, so nobody can apply yet; ignore websites that offer to “pre-register” you for a fee.
Visa-free visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, not per country.
Official information: EU: Travel to Europe (EES & ETIAS) · Reviewed September 2026
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Quick answers to the questions travellers most often ask before visiting Akureyri.
Summer brings long daylight, whale watching and the easiest access, while winter offers the northern lights and skiing, though with short days and challenging weather.
One to two days for the town and its botanical garden, plus time for the Diamond Circle — Lake Mývatn, Goðafoss and the mighty Dettifoss — and whale watching nearby.
The town is walkable, but a rental car is best for the surrounding Diamond Circle; it’s reached by the Ring Road or a short flight from Reykjavik.
Iceland’s “Capital of the North”, set on a scenic fjord — a charming town with a famous botanical garden, and the base for the Diamond Circle (Lake Mývatn and the Goðafoss and Dettifoss waterfalls) and superb whale watching at nearby Húsavík.
Explore more of Iceland’s extraordinary landscapes and towns.
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