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Top Tourist Attractions of North Iceland
Blessed with some of the most beautiful landscapes and fascinating mountains, North Iceland is an exciting destination place. It is a scenic and charming part of Iceland and offers endless unique landscape to admire and memorable activities to experiment.
Other than its natural beauty, North Iceland also has some of the most popular museums and churches, beautiful parks, vibrant culture, and is a paradise for outdoor activities such as hiking, horseback riding, whale & bird watching, skiing, and river rafting. Want to know more about the top tourist attractions in North Iceland, here is the list!
Akureyri
Akureyri, the capital of the north, is a beautiful town located in the innermost Eyjafjörður fjord. It is full of numerous fantastic activities to do. Situated on a hill in the center of the city, Akureyrarkirkja is a lovely church and iconic building and it’s hard not to visit it if you are in Akureyri. You can have views of the striking fjord and mountains from the front of the church.
Akureyri’s public swimming pool is one of the best in Iceland. It has all the facilities such as waterslides, splash pool, steam bath, massage jets, and many more. The North’s capital is also blessed with some of the best scenic parks and lush green gardens such as the Lystigardurinn. Established in 1912, it is the world’s northernmost botanical garden. Not too far from the town, you find Kjarnaskógur, a stunning green space with more than 1 million trees. Its surroundings are equipped with playgrounds, hiking routes, volleyball court, and various other facilities.
The Old Town is a collection of historical buildings giving visitors a glimpse of the culture and history of Akureyri. Some of these buildings are the old school, the old theatre, Laxdalshus, Nonnahús, etc.
Siglufjörður
Having a rich fishing history, Siglufjörður is the northernmost town of Iceland. It is a place of spectacular natural beauty and the opportunities for recreation and exciting discovery are unlimited. Whether you want to play golf, want to have some hiking activity, or wish to go skiing, Siglufjörður has got it all!
One of the most appealing museums in Iceland, the Herring Era Museum, is also located in Siglufjörður. Here, you will come to know about how the herring era played a vital role in the development of Iceland. The herring era lasted from 1867-1968 and it is believed that the Icelandic culture flourished just because of it.
This beautiful town of North Iceland has scenic mountains and alluring fjords, always making you feel close to nature. Siglufjörður also has some of Iceland’s most beautiful hotels, interesting workshops, museums, and many informative galleries. If you are a music lover, then you can increase your stay in this stunning town because various music concerts and festivals are held here such as the Folk Music Festival. This festival lasts 5 days and is focused on awe-inspiring Icelandic music.
Húsavík
Coming into its own as a tourist attraction spot in recent years, Húsavík is another delightful town in Northern Iceland. Due to the plankton-rich ground of its waters, this area is home to various kinds of whales such as the enormous blue whale and the elusive humpback whale. Húsavík is simply known as the Whale Watching Capital of Europe.
This beautiful town has a population of 2,300 inhabitants and is a perfect tourist spot due to its wonderful landscapes, trout fishing, and fascinating mountains such as the Kinnarfjoll. Húsavík is also blessed with picturesque coastlines and small beaches where lovely seals can be spotted. The Húsavík Whale Museum is also a place you cannot miss if you are in this picturesque town. This museum is especially dedicated to whales and educate the tourists about its species occurring in the north of Iceland. Highlights at the museum include 11 different whale skeletons including that of a Blue Whale, Narwhal with unicorn-like horn, a special area for kids, and a Sperm Whale jawbone of the size of a car.
The Exploration Museum is another informative place to visit in Húsavík. It is solely dedicated to the history of human exploration and its main exhibition room features historical photographs and artifacts from the Apollo Astronaut Training in 1965-1967. Exploration Museum also features the history of Arctic explorers and Viking Exploration.
Another famous tourist spot, located in Húsavík, is the GeoSea sea baths. These beautiful sea baths have been utilized for washing and bathing purposes by the residents for centuries. Known for its underground heat and warm, mineral-rich, and comfortable seawater, GeoSea sea baths is the perfect place for you to have a quick bath and relax your tired muscles. At the same time, you can also enjoy the Arctic Circle on the horizon, Skjálfandi Bay beneath the cliffs, and a stunning view of the surrounding mountains.
Goðafoss Waterfall
Located between Akureyri and Lake Mývatn in the river Skjálfandafljót, Goðafoss fits in the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland. This waterfall is not very tall (12 meters) but certainly gorgeous and attractive. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that its cascade splits into two horseshoe-shaped falls making a semi-circular arc.
If you are a photo enthusiast, Goðafoss is one of the best places for you. It is the perfect spot for capturing the striking view of Northern Lights in your camera and presents a stunning background.
Goðafoss waterfall is also of great historical importance. It is believed that Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði threw his God statues in this spectacular fall and claimed that Iceland would convert to Christianity in the coming years.
Grímsey
40 km north of Iceland, Grímsey is a scenic island. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it is the only place in Iceland where the Arctic Circle crosses. It means that there is no sunset in the entire summer solstice and only about 2 hours of daylight in the winter solstice.
Grímsey is a place of birdwatching. Every summer, this island is inhabited by millions of sea birds. There are several reasons for the flourishing birdlife on this island such as rich fishing grounds, minimum or almost no hunting of birds, and an area free of mice or rats. Grímsey is home to many kinds of seabirds, wader, and moorland during the summer. It is also the perfect place to watch cliff-nesting birds such as Northern Fulmar, Black-legged Kittiwake, Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, Mure, etc.
Although there are only about 80 inhabitants all year round in Grímsey, still it offers all the important facilities such as a supermarket, schools, swimming pool, and internet connection.
Hofsós
Located on the bank of Skagafjörður fjord, Hofsós is a delightful trading port with over 400 years of history. It’s a small picturesque village that is visited by many tourists, especially it becomes alive in the summer.
On the seaside, near Hofsós, there are stunning geological formations that present a delightful view. The most prominent reason why people visit this area is because of the Hofsós Swimming Pool. Opened recently, this swimming pool has become one of the most popular in Iceland. Overlooking the Island of Drangey and the fjord, Hofsós Swimming Pool is a lovely eternity-pool. Swimming in this pool gets you the impression that you are right next to the sea’s edge, although it is not an infinity pool. So have some time in its geothermal waters and warm up your body and mind.
Ásbyrgi Canyon & Dettifoss Waterfall
It is a fascinating horseshoe-shaped canyon in the Vatnajökull National Park, North Iceland. Ásbyrgi Canyon has a rich history and experts believe that its formation was due to a massive flood from the Jökulsá glacial river about 8000-10000 years ago. It has about 100 meters high cliffs and is a popular tourist attraction in North Iceland.
Ásbyrgi Canyon is also one of Iceland’s best hiking areas. You must visit the Jökulsárgljúfur nature reserve if you are a hiking enthusiast because this area is blessed with plentiful hikes and you can easily spend a full day here.
Wait, North Iceland has much more for you. Located in the Vatnajökull National Park northeast Iceland, Dettifoss is the most powerful waterfall in Europe. Its power can be estimated from the fact that its water flow is 193 m3/s and has a drop of 44 m. This waterfall is powered by the largest glacier in Iceland, the Vatnajökull glacier. Dettifoss waterfall is pretty unique because of its milky colour which is due to the sediment-rich melt-waters of the Vatnajökull glacier.
Lake Mývatn and Mývatn Nature Baths
Located in the surroundings of an active volcano, Mývatn is an appealing eutrophic lake in North Iceland. This lake is extremely clear and beautiful and has a dense population of various types of ducks.
Mývatn is considered a must-see place for the tourists in North Iceland and thousands of people visit this appealing lake every year. It is known to be created 2300 years ago due to a volcanic eruption. Lake Mývatn is all about a geological wonderland with any kind of volcanic craters and lava rock formations. Near this picturesque lake, there are vast lava fields of Krafla along with hot springs, mud pool, and fumaroles at the Hverir geothermal fields. There are also soothing nature baths in the north of Iceland known as Mývatn Nature Baths. It is another famous tourist spot and travellers love to soak in the mineral-rich waters and enjoying a relaxing and rejuvenating bath.
Skagafjörður
It is a famous and charming district in North Iceland. Due to a great number of Icelandic horses, Skagafjörður is also known as the Mecca of horsemanship. It is no doubt the land of adventure and offers a variety of exciting activities such as skiing, hiking, river rafting, bird watching, relax in hot springs and get a chance to enjoy Northern Lights in the dark night. This area of Iceland is also famous for its unique horse breeds and has gained worldwide praise. You can find multiple operators offering horse tours and horseback riding. Don’t miss out to watch various horse shows such as “Meet the Icelandic Horse.” There is also a historic turf house in Skagafjörður known as Glaumbær Farm. Since the settlement of Iceland in the year 874, a farm has stood on this site. This lovely farmhouse consists of 13 buildings and is currently owned by the National Museum of Iceland.
Skagafjörður is blessed with beautiful islands such as Drangey and Málmey. These islands are always popular for adventure travellers and bird watchers. Other attraction spots in Skagafjörður are the Grettir’s Pool and Tindastoll, a snow-capped mountain. Víðimýrarkirkja church is another place you must visit in Skagafjörður, North Iceland. It is one of Iceland’s very few turf churches and is still in use as a parish church. The front of the church has wooden facades while the roof and exterior sides are covered with turf.
