If you’re planning your trip to Iceland, you are probably wondering whether you should include Akureyri as one of your stops or not. If this is your case, keep reading this article! In this blog, I will share all the practical things you need to know, the top things to do in Akureyri (and its surroundings), and how much time you should spend here.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
AKUREYRI, THE CAPITAL OF THE NORTH
Here are some interesting facts about Akureyri that you might not know:
- With approximately 19.000 people living there, it’s the second largest “city” in Iceland after Reykjavík.
- It is the center of trade and services in northern Iceland, which has made people call it “The Capital of the North”.
- The Artic Circle is only 60km north of Akureyri.
- It is located on the longest fjord in Iceland, Eyjafjordur.
GETTING TO AKUREYRI
There are two ways to get to Akureyri.
- By plane: You can take a domestic flight from Reykjavik to Akureyri with Icelandair. The flight takes approximately 40 minutes.
- By car: The second way to reach Akureyri is by driving. This is the best option if you have rented a car and are doing a road trip along the famous Ring Road (Route 1). If you are driving from Reykjavik, it will take around 5 hours of driving (without stops) to reach Akureyri.
TIPS FOR VISITING AKUREYRI
GOOD TO KNOW
Did you know that public transport in Akureyri is completely free? Once you have arrived in Akureyri, you can just park your car and use public transport to move around teh city for free.
On this site, you will be able to find the different bus routes and schedules.
BEST PLACES TO EAT
During our two days in Akureyri, we only ate out once. We stayed in a super-equipped apartment and decided to save money by cooking our meals those days.
Nevertheless, the only restaurant we tried was actually really good. We enjoyed some delicious burgers at Akureyri Backpackers. If you are looking for a place to eat with a relaxed atmosphere, you should definitely try it.
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED TO VISIT AKUREYRI?
The time you should plan in Akureyri will mostly depend on what you like to do. We stayed there for 1.5 days (2 nights) because we wanted to do a hike to Mount Sulur and enjoy the beautiful views of the fjord.
However, I would only recommend staying there for more than one night if you want to add some activity outside Akureyri. A bit further you can find a list of the things you can do near Akureyri.
If you only want to visit the city’s main highlights then half a day is more than enough. This will allow you to visit the most important places in the city and enjoy something to eat.
TOP THINGS TO DO IN AKUREYRI
1. VISIT AKUREYRI KIRKJA
The Akureyri Kirkja, or church in English is, without a doubt, the number one place to visit in Akureyri. You will be able to find it very easily as it is in the center of the town in a prominent and elevated area.
The church is a Lutheran church consecrated in 1940 and designed by architec Gudjon Samuelsson. It resembles a little bit to the Reykjavik church but instead of having one tower, it has two.
The stairs in front of the church are also a very popular place for Icelanders. Local people usually race each other while going up the stairs. It is so common, that every year they have a “church stair race” event in July.
Practical information
- Price. The church can be visited for free.
- Opening hours. It is open for visits from Monday to Friday between 10 am and 6 pm.
2. ADMIRE THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS IN THE AKUREYRI BOTANICAL GARDEN
The Akureyri Botanical Garden or Lystigardurinn is the most northerly botanical garden in the world. It was created in 1912 with the aim to grow trees, shrubs, and perennials in the harsh climate of Iceland. Today, it has over 7.000 species of plants.
Walking around the park will surprise you with all the colorful flowers and plants that grow in this park. If you’re lucky you might be even able to admire it on a sunny day.
Practical information
- Price. The Akureyri Botanical Garden is completely free
- Opening hours. The park is only open in the summer between 9 am and 10 pm.
3. BE IMPRESSED BY EYJAFJORDUR FJORD
Akureyri is located at the end of the longest fjord in Iceland, Eyjafjordur. But this is not the only remarkable thing about it, it is also a beautiful fjord.
There are several places in Akureyri where you will be able to admire the fjord (you will be able to find the viewpoints on the map above).
- From the Akureyri Kirkja.
- On the opposite side of the fjord from Akureyri, you will get a fantastic view of the fjord and the city.
4. GO WHALE WATCHING
Whale Watching is a very common thing to do in the North of Iceland and Eyjafjördur is no exception. It is not rare to see whales swimming in the fjord, even right in front of Akureyri!
If you want to go whale watching during your stay in Akureyri, there are several companies that offer boat tours departing from the pier in Akureyri.
5. TAKE A SELFIE WITH THE READ HEARTS OF AKUREYRI'S TRAFFIC LIGHTS
Akureyri is known for the red hearts in its traffic lights and now they have become a tourist attraction in itself.
These red hearts started to appear during the 2008 financial crisis in Iceland in the hopes of them lifting up people’s spirits.
While driving or walking around the town make sure to check out the traffic lights to find the red hearts instead of the regular red traffic light. If you do take a photo of it and post it on your social media, make sure to use the hashtag #redheartsofakureyri.
6. STROLL THROUGH THE OLD TOWN OF AKUREYRI
Walk around the old town of Akureyri to feel as if you have traveled in time back to when the town was founded.
Along your walk, you will be able to see some of the oldest houses in town, the old theatre, primary school, and hospital,
TOP THINGS TO DO NEAR AKUREYRI
7. LEARN ABOUT THE ICELANDI WAY OF LIVING AT THE LAUFAS TURF HOUSES
Not far from Akureyri, approximately 25 km driving, you will find the old rectory of Akureyri. This farm has some of the best-preserved turf houses in Iceland. These houses were built in 1865 and will give you an idea of how people used to live in Iceland before the 20th century.
The Laufás Turf Houses belong to the Akureyri Museum. You can find all information about prices and opening hours on the Akureyri Museum site.
8. GET INTO CHRISTMAS SPIRIT AT JOLAHUSID
Jolahusid or Christmas House is a shop that will get you into the Christmas mood no matter what time of year you visit it. It’s the perfect place to get some very special Christmas decorations from Iceland.
The shop is open all year round and it offers all sorts of Christmas decorations, from the more traditional ones to specific Icelandic ones. Just keep in mind that Icelandic Christmas traditions are a bit different from what you might expect.
9. HIKE UP TO MOUNT SULUR
Mount Súlur is the mountain right next to Akureyri town. If you are looking for a more adventurous activity, this is perfect for you. This hike is considered a challenging one with approximately 10km (5km each way) and 900m elevation gain. However, your effort will be rewarded with amazing views of Akureyri and the fjord.
The hike begins at the parking lot at the end of “Súlurvegur” road (the exact place available on the map above) and it will take around 6h hours to complete it depending on your fitness level.
10. FLY TO GRIMSEY ISLAND TO BE IN THE ARCTIC POLAR CIRCLE
Grímsey island is a small island that is part of Iceland’s territory and is located approximately 40km north of Iceland. Only a hundred people, mostly fishermen and their families live there.
Upon arrival, tourists get a certificate that states that they have been to Artic Polar Circle. From there, there are 5 different hikes that you can do, to get a glimpse of this little island.
There are two ways of reaching Grímsey Island.
- By ferry. There is a ferry line that connects Iceland with Grímsey three days a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) all year round. It takes approximately 3h to reach Grímsey.
- By plane. There is a 30-minute flight from Akureyri to Grímsey island three days per week (Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays).
11. DISCOVER HRÍSEY ISLAND IN THE MIDDLE OF EYJAFJORDUR
Hrísey is another small island located in the middle of Eyjafjördur. This island will be a paradise for bird watchers with more than 40 different species of birds.
If you decided to visit Hrísey there are also several easy trails (from 2 km to 5km) that you can walk to discover the island.
You can reach Hrísey via a ferry that departs from Ásskógssandur village and it only takes 15 minutes to get there. Here you can find the ferry schedule.
ACCOMMODATION IN AKUREYRI
There are many options for places to stay in Akureyri depending on your budget. Here are some options I recommend.
Camping Hamrar (€)
This will be your go-to option if you are traveling with a camper van. Camping Hamrar is convieniently located just outside Akureyri.
Akureyri Backpackers (€€)
Another budget-friendly option is to stay in a hostel and Akureyri Backpackers is located right in the center of Akureyri. Plus their restaurant is a must-visit while in the city.
Photos from Booking.com
Akureyri Luxury Apartments (€€€)
These apartments are located a bit far from the center of Akureyri but they have everything you can imagine to guarantee your a fantastic stay in the city. They even have a hot tub where you can relax after a day of hiking!
We stayed here during our stay in Akureyri and they were really comfortable!
Photos from Booking.com
Centrum Hotel (€€€)
If an apartment is not what you’re looking for, then I would recommend staying at Centrum Hotel, which has modernly decorated rooms and free parking.
Photos from Booking.com
MAP WITH ALL LOCATIONS
HOW TO USE THIS MAP: Click the star next to the map title to add this map to your google maps account. To view it on your phone while traveling, open Google Maps, click on the menu button and go to “Your Places”, click on Maps and you’ll see this map in your list.
Hope you enjoyed my list of the best things to do in Akureyri and nearby. Let me know in the comments if you do try any of them or if you know any others.
DISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links. Clicking and buying from them will be at no additional cost to you but I will get a small commission.
OTHER ARTICLES ABOUT ICELAND
- PLAN YOUR TRIP TO ICELAND ON YOUR OWN
- TWO WEEKS ICELAND ROAD TRIP ITINERARY
- 20 BEST THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN REYKJAVIK
- HIKING IN THINGVELLIR NATIONAL PARK
- RENTING A CAR & DRIVING IN ICELAND – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
- ONE DAY IN THE GOLDEN CIRCLE
- THE SKOGA TRAIL – THE HIKE BEHIND SKOGAFOSS
- KVERNUFOSS – THE LESS VISITED WATERFALL NEXT TO SKOGAFOSS
- HIKING IN SKAFTAFELL NATIONAL PARK
- 21 WATERFALLS THAT YOU CAN’T MISS IN ICELAND
- KAYAKING IN JOKULSARLON
- KRAFLA VITI CRATER AND LAVA FIELDS
- HIKING IN DIMMUBORGIR
- HVERFJALL CRATER HIKE
- GLACIER HIKING AT VATNAJOKULL
- HVERIR GEOTHERMAL AREA
- 11 BEST THINGS TO DO IN LAKE MYVATN AREA
- THE 11 TOP THINGS TO DO IN AKUREYRI (AND NEARBY)
- HIKING SÚLUR MOUNTAIN
- THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SNAEFELLSNES PENINSULA
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