Things to do in Akureyri
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Akureyri
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best for most first timers in late June and July: midnight sun, all tours and roads open, puffins, whales and festivals.
Best value from mid August: crowds drop, autumn colour, aurora returns late August and September while most tours still run.
Quietest and cheapest, with aurora and empty lagoons, but shortest days and seasonal closures. November is the weakest month.
Best for ski, aurora and Christmas: Hlidarfjall, Christmas Garden and long nights. Best winter months are February to early March.
Spring with late skiing, lengthening days, high flow waterfalls, returning birds and low crowds and prices in May.
What's on
- Arctic Open Golf late June
Midnight sun golf at Jadarsvollur with tee times through the night around the summer solstice.
- Gásir Medieval Days mid-July
Medieval market, crafts and re-enactment at the old trading post site.
- Súlur Vertical July
Trail races and guided hikes in the town mountains during hiking weeks.
- Ein með öllu first weekend in August
Merchants Weekend family festival and Iceland Summer Games filling downtown with music and fairground.
- Great Fish Day, Dalvík second weekend in August
The neighbouring fishing town serves free fish tastings to thousands, about 35 minutes away.
- Akureyri Town Festival late August
Birthday of Akureyri culture programme with concerts downtown and events in the Botanical Garden and Old Town.
- Christmas Garden and Advent late November-December
Christmas House at full tilt with Advent markets and concerts, plus skiing and aurora as backdrop.
- New Year's Eve 31 December
Town bonfires and fjord fireworks at New Year, with skiing and aurora as the backdrop.
Best things to do in Akureyri
Goðafoss
A wide horseshoe waterfall with paths on both banks, close spray and a saga story behind the scenery.
Forest Lagoon
A quiet geothermal infinity lagoon in birch forest, with sauna, plunge pool and views back to town.
Akureyri Botanical Garden
One of the northernmost botanical gardens, lush and sheltered, with Arctic and alpine collections.
Akureyri Swimming Pool
A geothermal municipal pool with hot pots, steam and slides that locals use as a living room.
Laufás Heritage Site
A preserved turf house farm and church showing how prosperous Icelandic farmers lived before concrete.
Akureyrarkirkja
The 1940 church above the Old Town walk, best for its steps, exterior and view over town.
Hof Cultural and Conference Centre
A striking harbourfront concert hall and cafe, and the start of the best evening stroll in town.
Christmas House
A year round Christmas house with Yule Lads folklore, decorations and a huge Advent calendar tower.
Where to stay in Akureyri
Downtown / Miðbær
first trip, all-round base
Flat and central around Hafnarstraeti, walking distance to boats, restaurants, bars and free buses.
Old Town / Innbærinn
repeat visitors, longer stays, self-caterers
The oldest prettiest streets by the museums, quieter and more local, 10 to 15 minutes walk downtown.
The Hillside / Brekka
fit walkers in summer, drivers wanting parking
Residential slope above centre with fjord views and easier parking, but a sustained uphill return.
South Edge / Kjarnaskógur and Airport Side
self-driving families and aurora hopefuls
Forest, space, hot tubs and darker skies about 4 to 5 km out, so a car is needed for most things.
Across the Fjord / Vaðlaheiði Side
aurora and Forest Lagoon split stays
Big views and near dark skies minutes from Forest Lagoon, about 10 minutes drive to town and car dependent.
Think twice about
- Oddeyri / the northern port-industrial edge
Safe but noisy and windswept, with heavy vehicles, cruise berths and almost no evening life or dining.
- Far suburban / highway-edge addresses marketed as Akureyri
Safe and often pleasant, but outside the walkable town on arterial roads so you drive to every coffee.
- Steep upper-hillside streets in winter without a car
An ice and gradient problem, not a crime issue. Without a car, filter for flat downtown or Old Town streets.
Best restaurants in Akureyri
Rub23
Icelandic Japanese cooking with sushi from local fish and signature rubs on Arctic char.
Strikið
A fifth floor view restaurant over harbour and fjord, the local special night room for seafood and lamb.
Múlaberg
The Hotel Kea restaurant and bar, modern Icelandic cooking and the most reliable late winter option.
Bautinn
A historic all rounder with fish, meats, pizza and a famous salad bar that suits mixed groups.
Eyja Wine Bar & Bistro
Wines by the glass with Icelandic European small plates and seafood in a grown up central room.
Greifinn
Big friendly pizza, burgers and family plates at generous portions and Iceland adjusted value.
Krua Siam
A long running Thai kitchen for proper curries and pad kee mao, with vegetarian dishes done properly.
Brynja
A civic ice cream institution making soft serve and scoops on site, eaten walking the Old Town.
Best bars in Akureyri
Götubarinn
A friendly local bar on Hafnarstraeti named for the bachelor and bachelorette nightlife route.
R5 Micro Bar
A micro bar on Hafnarstraeti named for an Akureyri night out after lagoon and adventure days.
Best coffee in Akureyri
Kaffi Ilmur
A healthy historic cafe with daily soups, salad bar, home baked bread and open sandwiches at lunch.
LYST
The garden greenhouse cafe for coffee, sourdough and light lunch among the botanical collection.
Bláa Kannan
The blue main street cafe with its own bakery cakes, soups and long hours from morning to late.
Outdoor things to do in Akureyri
Lake Mývatn
The essential day loop of pseudocraters, lava fields, sulphur steam and a milky geothermal bath.
Diamond Circle
A long wild loop pairing powerful Dettifoss, the Asbyrgi canyon, the Tjornes coast and Husavik.
Húsavík
Icelands whale capital, with classic whale boats, the Whale Museum and GeoSea baths over the bay.
Tröllaskagi
A coastal mountain drive to Siglufjordur and its Herring Era Museum, ranked among Icelands best.
Grímsey
An offshore island where you cross the Arctic Circle among puffins, basalt cliffs and 100 residents.
Elding Whale Watching Akureyri
Humpback watching straight from downtown harbour, so no drive to Husavik is needed for whales.
Viking Rafting
Grade 4 glacial rafting through a green canyon, run by an experienced crew with drysuits provided.
Polar Hestar
Icelandic horse riding in lava and fjord scenery, with small groups and horses matched to riders.
Best hotels in Akureyri
Hotel Kea by Keahotels
The grand central hotel since 1944, the most full service stay in the north with fjord view rooms.
Hafdals Hotel
An 8 room boutique across the fjord with private terraces, big views and personal high touch hosting.
Berjaya Akureyri Hotel
Modernised rooms, good breakfast and free parking on the hillside, the safest first timer choice.
Hotel Akureyri
A small family hotel near the waterfront with free parking and famously helpful staff.
Centrum Hotel
Central hotel rooms and apartments with kitchens, a money saver for cooking some meals yourself.
Hotel Norðurland
A solid 3 star near Hof at a step below Kea prices, with bar and 24 hour desk.
Hotel Kjarnalundur
Woodland hotel with hot tubs oriented to aurora watching, panoramic nature views and free parking.
Akureyri Backpackers
Downtown dorms and private rooms with bar, restaurant and sauna, the cheapest bed with a pulse.
Is Akureyri expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | ISK 10,300 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | ISK 23,200 a person |
| Splurge | ISK 43,100 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Forest Lagoon: a few days ahead
- Lake Mývatn: weeks ahead
- Diamond Circle: weeks ahead
- Húsavík: a few days ahead
- Grímsey: weeks ahead
- Elding Whale Watching Akureyri: a few days ahead
- Viking Rafting: weeks ahead
- Polar Hestar: a few days ahead
- Book Forest Lagoon, Myvatn Baths and GeoSea timed entry online in peak season and on cruise days.
- Book whale watching, rafting, Diamond Circle small groups and Arctic Open golf days to weeks ahead in summer.
- Book Rub23 dinner and Strikid terrace tables when you book the hotel for summer and weekend stays.
- Hotels fill for late June Arctic Open, early and late August festivals and Christmas and New Year.
Is Akureyri safe?
- Exceptionally safe overall, with walking at night normal and emergency number 112.
- Real risks are weather, water and roads, including wind tearing car doors and icy pavements November to March.
- Stay on marked paths on thin geothermal crust at Hverir and Myvatn, and wear all operator gear in cold water.
- Cards are accepted everywhere and cold tap water is excellent, so never buy bottled water.
Akureyri travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Day tripping the north from Reykjavik. Akureyri deserves 2 plus nights as a base.
- Big coach Myvatn at cruise peak when you have a car. Self drive early or late, or pay for a small group.
- Grjotagja bathing photos. The cave pool is closed to bathing, so view it and move on.
- Akureyrarkirkja as a standalone attraction. Do it inside the Old Town walking loop instead.
- Cruise facing souvenir prices on Hafnarstraeti. Walk one street for local shop prices.
Getting around Akureyri: public transport and more
- Walk the compact centre and use free SVA city buses, roughly hourly and less often evenings and Sundays.
- Akureyri Airport is about 3.5 km south, with 45 minute flights to Reykjavik and taxis as the default transfer.
- A rental car is the biggest day trip upgrade. In winter rent 4WD and check road and weather sites that morning.
- Book taxis rather than expecting to hail, and pre-book returns on Hof and festival nights.
Who Akureyri suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Good |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Good |
Make Akureyri your trip
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