Things to do in Akureyri, Iceland, run the gamut from exhilarating whale watching trips to leisurely strolls around the city’s Botanical Gardens. Lying at the innermost point of the beautiful Eyjafjörður—the longest fjord in Iceland—Akureyri is around 60 miles south of the Arctic Circle and surrounded by snow-capped mountains, with plenty for travelers to see and do.
Akureyri is Iceland’s second-largest city, with a population of around 20,000 people. The city retains a wonderful, under-the-radar feel and it is full of surprises, including a raft of top-notch museums and breweries, and an abundance of natural attractions to explore.
Visit Akureyri Botanical Gardens
Akureyri Botanical Gardens
One of Akureyri’s many assets is Lystigarðurinn, the city’s bucolic Botanical Gardens—one of the most northerly in the world—that bursts with greenery and bright pops of color in summertime.
There are around 430 native species and thousands of international plants, including trees, shrubs, and perennial plants that benefit from long hours of daylight during summer and the shelter of the Eyjafjörður.
Akureyri Botanical Gardens
Pretty mountain avens, red and blue poppies, and lupine are among the flowering plants visitors can admire during summer in Iceland.
Once you’ve explored the gardens, take a seat at Lystigarðurinn’s restaurant, LYST, to sample some of Akureyri’s fresh, locally-sourced, and seasonal fish and vegetables. The menu features dishes such as Arctic char and potatoes and shrimp and roe on sourdough.
Explore Local Museums
Laufas Heritage Site and Museum
This pocket-sized city boasts a wonderful collection of museums that explore the culture and history of the region, as well as some more offbeat topics.
Get a sense of pastoral life in Iceland in years gone by at the Laufas Heritage Site and Museum. This collection of traditional turf roof buildings are a true representation of turf houses, which were once commonly found in Iceland’s countryside.
There has been a turf house at the site of Laufas Heritage Site and Museum for over a thousand years, with the site even mentioned in the Book of Settlements, a medieval tome that details the early Norse settlements in Iceland.
Laufas Heritage Site and Museum
Admire the works of local Icelandic and international artists at Akureyri Art Museum on the city’s Listagil, or Art Street, with guided tours showcasing sculptures, photography, paintings, and multimedia installations.
The Icelandic Aviation Museum is located in a hangar at Akureyri Airport, covering the country’s aviation history, with model and historic aircraft and an annual fair with some of the still airworthy planes taking to the skies every June in Iceland.
Similarly, the Motorcycle Museum of Iceland charts 100 years of motorcycle history with vintage and modern bikes exhibited in a purpose-built museum.
Marvel at Ásbyrgi Canyon
Ásbyrgi Canyon
One of the best things to do in Akureyri is to head for the horseshoe-shaped Ásbyrgi Canyon. This dramatic canyon lies northeast of the town, a scenic one hour, 45-minute drive, in northeast Iceland.
Steeped in folklore, Asbyrgi Canyon is 2.2 miles long and 0.7 miles wide, within the vast Vatnajokull National Park. Asbyrgi Canyon is best explored in summertime, when the surrounding roads are most accessible, since the region can experience plenty of snow and ice in winter.
Asbyrgi Canyon is an amateur geologist’s dream. It is estimated that the canyon began forming around eight to 10 million years ago, following a series of natural events after the last Ice Age. First came glacial flooding of the Jökulsá á Fjöllum, the second-longest river in Iceland, then a volcanic eruption beneath the Vatnajokull Glacier ice cap.
Eyja
Further eruptions and floods have carved and sculpted Asbyrgi into the jaw-dropping gorge that can be seen today. Marvel at the canyon’s 328-foot drop and a soaring 82-foot rock formation, known as The Island, or Eyja, from the canyon’s tree-lined hiking trails.
Iceland famously has very few trees, however, birch, willow, larch, pine, and spruce all grow in this unique landscape. At the visitor’s center in Jökulsárgljúfur, a short distance from the canyon, learn more about the flora, fauna, and geology of Asbyrgi Canyon.
Spot Adorable Atlantic Puffins
Atlantic puffins
Few species are as synonymous with Iceland as the Atlantic puffin, or Lundi, as they are known locally. These dinky seabirds with a white breast and orange beak arrive in Iceland in their millions every year from April, departing for the sea, where they spend most of their time by mid August.
One of the best things to do in Akureyri is to go bird watching to spot these enchanting seabirds. Several accessible sites are close by the city, including Krossanesborgir and Naustaborgir on the Eyjafjörður and the nearby river estuaries of Eyjafjarðará, Hörgá, and Svarfaðardalsá.
Atlantic puffins
Spy puffins waddling from grassy burrows and flapping while clasping silvery sprats in their beaks on trails around the Eyjafjörður. Make sure you pack a camera to capture these quick-flying birds in the air—they are able to reach speeds of 55 miles per hour and flap frantically, up to 400 times per minute, as they fly.
Read: What to Pack for Iceland
Travel to Iceland’s Northernmost Town
Siglufjörður
Around an hour’s drive north of Akureyri lies Siglufjörður, the most northerly town on Iceland’s mainland, with a population of around 1,300 residents.
Once known as the capital of herring fishing in the Atlantic, Siglufjörður is one of the best places to visit in Iceland, thanks to its fantastic Herring Era Museum. The museum reveals all about Iceland’s once thriving herring fishing industry—and how it was a shark-fishing town before that—including how the fish are processed and stored.
Herring Era Museum, Siglufjörður
Located in three separate buildings, each one focuses on a separate aspect of the region’s golden era of herring fishing. One of the buildings, Roaldsbrakki, is situated in a former salting station that was built in 1907 that includes the former boarding house where herring factory workers once slept. The exhibits are fascinating, including photographs, fishing equipment, packaging, and machinery.
Folk Music Museum
Siglufjörður is also home to a handsome church and the charming Folk Music Museum, with the town hosting an annual folk music festival with live concerts during summer.
Despite its small size, Siglufjörður has several places to eat. Try Fiskbud for a hearty portion of fried fish and chunky fries or the cozy, bright-yellow Torgid restaurant, with indoor and outdoor seating and an equally comforting menu of pizzas, fries, and burgers. After, sample local ales at Segull 67’s Tap Room, with Icelandic Craft Lager and Session IPA available.
Gaze at Spectacular Waterfalls
Godafoss
There are spectacular waterfalls all over Iceland, including plenty within easy reach of Akureyri. The most famous is Goðafoss, with a visit here one of the best things to do in Akureyri.
Just a 35-minute drive east, Godafoss is a major landmark along Iceland’s outer ring road, the Diamond Circle route. Water thunders into a bow-shaped canyon spanning 98 feet, with a drop of 39 feet from the river Skjálfandafljót. There’s a parking lot for coaches and cars on both sides of the river and a walking trail to the viewing platform, where you can watch the cool water foam like Champagne.
Aldeyjarfoss
A 45-minute drive south of Godafoss is Aldeyjarfoss, a breathtaking waterfall that appears to burst through a cliff of basalt columns and into an icy pool below.
Dettifoss, on the edge of Vatnajökull National Park, is one of the most powerful waterfalls in Europe and well worth the 82-mile drive from Akureyri to see this 330-foot wide spectacle. Pack a raincoat and watch as ice-cold water from the Vatnajökull glacier thunders 144 feet into the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon.
Get Festive at The Christmas Garden
The Christmas Garden
It’s holiday season year-round at this true-to-life red gingerbread house on the edge of Akureri. The Christmas Garden is where Icelandic festive traditions are brought to life, including decorations and treats such as Laufabrauð, which translates as leaf bread, a style of patterned Icelandic flatbread.
Expect to hear tales of the mountain-dwelling Yuletide Lads. These devilish characters are a prominent feature of children’s folklore and are told to scare children into good behavior in the lead up to Christmas.
The Christmas Garden
Enjoy the scent of cinnamon wafting through the air and the sound of crackling log fires as you browse the vast gift shop, with candies, tree ornaments, and traditional wooden nutcrackers. There’s also a peaceful garden around the house with picnic tables where you can enjoy coffee and cake from the café.
Read: Iceland Travel Tips
Paddle on the Eyjafjörður
Eyjafjörður
With Iceland’s longest fjord on your doorstep, a paddle on the pristine Eyjafjörður is one of the best things to do in Akureyri.
Opt for a guided kayak tour from Grenivík harbor, on the northeast shore of Eyjafjörður. Some guided trips paddle toward the coast, while others head south to Akureyri harbor, looking for bottlenose dolphins and the throngs of seabirds that nest here in summer.
Soak in views of misty mountains—many still with snow-capped summits during summertime—as you gently paddle along the Icelandic fjord, looking for the telltale blow of humpback whales, which are plentiful on the Eyjafjörður.
Go on an Exhilarating Hike
Glerárdalur
Akureyri presents plenty of sublime hikes for active travelers, ranging from light walks to strenuous treks.
Southwest of Akureyri, Glerárdalur offers almost seven miles of gentle hiking trails that weave around the Glerá river. Krossanesborgir, just to the north of the city, is one of the best spots to go for berry-picking and bird-watching, with Arctic terns, black-headed gulls, and serene coastal views.
For an easy city walk, take the Blue path through the center of Akureyri from Ráðhústorg, or Town Hall Square, past the town’s brightly-colored houses and Akureyri theatre. You can follow the route to Akureyri Churchyard and on to the Botanic Gardens.
The 3.4-mile route takes in many of Akureyri’s top attractions, including Akureyri Art Museum and Nonni House, the home of famous 19th-century children’s author Jón Sveinsson-Nonni. Stop by Brynja on Main Street, Akureyri’s famous ice cream shop, for delicious scoops.
Head to Grimsey Island
Grimsey Island
One of the best things to do in Iceland is to join a short polar flight from Akureyri to Grimsey Island, which straddles the Arctic Circle at 66.5° north. The island is the northernmost inhabited point of Iceland, roughly 25 miles north of Akureyri.
You’ll get a bird’s eye view of the mainland as well as the chance to scan for seabirds and cetaceans. Marvel at Grimsey’s 300-foot-high cliffs as you reach this green-covered island.
Grimsey Island
Grimsey draws thousands of seabirds every summer, including Arctic terns, razorbills, kittiwakes, and Atlantic puffins. Hike the island’s coastal route from the airstrip to the Orbis et Globus—an art installation that also tracks the movement of the Arctic Circle—in the north of the island.
Look out for wild horses and more seabirds as you conquer this 3.7-mile loop. There is a café and a gift shop selling thick Icelandic knits and other souvenirs close to the airstrip.
Bathe at the Forest Lagoon
Forest Lagoon
Iceland is known for its geothermal baths, and while Reykjavik might have the Blue Lagoon, this northern spot has plenty of steaming geothermal pools of its own, including Forest Lagoon on the Eyjafjörður.
Surrounded by birch and pine trees in Vaglaskogur forest, a short drive from Akureyri, Forest Lagoon is one of the most idyllic bathing destinations in Iceland, with infinity pools, swim-up bars, a sauna, a cold tub, and a cozy bistro.
Bathe in the deeply relaxing and soothing water—heated to 98-100°F, while the cold pool is a crisp 53°F—while soaking in the forest and fjord views.
Take your own towel or rent one here. Lockers are available to store your personal items and it’s also mandatory to shower without swimwear before entering the pools.
You could walk to the Forest Lagoon from Akureyri city center, which takes around 50 minutes. Alternatively, hop on the Forest Lagoon’s free shuttle bus that runs from the city center on the hour, every hour, between 10am and 6pm, returning every hour between 11:30 am and 5:30 pm at half past the hour.
Go Whale Watching
Whale-watching in Akureyri
This northern swathe of Iceland—including the long and narrow Eyjafjörður, which unfurls some 40 miles inland from the craggy coastline—is one of the best places to go on a whale-watching trip.
These rich, cold waters feed humpback whales, minke whales, and bottlenose dolphins, which are commonly spotted in both coastal areas and deep within the fjord.
Listen to whale-watching guides who will reveal details of recent sightings and advise on surface action to look out for, such as water spouting from a humpback’s blowhole, and other behavior such as tail slapping and breaching.
Harbor porpoises, eider ducks, northern gannets, and Atlantic puffins can also be spotted between April and August.
Soak in a Beer Bath
For beer-loving travelers, a trip to Bjórböðin Beer Spa is one of the best things to do in Akureyri, with visitors invited to bathe in a wooden tub filled with warm beer and live yeast.
Bjórböðin Beer Spa was opened in 2017 by Bruggsmiðjan Kaldi, a craft brewery in Árskógssandur, near Hrisey Island on Eyjafjörður’s northwest shore. The bathing experience lasts 25 minutes and each tub has its own beer tap next to it so you can pour your own craft ale.
Private tubs and larger tubs for groups of friends are available and after soaking for 25 minutes, guests are led to recharge in the spa’s relaxation lounge.
Grimsey Island
From beer bathing to whale watching, discover the extraordinary number of things to do in the city on one of Celebrity’s cruises to Akureyri. Browse itineraries and start planning your next unforgettable getaway.
