Stunning Tourist Attractions to Visit and Things to Do in Akureyri
Akureyri is a town situated in northern part of Iceland. The city has been nicknamed the “Capital of North Iceland”. The city gained importance as an important port in Iceland and a fishing center. The top things to do in Akureyri include skiing, hiking, sailing, whale watching and so on. The city is surrounded by amazing natural wonders. You will come across beautiful things to see in Akureyri like snow-clad landscapes, waterfalls, forest trails, mountains, coastal scenery and more.
If you are someone who enjoys the outdoors, you would love Akureyri travel. You can explore bicycle tours and hiking trails. You can also go sailing, boat cruise, scuba diving and river rafting. There are also several Akureyri tourist attractions to see the Northern Lights.
There are a few places to visit in Akureyri in the city as well. You can begin with the city’s museum to learn about its history. There is also an aviation museum, toy museum, art museum, motorcycle museum and so on.
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Table of Contents
Top 8 Tourist Places to Visit in Akureyri, Iceland
1. Goðafoss Waterfall
Also known as the Gods Waterfall, it is one of the most beautiful things to see in Akureyri. It got its name from dumping of pagan statues in this waterfall by a the ruler. You can easily spend a couple of hours at this place.
I suggest you can book your tour of Goðafoss Waterfall
2. Akureyrarkirkja Lutheran Church
This church is one of the finest examples of Icelandic architecture. The church sits atop a hill. It is also one of the best spots for Akureyri sightseeing. You would need 30 to 45 minutes for this church.
3. Aviation Museum of Iceland
You can visit this museum while you are at the airport. There is a huge hanger dedicated to this museum. It is one of the most interesting Akureyri tourist attractions. The museum also holds a air-show in June. You would need about 2 hours for this museum.
4. Akureyri Botanical Garden
These botanical gardens showcase several plant species of Iceland. It also has a few species from other countries as well. You would need an hour or so for this place when you visit Akureyri, Iceland.
5. Akureyri Art Museum
This museum is the flagship of the Art Street. The museum is solely focused on visual arts. It is one of the most important cultural Akureyri attractions. You would need about an hour for this museum.
6. Skiing
The city is surrounded by some of the best skiing tracks on Iceland. It is one of the most popular activities in Akureyri. The skiing season is 180 days in the region. You can dedicate an entire day for skiing.
7. Akureyri Museum
This museum tells the story of the city. You can find historical artifacts going all the way back to Viking settlement in the region.It is among Akureyri must see places. You would need about 2 hours for this museum.
8. Whale Watching
This is one of the top things to do in Akureyri. You can get on a boat and explore the ocean looking for whales. You would come across hunchback whales and even blue whales if you are lucky. You would need 3 hours for this activity during Akureyri travel.
I suggest you can book your tour of whale watching in advance.
If you are looking for more fun things to do in Akureyri, Iceland check out the section below.
Things to do in Akureyri
Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Akureyri
- Akureyrarkirkja Lutheran Church
- Akureyri Art Museum
- Akureyri Museum
- Icelandic Aviation Museum
- Motorcycle Museum of Iceland
- St. Peter’s Catholic Church
- Industry Museum
- Davios Stefansson Writer’s Museum
- First Settlers Statue
- Laufas Rectory
- Akureyri District Archives
- Deiglan Gallery
- Mjolkurbuoin Gallery
- Akureyri Toy Museum
- VeggVerk
Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Akureyri
- Lake Myvtan
- Hlioarfjall Skiing Mountain
- Vatnsnes Peninsula
- Dettifoss Waterfall
- Godafoss Waterfall
- Asbyrgi Canyon
- Myvatn Nature Baths
- Arctic Coast Way
- Mount Sulur
- Kjarnaskogur Forest
- Glera River
- Glerardalur Valley
- Grimse Island
- Krossanesborgir Reserve Area
Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Akureyri
- Akureyri Botanical Garden
- Hof Cultural and Conference Centre
- Northern Lights Show
- Gasir Medieval Trading Place
- Daladyro Petting Zoo
Shopping in Akureyri
- Downtown Shopping
- Glerartorg
- Kaupangur
- Sunnuhlio
- Akureyri Creative
Offbeat Places, Tours, & Adventure in Akureyri
- Skiing
- Hiking
- Boat Cruise
- Horseback Riding
- River Rafting
- Bicycle Tours
- Ice Skating
- Ice Fishing
- Dog Sledging
- Ice Climbing
- Scuba Diving
- Sailing
- Whale Watching
Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Akureyri
- Ak inn
- Aurora Restaurant
- Axel’s Bakery
- Bakariio vio Bruna
- Bautinn
- Cafe Blaa Kannan
- Brynja Ice Cream
- Domino’s Pizza
- Cafe Laut
- DJ Grill
- Greifinn Restaurant
- Indian Curry House
- Cafe Ilmur
- Kaffi Ku
- Kurdo Kebab
- Lasanga and More
- Mulaberg
- Rub23
- Shanghai
- Serrano
- Spreturr Inn
- Veganesti
Where to Stay in Akureyri?
Here we have listed Top Rated Luxurious, Mid-Range and Budget Hotels in Akureyri. You can check below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Akureyri.
Luxurious Hotels
- Hotel Kea by Keahotels
- Icelandair Hotel Akureyri
- Skjaldarvik Guest House & Restaurant
- Hotel Nordurland
- Hotel Akureyri
- Hafdals Hotel
- Acco Luxury Apartments
- Akureyri Backpackers
- Halllandsnes Apartments
- Hoepfner Historical House
Mid-Range Hotels
- Lamb Inn Ongulsstadir
- Hotel Kjarnalundur
- Apotek Guesthouse
- Guesthouse Petursborg
- Hrafninn Guesthouse
- Centrum Hostel
- Hafnarstraeti Hostel
- Hotel Akureyri Dynheimar
- FE Gisting
- Ice Apartments Akureyri
Budget Hotels
Custom Tours Package in Akureyri
How to Reach Akureyri?
By Air
There is an airport to visit Akureyri, but it is only domestic. You get direct flights from Reykjavik. You can also flights to smaller towns on Iceland like Grimsey, Porshofn, Vopnafjorour and Nerlerit Inaat. You can get buses and cabs to get to the city and places to visit in Akureyri.
By Road
You can get domestic buses to and from several cities, towns and villages in Iceland. On the other hand, if you plan to drive to the city you should stick to either routes 82 or route 1.
By Water
You can get ferry services from Denmark, The Faroe Islands and Seydisfjordur village for Akureyri travel.
Image Reference
- Goðafoss Waterfall – David Mark / PixaBay
- Akureyrarkirkja Lutheran Church – Jonathan / Flickr
- Aviation Museum of Iceland – James Petts / Flickr
- Akureyri Botanical Garden – Alf Igel / Flickr
- Akureyri Art Museum – JasonParis / Flickr
- Skiing – Oleksandr Pyrohov / PixaBay
- Akureyri Museum – James Petts / Flickr
- Whale Watching – Fernando Vega / Flickr
