Where to base yourself
Akureyri. The widest choice of hotels, restaurants and tours, a geothermal swimming pool and the airport. The natural hub.
Húsavík. Small, scenic and right on the harbour — ideal for an early whale boat and an evening at GeoSea.
Lake Mývatn. Hotels and guesthouses around Reykjahlíð and Skútustaðir put you among the sights at sunrise and under dark skies at night.
Siglufjörður and the fjord villages. Quiet harbours on Tröllaskagi with a few stylish hotels, good for skiers and for travellers following the coast road.
Food & drink
Fresh fish is the staple — cod, Arctic char, plaice and langoustine — along with excellent lamb. Local specialities include bread baked in the hot ground at Mývatn and served with smoked trout, skyr, and ice cream from Akureyri’s long-established parlour. Akureyri has cafés, a brewery and restaurants at every level; elsewhere choice is limited and kitchens may close by nine. Iceland is expensive, but tap water is free and excellent, and petrol-station grills and supermarket bakeries keep budgets intact.
Money-saving and safety tips
- Shower thoroughly without a swimsuit before entering any pool or lagoon; it is a firm rule, not a suggestion.
- Municipal swimming pools, with hot tubs, cost a fraction of the price of the lagoons and are where locals go.
- Check the weather and road websites every morning. Wind, not cold, is the real hazard.
- Stay on marked paths in geothermal areas: the ground can be thin and the mud is boiling.
- Keep well back from the edge at Dettifoss and Goðafoss; the rock is wet and there are few barriers.
- Keep your distance from nesting birds on Grímsey, and watch for diving Arctic terns in June and July.
Sample plans
Two days without a car
- Whale watching from Akureyri in the morning
- Town walk, church and botanical garden
- Forest Lagoon in the evening
- Day tour to Goðafoss and Lake Mývatn
Three days with a car
- Akureyri to Húsavík: whale trip and GeoSea
- Ásbyrgi, Dettifoss and on to Mývatn for the night
- Mývatn sights and nature baths, Goðafoss on the way back
A day for the Arctic Circle
- Morning ferry from Dalvík or flight from Akureyri
- Walk to the Arctic Circle marker
- Puffin cliffs and the harbour café
- Return in the afternoon
North Iceland: where to stay
Akureyri has the most rooms and makes the best single base. In summer, a night in Húsavík and one at Mývatn save a lot of driving; reserve early, as both are small.
