Stunning Tourist Attractions to Visit and Things to Do in Akureyri

January 15, 2022 Mustafa Natalwala 1334 Views

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

Mid-Range Hotels

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