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Akureyri, Iceland © MindsEye_PJ/Flickr/CC BY 2.0
Akureyri, Iceland
Akureyri, IcelandAkureyri is the largest town in Iceland outside the Southwest region.Akureyri, Iceland
Nicknamed the Capital of North Iceland, Akureyri is an important port and fishing center. The area where Akureyri is located was settled in the 9th century but did not receive a municipal charter until 1786. The town was the site of Allied units during World War II. Further growth occurred after the war as the Icelandic population increasingly moved to urban areas.Geography
Akureyri is positioned on the west side of the inland end of the fjord Eyjafjörður.
It is surrounded by mountains, the highest being Kista (1,447 meters (4,747 feet); 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) to the west) and another peak of 1,538 meters (5,046 feet) at the head of Glerádalur, 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) to the SW. There is a narrow coastal strip of flat land; inland is a steep but low hill. In earlier times a few spits of land (Icelandic:... Read more
Destination:Akureyri, IcelandAkureyri is the largest town in Iceland outside the Southwest region.
Nicknamed the Capital of North Iceland, Akureyri is an important port and fishing center. The area where Akureyri is located was settled in the 9th century but did not receive a municipal charter until 1786. The town was the site of Allied units during World War II. Further growth occurred after the war as the Icelandic population increasingly moved to urban areas.Geography
Akureyri is positioned on the west side of the inland end of the fjord Eyjafjörður.
It is surrounded by mountains, the highest being Kista (1,447 meters (4,747 feet); 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) to the west) and another peak of 1,538 meters (5,046 feet) at the head of Glerádalur, 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) to the SW. There is a narrow coastal strip of flat land; inland is a steep but low hill. In earlier times a few spits of land (Icelandic: eyri, thus Akur-eyri) jutted from the narrow coast, but a lot of land has since been reclaimed from the sea so that today the coastline is more even except for the largest spit, Oddeyri, which was formed by the river Glerá which runs through the town. It is thought that the name of the town is possibly derived from the name of a field that may have been situated near some of the sheltered locations by the river.
The body of sea between Oddeyri and the end of the fjord is known as Pollurinn ("The Pool") and is known for calm winds and a good natural harbor. Akureyri today is centered on Ráðhústorg (Town Hall Square) near the northwest corner of Pollurinn. The districts of Akureyri are: Innbær, the oldest part of town on the strip of land between the hill and Pollurinn south of the central area; Brekkan, on top of the hill; Oddeyri on the peninsula of the same name; and Glerárhverfi on the north bank of the Glerá (also referred to colloquially as Þorpið, 'the Village'). Because of the town's position at the head of a long fjord surrounded by high mountains, the climate is more typically inland than coastal, with greater variations in temperature (warmer summers, colder winters) than in many other inhabited parts of Iceland. However, the mountains shield the town from strong winds. The relatively warm climate (for its latitude) allows the Botanical Gardens to flourish without the need for a greenhouse. The area around Akureyri has one of the warmest climates in Iceland even though it is only 100 km (62 mi) from the Arctic Circle.Climate
The weather in Akureyri and in Northern Iceland, in general, is often colder than in the capital, Reykjavík. Snow begins to fall earlier in Akureyri than in Reykjavík. As in the whole country, the weather is unpredictable.
January is the coldest month. Snow is very common from December to February, 80-85% of the days in those months have some snow coverage. Sunshine hours in Akureyri are fewer than in its surroundings due to its location between two mountains to the east and west. These mountains also make winds blow frequently to the north and south.
Source:http://wikitravel.org/en/Akureyri
Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0Akureyri, Iceland: Port Information
Cruise ships usually dock at the pier. There is a visitor's center, free wi-fi, a souvenir shop, and other tourist facilities.
The dock is about a 10-minute walk from downtown. Buses and taxis are available.Get around Akureyri, Iceland
Being Iceland's northern capital doesn't mean Akureyri is a huge metropolis. Although it can get a bit hilly leaving the waterline, walking distances are reasonable for a fit traveler.
Akureyri has a public bus system, called SVA, which is free for all. The buses are not very frequent - each line has a bus every hour or so. The buses stop running at 23:00 on weekdays and only run between 12:00 and 18:00 on weekends and holidays, but when they're free why complain?
BSÓ is the only taxi company in town, and they have a taxi rank in the center of town.What to see in Akureyri, Iceland
Akureyri is a very picturesque town with its location by a scenic fjord, eclectic building styles and streets winding their way through gorges. Spend some time walking around the town center, see the impressive church and check out Listagilið (literally "the art canyon"), home to a number of arts and crafts galleries and shops. The tranquil municipalbotanical garden
, Lystigarðurinn, is worth visiting, as are the several small museums dotted around town.
Note that Akureyri is perhaps picturesque by Icelandic standards, but one may question whether it is a tourist destination in its own right. Tourists to Iceland typically go there because of the splendid scenery, not because of the cities. Akureyri is primarily a local hub, a place to start excursions to more interesting places.What to do in Akureyri, Iceland
- Akureyri Drama Society (Leikfélag Akureyrar), Strandgata 12, +354 460 0200. The only professional theatre in Iceland outside of Reykjavík.
- Akureyri Swimming Pool (Sundlaug Akureyrar), Þingvallastræti 21, +354 461 4455. 28 May-1 September: 6:45-21:00 M-F, 8:00-19:30 Sa-Su; 2 September-27 May: 6:45-21:00 M-F, 10:00-18:30 Sa-Su. A recently renovated and expanded pool. Two pools for swimming, several hot tubs, a water slide, and a children's pool. Close to the center of town.
- Hof, Strandgata 12, 354 450 1000. Akureyri's new house of culture, home to the North Iceland Symphony Orchestra (Sinfóníuhljómsveit Norðurlands) and regularly host to other performances.
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Akureyri Art Museum
, Kaupvangsstræti 12. Open 12:00-17:00, closed Monday. Small art museum. Free.
What to eat and drink in Akureyri, Iceland
Eat
A local way to eat a hamburger is with French fries included in the bun and kokteilsósa (a cocktail of mayonnaise and ketchup). A shop that sells a delicious version of this, called a MacGratsky burger, is Nætursalan located downtown right next to the main bus stop. This is a popular snack to end the evening after a heavy night of drinking.
Akureyri also has the world's northernmost Domino's Pizza.
Rub23, located just below the cathedral of Akureyri, has a most friendly atmosphere and serves one of the best fish dishes in the area.
The Indian Curry Hut, located at Hafnarstraeti 100b, has some of the best curry in all of Iceland--perfect for warming up after a winter's day! It's a take-away, though there are two stools and a counter. The owner of the restaurant is very friendly, with an interesting life story.
Splurge
Strikið: Fresh, high-quality restaurant. Their chocolate cake is the best I've ever had, hands down. Mostly fish, lobster, but one or two meat dishes. Has an amazing view on the top floor of a building on the coastline.
Greifinn: Considered high quality, just sells sandwiches, starters, soups. Obviously a nice restaurant though.Drink
A nice bar is across the street from the main movie theater. It seems that people in the city enjoy an 'early' movie theater around 8 pm or so, and, as customary in Iceland, go clubbing/barhopping after midnight. However, the clubs close at 1 am, at least during the weekdays. A strange wheel-of-fortune with shots, beer, and nothing, is there.Shopping in Akureyri, Iceland
Hafnarstræti, in the center of town, is Akureyri's main shopping street. Shops there include an Eymundsson book store with a café, several souvenir shops, clothing stores and the curiosity shop Frúin í Hamborg.
For local art and design, head to Grófargil, colloquially known as Listagil ("art canyon"). It's a steep canyon by the street Kaupangsstræti and home to several studios galleries and shops.
A small shopping mall, called Glerártorg, is a short distance north of the town center.Safety in Akureyri, Iceland
Emergency phone number: 112
Akureyri, and Iceland, in general, has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. Nevertheless, you should always use your common sense like in any other city.Language spoken in Akureyri, Iceland
Icelandic is the official language. English is widely understood in tourist places.
LOCAL TIME
5:39 pmMay 19, 2022CURRENT WEATHER
11.72 °C / 53.096 °F
moderate rainFri
12.53 °C/55 °F
light rainSat
7.97 °C/46 °F
light rainSun
7.08 °C/45 °F
light rainMon
8.63 °C/48 °F
light rainLOCAL CURRENCY
ISKTravelers recommend visiting the following places of interests
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