Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.08.2018, Page 39

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Town: Akureyri
Info: akureyri.is
Tel: +354 460-1000
Iceland’s “second city” is bus-
tling with culture. Amuse your-
self in the daytime meandering
between the stellar municipal
swimming pool, the shops, gal-
leries and cafés of the town cen-
tre, and the busy little harbour.
By night, there’s a great music
venue called Græni Hatturinn,
a concert hall called Hof, a se-
lection of good restaurants,
and a labyrinthine bar called
Götubarinn, where you might
end up singing around the piano
with the locals.
Map square: G9
Activity: Whale
Watching in Húsavík
Info: visithusavik.com
Húsavík is a northern town
that’s famous for being the best
place in Iceland to spot whales.
There are a total 23 whale spe-
cies that you might see in the
waters surrounding Iceland,
but the most common sightings
are blue whales, humpbacks
and minke whales. There’s a lit-
tle marina village with various
tours operating out of Húsavík,
from a chilled cruise to a speed-
boat ride, determined to find
the bigger specimens. H7
Island: Grímsey
Info: akureyri.is/grimsey-en
Tel: +354 460-1000
Grímsey—Iceland’s northern-
most populated point—is a 5.3
square kilometre island that’s
home to just 86 people. You can
get there by plane or ferry to
see the beautifully preserved
lighthouse, the spot where the
Arctic Circle begins, and the
village of Sandvík, which has a
craft store, a café, and a small
fishing harbour. It’s well worth
taking the time to hike around
the coastline to see the seabirds,
vast cliffs and crashing waves—
Grímsey really does feel like the
edge of the world. G5
Lake: Mývatn
Info: visitmyvatn.is
Tel: +354 464-4390
Mývatn is a famously beauti-
ful lake deep in the northern
Iceland countryside. There
are a number of picturesque
viewpoints and hikes around
the shoreline, including the
vast, vividly black lava maze of
Dimmuborgir, various volcanic
cones, and the steaming mud
pots and fumaroles of the Hver-
ir geothermal area. The town of
Reykjahlíð has an information
centre on the area, and one of
the nicest spas in Iceland—the
Mývatn Nature Baths—is also
nearby. I9
Road Trip:
Eyjafjörður &
Skagafjörður
Directions: Routes 82 & 76
The most populated area in the
north is Eyjafjörður, one of the
longest fjords in Iceland at 60
km. The west side has a pictur-
esque drive from Akureyri to a
series of small villages such as
Hjalteyri—where you’ll find a
large factory that’s been repur-
posed as an arts space called
Verksmiðjan—to Dalvík and
Ólafsfjörður. After passing Si-
glufjörður, you can loop around
into Skagafjörður and visit
Hofsós pool before heading back
to Akureyri. D7-10 and G6-9
Canyon: Ásbyrgi
Info: vatnajokulsthjodgardur.is/en
Information Centre: +354 470-7100
The monumental Ásbyrgi can-
yon is an unparalleled natural
wonder. Shaped like a horse-
shoe, its vast vertical cliffs
surround an area crisscrossed
with walking trails that take
you through forests, past a lake,
and up into the various chasms
in the walls. There’s an infor-
mation centre and café at the
entrance, and a campsite for
those who wants to spend a few
days getting lost in this wild,
dreamlike locale. I7
USEFUL INFO

Grapevine on the North:
gpv.is/north
Our articles, info and
guides for North Iceland
Tourist Information:
Visit North Iceland
Hafnarstræti 91, 600 Akureyri
northiceland.is
info@northiceland.is
Tel: +354 462 3300

Emergency services
Tel: 112 (national helpline)
Weather report
en.vedur.is
Recorded info: +354 902 0600
HOW TO GET THERE
By domestic airline:
Akureyri Airport (AEY)
Domestic flights to and from
Reykjavík, Grímsey, Þórshöfn,
Vopnafjörður. International
connections via Keflavík Airport.
International flight to Nerlerit
Inaat, Greenland.
Eyjafjarðarbraut vestri, 600
Akureyri
Main airline operator:
www.airiceland.is
Tel: +354 570 3000
Other airlines:
norlandair.is
Tel: +354 424 4000
Húsavík Airport (HZK)
Domestic flights to and from
Reykjavík.
Main airline operator:
www.eagleair.is
Tel: +354 464 1300
By car:
Road conditions
www.road.is
Tel: 1777
(Summer hours: 08:00-16:00 /
Winter: 06:30-22:00)
From Akureyri
Ferries to Grímsey
and Hrísey
Schedule & Info:
visitakureyri.is/en/transport/
ferries
By bus:
National Bus Network
www.bus.is
Tel: +354 540 2700
Kirkjubæjarklaustur
Vík í Mýrdal
Höfn í Hornafirði
Stöðvarörður
Djúpivogur
Reyðarörður
Eskiörður
Neskaupsstaður
Seyðisörður
Vopnaörður
Bakkagerði
Fáskrúðsörður
Selfoss
Hella
Hvolsvöllur
EyrarbakkiÞorlákshöfn
Stokkseyri
Grindavík
Hafnarörður
Reykjavík
Borgarnes
Akranes
Kjalarnes
Húsavík
Grenivík
Hrísey
Svalbarðseyri
Hjalteyri
Kópasker
Raufarhöfn
Þórshöfn
Ólafsörður
Dalvík
Akureyri
Grundar-
örður
Ólafsvík
Arnarstapi
Hellnar
Hellissandur
Rif
Kópavogur
Keflavík
Sandgerði
Garður
Hvammstangi
Borðeyri
Laugarbakki
Djúpavík
Sauðárkrókur
Varmahlíð
Hofsós
Sigluörður
Blönduós
Suðureyri
Æðey
Súðavík
TálknaörðurPatreksörður
Búðardalur
Bíldudalur Hólmavík
Bolungarvík
Flateyri
Þingeyri
Hnífsdalur
Ísaörður
Laugavatn
Hveragerði
Mosfellsbær
Sólheimar
Laugarás Flúðir
Reykholt
Stykkishólmur
Flatey
Skagaströnd
Grímsey
Egilsstaðir
Bakkaörður
Breiðdalsvík
Laugar
Brjánslækur
Reykholt
Reykhólar
Jökulsá á Fjöllum
Jökulsá á Fjöllum
Lagarfljót
Öskjuvatn
Þjórsá
Ölfusá
Hvítá
Mývatn
Langisjór
Veiðivötn
Þórisvatn
Þingvallavatn
Skaftá
Kleifarvatn
Hvítárvatn
Skjálfandafljót
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