Iceland review - 2015, Qupperneq 82

Hestasport
Cottages
A warm welcome
all year round
• 7 charming cottages
in rural North Iceland
• 2 to 6 bed
accommodation
• Natural hot tub
• Ideal for viewing
northern lights
• Free WiFi
• Fully equipped kitchen
Hestasport | www.riding.is | Phone (+354) 453 8383
560 Varmahlíð | Iceland | info@riding.is
Hestasport
Horseback Riding
Meet the Icelandic horse
• Personal service
• Ideal for beginners
and passionate riders
• Departure on request
• 1-3 hour tours
• Also in winter
• Small groups
• Customized experience
• Stunning scenery
• Experienced guides
Welcome to
HESTASPORT!
... simply more fun
Hótel Kea | Hafnarstræti 87 - 89 | Tel.: +354 460 2000 | kea@keahotels.is
Múlaberg Bistro & Bar | Hótel Kea | Tel.: +354 460 2020
AKUREYRI, THE WINTER PARADISE
IN THE NORTH
Treat yourself to elegance, luxury and wellness.
Experience new adventures, new avors and the beauty of it all.
Akureyri, the capital of the north, the largest settlement outside
the Reykjavík area, sits comfortably in the middle of North Iceland.
Here, in this university town, there’s a rich cultural life, great ski-
ing resort and one of the best swimming pools in Iceland. Not to
forget Brynja, the best ice-cream parlor in the Republic, according
to a recent survey.
Akureyri is located at the inner end of Eyjafjörður, the fjord
which splits North Iceland in two halves: the northwest and north-
east regions. At the mouth of the fjord lies Siglufjörður, a former
herring town, now in the process of being reinvented with a new
hotel built to service tourists exploring Tröllaskagi peninsula. And
in the middle of the fjord, between the towns Grenivík and Dalvík
on the eastern and western shore, respectively, is the island of
Hrísey, a small gem.
East of Akureyri are some of the top tourist destinations in Ice-
land, including the European capital of whale watching, Húsavík. If
you’re a bird watcher, head to Langanes peninsula or Lake Mývatn,
one of Iceland’s most visited places.
In the northeast are two of Iceland’s most photographed wa-
terfalls: Dettifoss and Goðafoss. The region is also famous for Ás-
byrgi, a distinct horseshoe-shaped depression, which is part of
Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland’s (and Western Europe’s) largest.
The Holuhraun eruption site lies out of reach in the middle of the
northeastern highlands but sightseeing tours by air can be booked.
West of Akureyri are the Skagafjörður and Húnavatnssýsla re-
gions, the animal kingdoms. At Vatnsnes, north of Hvammstangi,
the beaches are dotted with seals, and in Skagafjörður the horses
reign. Skagi peninsula is bird paradise, where the Arctic terns will
peck your head if you interrupt them while nesting.
Skagafjörður not only boasts one of the most beautiful swimming
pools in the country, located in Hofsós with an unobstructed view
of the fjord, but also the Glaumbær museum, one of the best pre-
served turf buildings in Iceland.
And then there’s the island of Grímey, the only place in Iceland
where you can walk across the Arctic Circle and back. From there,
you have a perfect panoramic view of North Iceland.
If it’s clear.
Páll Stefánsson
Great northern Land
north iceland is a region worth exploring.
the arctic north
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