Iceland review - 2016, Page 104

SPECIAL PROMOTIONWEST ICELAND
WELCOME TO AKRANES
The west coast town of Akranes is home to a popular lighthouse
and a folk museum.
102 ICELAND REVIEW
Akranes is a charming small town and popular detour
for those looking to explore a slice of the west coast.
A town of 7,000 people, Akranes is a classic fishing
port that is peaceful, friendly and home to a wonderful folk
museum and a lighthouse that is regularly open to tourists.
Just a 40-minute-drive from Reykjavík, the town regularly
welcomes visitors calling in before continuing to the Snæfell-
snes peninsula.
AKRANES LIGHTHOUSE
The Akranes lighthouse is a delightful place to visit, any time
of year. Away from bright lights, tourists and residents flock
to the site in winter to catch a glimpse of the northern lights
dancing and flickering in the sky. In the summer, you can see
locals having a picnic outside the lighthouse, and guests
are often invited in where they can climb to the top. Built
in 1947, the larger of the two lighthouses has been used in
recent years to host concerts and art exhibitions. Icelandic
band Amiina filmed a video there for a single from their al-
bum The Lighthouse Project, and Ólafur Arnalds filmed part
of the video there for his single ‘Old Skin.’ Akranesviti is the
only lighthouse in Iceland that is regularly open to tourists,
and thousands of travelers have visited over the last few
years. The lighthouse has become so popular that the tourist
information center is now based there. The lighthouse keep-
er welcomes guests and gives an overview of the history of
the building. The smaller lighthouse, built in 1918, is one of
the oldest concrete lighthouses in Iceland. It served the fish-
ing town until it was deactivated in 1947, in favor of a larger
structure.
OUTDOOR
ACTIVITIES
After a trip to the
lighthouse, travelers
can take a dip in one
of two pools, stop
by the golf course to
hit a bucket of balls
at the driving range,
take a stroll along the
golden beach Langisandur, or go on a hike. Akrafjall moun-
tain is the pride and joy of Akranes residents and many locals
have memories of foraging for seagull eggs and playing on
the mountain as children. It’s known as a relatively easy climb,
especially from the Akranes car park. A shorter climb will take
you to Háihnúkur, which is 555 meters (1,820 feet), and has
a nice view of the outskirts of the town. The view from the
top is breathtaking, especially on clear days when you can see
Snæfellsjökull glacier.
A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE