Lake Mývatn & Dimmuborgir
Volcanic lake & twisted lava formations
A shallow wetland lake dotted with volcanic pseudocraters and bordered by Dimmuborgir's towering dark basalt arches.
MývatnGeologyNature
Akureyri & Mývatn, Iceland
Ideal: 3 daysBest: Jun–Aug for subarctic wildflowers and long days; Nov–Mar for skiing and northern lightsPrice: Expensive
In 60 seconds
Akureyri & Mývatn in 60 seconds
Situated at the sheltered head of Eyjafjörður, Akureyri is Iceland's vibrant second urban centre, boasting lush botanical gardens, wooden heritage houses and independent cafes. Just an hour east across the mountains lies the volcanic basin of Lake Mývatn, where steaming fumaroles, pseudocraters and the labyrinthine lava castles of Dimmuborgir border tranquil wetlands.
VolcanoGeothermal
Best for
- Culture
- Nature
Known for
- Akureyrarkirkja church
- Lake Mývatn craters
- Goðafoss waterfall
Skip if
You prefer sticking strictly to the southern tourist circuit within easy day-trip reach of Keflavík airport.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Akureyri & Mývatn fits them. Choose interests
See
Must experience
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Goðafoss Waterfall
Waterfall of the Pagan Gods
A wide semi-circular waterfall where law-speaker Þorgeir cast his pagan idols in the year 1000 to declare Christianity the national religion.
BárðardalurFreeHistory
Akureyri Town & Church
Modernist hilltop church & historic centre
Guðjón Samúelsson's basalt-inspired modernist church looks out from its hilltop steps over the harbour and painted townhouses.
Akureyri CentreArchitectureFree
Eat
Where to eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Local
Where to eat the food this city is actually known for.
Rub23
ExpensiveSeafood & artisan meat rubs
A stylish central dining room in Akureyri specializing in fresh catch and meats customized with proprietary spice and herb rubs.
AkureyriLocalSeafood
Strikið
ExpensiveRooftop dining over Eyjafjörður
A fifth-floor restaurant in Akureyri offering panoramic terrace vistas over the fjord and seasonal Nordic tasting plates.
AkureyriNordicRooftop
Vogafjós Farm Resort
ExpensiveCowshed restaurant & geothermal rye bread
Dine behind glass viewing windows into the cattle barn while tasting estate-made mozzarella, hot-spring rye bread and smoked trout.
MývatnFarm to tableSmoked trout
Casual
No booking, no ceremony, reliably good.
Daddi's Pizza
ModerateStone-baked pizza beside the lava fields
A relaxed pizza house near Lake Mývatn serving crispy stone-baked crusts topped with regional lamb and cheeses.
MývatnCasualFast
Kaffi Ilmur
ModerateHeritage house lunch buffet
One of Akureyri's oldest wooden residences serving wholesome lunch soup buffets, fresh salads and traditional cakes.
AkureyriBuffetCakes
More places to eat
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Kristjánsbakarí
InexpensiveHistoric northern bakery since 1912
A venerable town bakery preparing daily sourdough, cinnamon buns and roasted coffee right on Hafnarstræti.
AkureyriBakeryHistoric
Beyond the obvious
Hidden gems
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Mývatn Nature Baths (Jarðböðin)
ExpensiveMineral-rich thermal lagoon of the north
A natural alkaline geothermal lagoon overlooking the volcanic expanse of Lake Mývatn, less crowded than the southern spas.
MývatnGeothermalSpa
Hverir (Námafjall)
Boiling sulphur mud springs
A vibrant ochre desert of hissing geothermal vents, fumaroles and grey mud caldrons at the base of Mount Námafjall.
NámafjallFreeGeothermal
Forest Lagoon (Skógarböðin)
ExpensiveGeothermal baths in Vaðlaskógur forest
Modern geothermal pools nestled amongst pine and birch woods overlooking the fjord waters opposite Akureyri.
EyjafjörðurForestRelaxation
After dark
Bars & nightlife
Ölstofa Akureyrar
ModerateCraft beer pub on the pedestrian street
An inviting public house pouring microbrews from regional northern breweries along with imported European ales.
AkureyriCosyCraft beer
Orientation
Neighbourhoods
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
Akureyri
Fjord city centre
Pedestrian street shops, the Arctic botanical gardens and waterfront docks under snow-capped peaks.
Reykjahlíð & Mývatn
Volcanic lake basin
The quiet settlements scattered along the lakeshore near lava fields, craters and thermal bathing spots.
Stay
Where to stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Akureyri Centre
ExpensiveUrban base with culture and dining
Best for walking to restaurants, cultural sights, museums and transport connections.
CityDining
Lake Mývatn
ExpensiveImmersive volcanic nature stay
Perfect for stargazing, northern lights and early sunrise walks among the volcanic craters.
NatureQuiet
Practical
Know before you go
- Getting there
- Akureyri is a 4.5 to 5-hour drive from Reykjavík along Route 1, or a 45-minute domestic flight from Reykjavík Domestic Airport.
- Winter driving
- The Öxnadalsheiði mountain pass between Varmahlíð and Akureyri can experience severe blizzards; check road.is before crossing.
- Mývatn flies
- Midges are common in summer around the lake edge; a light head net is helpful on calm July days.
- City transport
- City buses within Akureyri are free of charge for all passengers.
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
History in 5 minutes
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
- 1786
Akureyri receives its municipal town charter as a Danish trading post in Eyjafjörður.
- 1912
Akureyri Public Park and Botanical Garden is established, proving subarctic botanical diversity.
- 1975–1984
The Krafla volcanic fires erupt near Mývatn, reshaping the local geothermal landscape.
Further out
Nearby escapes
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
Hverfjall Crater
Massive volcanic tephra cone
A near-symmetrical circular tephra crater with a walking trail leading up the rim for vast volcanic vistas.
15 min from ReykjahlíðHikeVolcano
Grjótagjá Cave
Lava fissure with geothermal spring
A deep lava fracture housing a naturally heated blue thermal pool inside a rock fissure.
10 min from ReykjahlíðCaveGeothermal