North Iceland is a beautiful region, hosting some of the best attractions on the island.
Home to the Lake Mývatn region, the town of Akureyri (otherwise known as the 'Capital of the North'), the whale-watching hot-spot of Húsavík and the northern parts of Vatnajökull National Park, the North attracts visitors throughout the year.
It is divided by fjords and mountain ranges into many beautiful regions.
Eyjafjordur
Within the bay of Eyjafjörður is Akureyri, a town of 17,000 inhabitants. It is the largest settlement outside of the Greater Reykjavík Area.
It is easy to reach via the Ring Road, and many cruise ships land in the port of the town.
The older part of Akureyri is particularly worth a stroll, as it contains many historic buildings. The town is also home to many interesting museums, galleries, and the world’s northernmost botanical gardens.
If you like skiing or snowboarding, one of the best skiing sites in the country is located nearby.
Siglufjordur
Siglufjörður straddles the border of Eyjafjörður and Skagafjörður and is most famously home to a charming settlement of the same name.
Other than its natural beauty, with huge cliffs bordering the town, Siglufjörður is renowned for its fascinating museums.
There is a folk music museum, which comes alive during an annual festival, and the Herring Era Museum. The latter is the only Icelandic museum to win an international award and is much more interesting than it sounds; it explains how Iceland managed to survive a millennium in such harsh climes by relying on the seas.
The Vatnsnes Peninsula
The Vatnsnes Peninsula gets its fame for two reasons. Firstly, it is the best seal-watching location in the whole country, with colonies hauling out throughout the year. In the town of Hvammstangi, you can visit the Icelandic Seal Centre to learn more about these animals.
It is also famous for hosting the coastal rock formation of Hvítserkur. This bizarre feature is said to be a troll frozen by the light of the morning sun, but to most, it appears to be more like an elephant drinking from the ocean.
Thingeyjarsysla
Þingeyjarsýsla county is home to many incredible sites, particularly due to the fact that the Lake Mývatn region is nestled within it. This beautiful area is renowned for its lava formations, pseudocraters and rich birdlife.
Near Mývatn is the impressive lava field Dimmuborgir, which was featured in the Game of Thrones series. There is also the incredible waterfall Goðafoss, a beautiful feature between Lake Mývatn itself and Akureyri.
Húsavík is a nearby town, considered the whale watching capital of Europe. In summer, many operators see Humpback Whales every time they leave the port.
The Jökulsárgljúfur Canyon is home to some of Iceland's most beloved natural attractions; the river Jökulsá á Fjöllum runs through it and holds several waterfalls including Europe's most powerful, Dettifoss. Nearby to here is the spectacular, horseshoe-shaped Ásbyrgi canyon.
Grimsey
Far north, straddling the Arctic Circle is Grímsey island, the northernmost inhabited territory of Iceland, with a population of about 100 people. It is renowned for its fishing, its rich vegetation and birdlife, particularly puffins.
Mývatn is a beautiful lake with many small islands in the north of Iceland, the fourth largest lake in the country. Due to its serenity, birdlife and volcanism, the lake, including its surrounding area, is one of the most amazing natural attractions in the country.
Mývatn is, in fact, so beautiful that is was used as a site in the Game of Thrones franchise. In mid-winter it was used to represent the lands North of the Wall, namely Mance Raider’s Wildling camp.
Geology
Mývatn sits about an incredibly active geothermal area, giving it a unique and beautiful geology. After all, it is close to sites such as Krafla caldera, which contains the notorious Víti volcano, the name of which translates to ‘hell’.
Many of the islands here are thus pseudocraters, formed by steam explosions as magma rose beneath pockets of water, and many are bizarre basalt columns, rising vertically from the surface, formed by rapid cooling after an eruption.
The high amount of geothermal activity beneath Mývatn, of course, presents the opportunity for bathing in naturally heated waters. This is best done at the Mývatn Nature Baths, a beautiful establishment with serene waters, incredible views, and a reasonable entry fee.
Wildlife
Mývatn has some of the best bird-watching available in Iceland, although those seeking puffins will need to be at coastal cliffs such as those at Látrabjarg and Dyrhólaey, between May and September.
In fact, Mývatn has more species of duck than anywhere else in the world, with thirteen nesting species and many more visitors. Most popular (and common) amongst these is the harlequin duck sometimes referred to as the white-eyed diver after their unique white markings.
Mývatn’s surrounding vegetation and plentiful food make it a happy home for voles, mice and rats that have spread all over Iceland, providing tasty treats for Iceland’s only native land mammal, the Arctic Fox. Visitors, however, will have to keep a close eye out for these, as they are experts in camouflage.
In terms of flora, the most interesting plant life at Mývatn actually exists just beneath the surface of the water. Marimo are ‘moss balls’, bizarre spheres of fluffy green algae that are found in very few other places around the world, namely Japan (where they got their name), Scotland, Estonia and Australia.
Surrounding sites
Visitors to Mývatn often wish to spend more than just a single day exploring its many surrounding locations. Primary amongst these is Dimmuborgir, a lava field which truly reflects the dramatic consequences of a volcanism in Iceland. This area is steeped in folklore and is home to the thirteen ‘Santas’ of Iceland, the Yule Lads.
It was also here that many of the Game of Thrones scenes were shot such as Mance Rayder's wildling camp at Dimmuborgir and Grjótagjá cave, where Jon and Ygritte shared an evening together. Though this site can be admired from the shore, the water temperature is not monitored and can heat up very quickly, so visitors are asked not to take a dip.
Those with an interest in Iceland’s strange geothermal and geological sites should also check out the Skútustadagígar pseudo-craters and the aforementioned Víti crater and its surrounding lava field. There are also several geothermal hot spots around Krafla and the Námaskarð Pass which is a fascinating and primordial place.
Lake Mývatn is located on the Ring Road that fully encircles the country, making further sites easily reachable. To the west is the ‘Capital of the North’, Akureyri, a charming town with the highest population outside of the capital area.
To the east, you can find the largest waterfall in Iceland, Dettifoss which also happens to be the most powerful waterfall in Europe, and the incredible horseshoe-shaped canyon, Ásbyrgi. This feature was said to have formed by the stomping of one of the feet of Oðinn’s eight-legged horse as it leapt through the sky.
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