The Hidden Gems of North Iceland

IPT team member Sophia Kaletta shares her expertise and tips on visiting the island’s lesser traveled north shore.

Have you ever thought about visiting North Iceland instead of the South, and wondered how to spend your time up there? As a team member of Iceland ProTravel, I have tested the best of the North and want to share my highlights to give you some inspiration for your next trip to Iceland.

I visited North Iceland in April. So if you want to do the same — in order to avoid bumping into huge groups of tourists — I can only recommend it. Instead of cold and stormy weather, I experienced sunny days and temperatures between 3 and 7 degrees Celsius (37-44 degrees Fahrenheit).

After flying to Akureyri, our first stop in the North was the Mývatn Nature Baths. It was an incredible experience to be out in a hot spring that is naturally heated, enjoying a healthy bath, while looking into the sky, watching the stars, surrounded by steam that made me invisible to the few other guests hanging out there in the late evening.

After the baths, we joined a Northern Lights tour with Geo Travel. And we got so lucky! Just a short drive away from our hotel, we stopped and watched the lights for about an hour! A truly unique and breathtaking experience. But be sure to layer up – as temperatures drop quickly after nightfall.

The next day we explored the Lake Mývatn area, known for its natural wonders like Dimmuborgir lava field. Its name can be translated as “dark city” and its many bizarre stone formations you are said to be trolls, who celebrated until dawn and then turn back into stone.

Continuing to Húsavik, we had a fantastic lunch at the Salka Restaurant and visited another natural spa — the Geosea or Geothermal Sea Baths. The spa is very new and modern, and truly worth a visit, as the view from the infinity pool is priceless. The day continued at the famous Goðafoss (“Waterfall of the Gods”) and then snow sports at the Hlíðarfjall ski area.

On our last day in Akureyri, we went on a whale-watching trip and saw a blue whale! We toasted the end of our fantastic northern trip at the Beer Spa Bjórböðin and Bruggsmiðjan Kaldi Brewery — the first beer bath and microbrewery in Iceland.

Read More