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Northern
Iceland Regional Information
 Northern Iceland
offers a multitude of opportunities for those who
want adventurous activities in a true natural
paradise. There are untold possibilities for
outdoor recreation, so that everyone will find
something to enjoy. Golf courses are widespread,
and there is a great variety of pretty hiking
routes, while fishing, horse riding and boating on
the sea, rivers or lakes are also popular choices.
Organized excursions and outdoor activity tours
will take one between towns, out to islands and
into the highlands, allowing the chance to see the
magnificent landscape the North has to offer.
Nearly every area has an outdoor swimming pool,
and facilities for tourists are top-notch.
North Iceland is a
veritable string of jewels, whose nature attracts
people of all ages. On the west side of Húnafjörður,
the rock arch of Hvítserkur towers just off the
shore; far to the south, nearly at the pass out of
North Iceland, Hveravellir adds colour to the
highlands with one of the country's largest
geothermal fields. The islands of Málmey and
Drangey in Skagafjörður exude folklore, while
the people of Eyjafjörður boast of more
magnificent mountains and more prosperous farming
communities than one can generally find. The two
Þingey counties present nature that is
simultaneously rough, mild and breathtaking, with
so many sights you would be hard put to find more
natural masterpieces anywhere else. Take, for
example, the waterfalls of Goðafoss and Dettifoss,
the latter Europe's mightiest. Downstream from
Dettifoss, explore Jökulsárgljúfur, one of the
country's most awe-inspiring canyons. Here can be
found the Hljóðaklettar formations and Ásbyrgi,
where the rushing waters of the Jökulsá have
shaped stark cliffs. Far to the south, Askja epitomizes
calderas and volcanoes. Although Mývatn
and its entire environs are world-famous for their
beauty, the cliffs of Dimmuborgir comprise a
wondrous world of their own.
Society
and the economy have many faces. Whereas
agriculture is the mainstay of rural areas, the
towns depend upon fishing, industry, trade and a
range of services, with each village having its
own characteristics though they all prove
hospitable hosts. The availability of food and
accommodation and the possibilities at every
location for recreation and entertainment make
hopping between the villages informative as well
as fun. From the capital of
North Iceland
, Akureyri, you can decide the length of your next
trip, such as a short journey to Húsavík or
perhaps to Dalvík, Ólafsfjörður and Siglufjörður,
whose communities hug the mountains. It is not
much farther to Sauðárkrókur and the villages
in the Húnavatn counties. In every case, the
residents are lively and ready to celebrate. The
citizens of Akureyri entertain themselves and
others through their Family Festival, Dalvík puts
on the Great Day of Fish, Ólafsfjörður has its
Music Festival, Húsavík the Pier Festival,
Siglufjörður its Folk Music Festival, and
Skagafjörður a Culture and Arts Festival.
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