Akureyri sits at the head of Eyjafjordur. Akureyri is about 390 km from Reykjavik by road. The drive from Reykjavik to Akureyri along Route 1 takes roughly 5 to 6 hours depending on stops and conditions.
Where Akureyri sits and how travelers reach it
Akureyri sits at the head of Eyjafjordur, which is one of Iceland's longest fjords.
Akureyri is about 390 km from Reykjavik by road.
The drive from Reykjavik to Akureyri along Route 1, the Ring Road, takes roughly 5 to 6 hours depending on stops and conditions.
Route 1, the Ring Road, connects Akureyri to the rest of Iceland year round.
Akureyri lies approximately 100 km from the Arctic Circle.
The Vadlaheidargong tunnel opened in December 2018 and reduced the driving distance from Akureyri toward Myvatn by 16 km.
Apart from the main hub at Keflavik, Akureyri Airport is the only airport in Iceland with scheduled international commercial service.
Akureyri had a population of 20284 in 2026.
Akureyri is the largest urban area in Iceland outside the Capital Region.
The University of Akureyri was established in 1987.
Akureyri was granted its municipal charter by King Christian VII in 1786.
Akureyri lost its town status in 1836 and regained it in 1862.
The landmarks and green spaces that define the town
Akureyrarkirkja, the town church, was designed by architect Gudjon Samuelsson, who also designed Hallgrimskirkja in Reykjavik.
Akureyri's traffic lights display red hearts instead of standard red circles, introduced through a campaign called Smile with Your Heart.
The Akureyri Botanical Garden, known as Lystigardurinn, opened in 1912.
The Akureyri Botanical Garden grew out of a Park Association founded by local women in 1910.
The Akureyri Botanical Garden covers 3.6 hectares.
The Akureyri Botanical Garden holds over 7000 plant species, of which around 400 are native to Iceland.
The Akureyri Botanical Garden is among the world's northernmost botanical gardens, about 50 km short of the Arctic Circle.
Bathing, skiing and whale watching around the fjord
Akureyri has one of the warmest climates in Iceland despite its northern latitude, averaging 1029 sunshine hours a year.
Forest Lagoon, known in Icelandic as Skogarbodin, is a geothermal spa in birch forest on the slopes above Eyjafjordur that opened in 2022.
Forest Lagoon features two large infinity pools of naturally heated geothermal water kept at bathing temperature year round.
Hlidarfjall is a ski area on the mountainside directly above Akureyri and one of Iceland's largest ski areas.
Whale watching tours in Eyjafjordur from Akureyri commonly encounter humpback whales.
Day trips into North Iceland from an Akureyri base
Godafoss waterfall lies about 36 km east of Akureyri, roughly a 35 minute drive.
Lake Myvatn is roughly 75 km east of Akureyri, about a 1 hour drive via Route 1.
Husavik, a well known whale watching town, is just over an hour's drive from Akureyri.
The Diamond Circle driving route in North Iceland links Godafoss, Lake Myvatn, Dettifoss, Asbyrgi canyon and Husavik.
Most travelers cover the full Diamond Circle in 1 or 2 days from Akureyri.
Use the Driving Distance Calculator to help plan your trip.
Comparing guided tours and day trips from Akureyri
You can compare North Iceland tours to see the current options.
