Skip to content
Voykit
Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. How we verify
Source checked
A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
Field checked
Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
Plan calculated
Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.

Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Back to Akureyri

In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.

Voykit pocket guide · Iceland

Akureyri

Give Akureyri 2 nights as a North Iceland base: walk the centre in half a day, then use it for Mývatn, Húsavík whales and the Eyjafjörður coast.

Akureyri is Iceland's second city and the practical capital of the north, sitting at the head of Eyjafjörður about 390 km by road from Reykjavík. The town itself is small and walkable — church, botanical garden, old houses, a geothermal pool — but its real value is as a base: Mývatn, Húsavík and the Tröllaskagi coast are all day-trip distance. Come June–September for the midnight sun and full access; winter works for northern lights but expect snow and short days.

ReykjavíkBorgarnesEgilsstaðirHafnarfjörðurHöfnHúsavíkÍsafjörðurMývatnVík í MýrdalAkureyri100 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
Iceland
Best months
Jun–Sep (midnight sun, all roads open); Feb–Mar and Sep–Oct for northern lights
Avoid
Nov–Jan (short daylight, snow, some services closed)
Stay
2 nights

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency
ISK
Money
Currency is the Icelandic króna (ISK, kr). Cards are accepted almost everywhere, including remote petrol stations and toilets. About 145 ISK to €1 — check.
Daily spend
Budget kr 9,000–14,000 excl. bed · Mid kr 14,000–25,000 excl. bed · High kr 25,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
SIM and data
EEA roaming applies: EU/EEA SIMs work at home prices.
Emergency
Emergency 112 · Non-urgent doctor 1700
Plugs
Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin.
Tipping
Restaurant: Not expected.; Tour guide: Optional; ISK 1,000–3,000 for an excellent guide.; Taxi: Nothing.
Water
Cold tap water is excellent; hot tap water is geothermal and smells of sulphur — do not drink it.
Toilets
Few on long drives; petrol stations and paid toilets (ISK 200–500) at sites.

What things cost

ItemPrice
Coffeekr 500–800
Hot dog with everything (eina með öllu)kr 600–900
Bar meal (burger and fries)kr 2,500–3,500
Pizza, medium (Domino's Tuesday deal)kr 1,000
Beer: draught in a bar / can at a supermarketkr 1,200–1,600 / kr 300–500
Swimming pool entry (Sundlaug Akureyrar)kr 450
Museum entry (Nonnahús, single)kr 1,200
Taxi, airport to centreabout kr 1,900

Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.

Get in

By air

AEY · Akureyri Airport
About 3.5 km (2.2 mi) from the centre; Icelandair domestic flights from Reykjavík several times a day, Norlandair to Grímsey, Þórshöfn and Vopnafjörður, plus seasonal international flights from London Gatwick, Manchester, Zurich and Amsterdam.

Typical fares

Airport bus (Sysli) to centre
about kr 1,300, timed to flights
Taxi airport → centre
about kr 1,900
Strætó bus Húsavík → Akureyri
about kr 3,700, 1 h 15 min
Strætó bus Reykjavík → Akureyri
about kr 13,200, 6.5 h
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card

Get around

The centre is walkable; hills start as soon as you leave the waterfront. The town bus (SVA) is free and runs roughly hourly from the Miðbær stop, weekdays about 06:30–19:30 with one route (A6) later and at weekends 12:00–18:00. Hreyfill is the local taxi firm with a rank in the centre. Paid parking applies downtown Mon–Fri 10:00–16:00. Bikes can be rented at The Viking on Hafnarstræti: kr 1,000 for 6 hours, kr 1,800 a day.

See and do

Known for

  • Akureyrarkirkja church
  • Lystigarðurinn botanical garden
  • Old town houses (Nonnahús, Sigurhæðir)
  • Whale watching and Mývatn day trips
  • Sundlaug Akureyrar geothermal pool

Day trips

WhereHowTime
MývatnDrive Route 1 east about 90 km (56 mi), or Strætó bus 56About 1.5 h each way by car
HúsavíkDrive Route 85 about 90 km (56 mi), or Strætó bus 79 (about 1 h 15 min)About 1.5 h each way by car
SiglufjörðurDrive the Tröllaskagi coast via Ólafsfjörður, or Strætó bus 78 (about 1.5 h)About 1 h 15 min by car
Fossholl (Goðafoss)Drive Route 1 east about 50 km (31 mi)About 45 min each way
SkagafjörðurDrive Route 1 west about 100 km (62 mi) via VarmahlíðAbout 1.5 h each way by car
RaufarhöfnDrive Route 85 north-east via Húsavík, about 200 km (124 mi)About 3 h each way by car

Sleep

Centre (Hafnarstræti / Ráðhústorg)
Walk to church, harbour, bars and restaurants; hotels and the backpackers' hostel here. Best for a short stay without a car.
Glerártorg / Glerárgata
North of the centre near the shopping mall and supermarkets; cheaper guesthouses, free parking, 15–20 min walk or a short drive in.
Hafnarstræti guesthouses and apartments
Self-catering flats with kitchens; useful if you are staying several nights and cooking.

Phrase card

EnglishSay or show
HelloHallóha-LOH
Thank youÞakka þérTHAH-ka thyer
One with everythingEina með ölluAY-na meth UHT-lu
How much is it?Hvað kostar þetta?kvath KOS-tar THEH-ta
Can I pay by card?Get ég borgað með korti?get yeg BOR-gath meth KOR-ti
Where is the toilet?Hvar er baðherbergið?kvar er BATH-her-ber-gith

Etiquette, safety and scams

Etiquette

  • Greeting: Handshake, first names; avoid: Using titles or surnames — there usually is no family name
  • Pools: Shower naked first, keep the hot pot conversational; avoid: Swimwear in the showers
  • Driving: Pull into lay-bys for photos, dip lights on single-lane bridges; avoid: Stopping on the road
  • Nature: Stay on paths, carry litter out; avoid: Stone stacks, walking on moss
  • Conversation: Ask about books, music, weather and the elves with good humour; avoid: Lecturing on whaling

Scams and watch-outs

  • Weather changes fast and the Ring Road valley west of town can be slow in bad conditions; check road and weather reports before driving.
  • Snow is common Dec–Feb and can arrive earlier than in Reykjavík; winter tyres and buffer days matter.
  • Some tours (whale watching, Mývatn, highland access) run only in summer — book ahead in Jul–Aug.
  • Tipping is not expected; card payment is normal almost everywhere.
  • Clubs close around 01:00 on weekdays; plan a late meal rather than a late night.

Akureyri is a low-crime town and safe to walk at night. The real risks are weather and driving: sudden snow, wind on single-lane bridges and long distances with few services. Check road and weather reports before every drive, and never walk onto glacier or sea-ice terrain without a guide.

One and two days

No timed day plan for Akureyri yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • Akureyrarkirkja church
  • Lystigarðurinn botanical garden
  • Old town houses (Nonnahús, Sigurhæðir)
  • Whale watching and Mývatn day trips
  • Sundlaug Akureyrar geothermal pool

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

Akureyri

Á þetta heimilisfang, takk

To this address, please

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

No embassies in Akureyri; the US and most countries have embassies in Reykjavík. Emergency services answer in English.

112 works from any phone, including mobiles without a local SIM.

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/akureyri). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.