North Coast: (listed in order of approach from Reykjavik)
To do:
On the way North from Reykjavik:
Hvitserkur – a stunning basalt rock formation, surrounded by water, unless at high tide. Get there during low tide if you want to scramble down the hill and walk around the formation. Check tide levels here. Hvitserkur is about 3 hours drive from Reykjavik.
Shop:
In the small town of Varmahlid, next to the N1 gas station, there is a great little handcraft store named Gallerí Alþýðulist. It is full of crafts made by local folks. It had a great variety of sweaters as well as other interesting items.
Akureyri
The second most populous town in Iceland, located on a fjord, is worth visiting. It has heart-shaped stop lights, a beautiful church and is located on a beautiful fjord. Whale watching is also possible. Akureyri is about 5 hours drive from Reykjavik.
Akureyri To Do:
Whale Watching – You don’t have to go to Husavik for great whale watching! Trips with Ambassador leave from the dock in Akureyri. We loved our trip, learned a lot and saw lots of whales! Plus, most often the tours are able to stay in the fjord, which means MUCH calmer seas!
The Old Farmhouse Laufas– This old church and residence is made of turf. You can walk throughout the buildings. Very worth a visit if staying in Akureyri! Open only from mid-May to through September.
Akureyri Stay:
Artun Guesthouse– We loved our stay here. It is north east of town, right on the fjord with both mountain and fjord views. The guesthouse offers camping and a 1-2 small houses, each perfect for 4 people. We stayed in the small house and enjoyed it. Breakfast was offered in the mainhouse on the first floor. This lodging was about 20 minutes from Akureyri and you will drive past The Old Farmhouse Laufas to get to Artun Guesthouse.
Akureyri Eat:
Indian Curry House was delicious. We really were on the run during our stay in Akureyri, so many of our meals were eaten in surrounding towns instead of in Akureyri.
Siglufjordur
A cute little town, located on a fjord, has beautiful views of mountain peaks rising from town. We LOVED the food choices in this town. And there are great lodging options. This would be a great place to spend a few days hiking, eating and relaxing. Siglufjordur is about 5 hours drive from Reykjavik.
Siglufjordur To Do:
Run/walk on the path that follows Route 76 (the main road out of town, toward the south) from the center of town. The path extends a few kilometers south of town and has pretty water and mountain views. Be careful though and realized if there is wind at your back on the way out, that the wind will be at your front the whole way back!
Visit the Herring Era Museum.
Have a pint at the local brewery, Seagull 67.
Both of these were on our list, but we missed them on our visit! So, I sadly cannot personally recommend them.
Siglufjordur Stay:
Siglunes Guest House– A great little guesthouse in a convenient location for walking to restaurants and hikes. Some rooms have a shared bathroom, some private. All the rooms and common areas are decorated well and have both a clean and modern but cozy aesthetic. The restaurant at the hotel is AMAZING and the Moroccan tajine is delicious and special. The chef uses local ingredients and Moroccan spices to create masterpieces.
Siglo Hotel– A higher-end hotel in town. Also featuring good location, this hotel has the better in-room views as it is located right on the water. The lobby is beautiful.
Siglufjordur Eat:
Siglunes Hotel Restaurant– Amazing Moroccan food made with local Icelandic ingredients.
Fish and Chips– A small little shop with a little seating area or standing tabes, they offer fish and chips and a variety of pickled herring. The pickled herring was DELICIOUS and featured a unique variety of options from which to choose. The fish and chips were delicious also and so so fresh.
Torgid Restaurant– A cute restaurant with 1-2 tables outside, they have a delicious fish of the day menu.
East of Akureyri
To Do: (located in order of approach coming from Akureyri)
Godafoss – A small, but beautiful water fall. It is a pretty popular place to stop for a photo. Located on Route 1.
Lake Myvatn – A beautiful lake with great bird watching! If you visit in the summer a mosquito net is very useful! There are no mosquitos in Iceland, but the mosquito net will protect you from the annoyance of little midges. (Myvatn = midge) They don’t bite, however! Located on Route 1.
Myvatn Nature Baths– A beautiful setting and known as the blue lagoon of the north, these nature baths would be a perfect stop after a hike up Hverfjall.
Hverfjall – Hverfjall is a large, gray volcanic cone that stands 1,300 ft high. It is categorized as a tephra cone or tuff ring volcano. From the top there is a beautiful view of Lake Myvatn. It takes about 1 hour to walk around the rim. It is a steep climb up, but worth it! If you visit in the summer a mosquito net is very useful! Please respect the signs and do not walk off the path. Located a very short drive off Route 1.
Namafjall Geothermal Area – If you wish to visit a very stinky geothermal area, visit Namafjall. It was the stinkiest area I’ve ever visited. Smell aside, it is an enchanting area full of bubbling pots, sweeping views, soil of varying colors and is an easy stop off the main route. Located on Route 1.
Dettifoss – Dettifoss is a HUGE waterfall. It is the most powerful waterfall in all of Europe and has the most volume of water of any waterfall in Iceland. Located north of Route 1, Dettifoss IS worth visiting.
Eat:
Vogafjoss Farm Restaurant– Offers lots of great homemade and local food such as smoked trout, cheese made from their own milk, homemade rye bread baked in the hot geothermal earth, homemade ice cream and homemade cakes.
They also do amazing latte art!
Stay:
We did not stay in the Lake Myvatn area. We stayed at Artun Guesthouse and visited the places above in the East of Akureyri area. It is an easy day trip to and from Lake Myvatn from there. It is also possible to visit many of the above locations on your way through as you loop the island on Route 1.