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| Akureyri |
After days in the remote but beautiful Westfjords, it was almost a relief to show up in a town that had more than one place to eat. It even had a stoplight! We enjoyed the bustling northern town of Akureyri by shopping, going out for drinks, coffee, and meals. Continue reading to hear about our adventure...
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| Columnar Basalt Cliffs in Hofsós. |
Day 8 - Akureyri - Shopping, Food, and Drink
After leaving Holar, we decided to diverge from our Ring Road (Rt 1) path and take a coastal route to our next guesthouse. We drove Rt 76 to Rt 82 back to Rt 1 to get to the town of Akureyri. It was a fairly dreary day, so we didn't make many stops, but enjoyed the mountain and coastal views from the car.
Our tour guide recommended the picturesque swimming pool in Hofsós. Even though we weren't in a swimming mood, we decided to check it out since it was on the way. The swimming pool was indeed in an ideal location. Even though we didn't soak, we marveled at the tall cliffs made of columnar basalt. Amazing!
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| Views along our drive to Akureyri |
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| Local microbrew I enjoyed. |
We arrived in Akureyri midday. Nicknamed "The Capital of the North", Akureyri was a sight for sore eyes. We hadn't realized we'd missed civilization. Suddenly there were stores, restaurant choices, and museums! We checked into the Gula Villan guesthouse - a sweet 1800s home converted into an adorable guesthouse and hit the town on foot.
At the Bautinn restaurant, we enjoyed a late lunch of local dishes (I had the fish hash and Einstock beer). This was followed by walking and shopping for gifts around town. We stepped into the Múlaberg Bistro and Cafe for coffee, hot chocolate, and cake. We ended the night with cocktails at Hotel Kea's bar.
After long days in the Westfjords, we retired to our guesthouse for an early night. It was fun to be in a town!
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| Hot Chocolate from Múlaberg Bistro and Cafe |
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| Posing with troll sculptures on the streets of Akureyri. |
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| Cocktails at Hotel Kea. |
READ ABOUT THE NEXT DAY HERE: Day 9 - North Iceland - Whales, Waterfalls, and Nature Baths
