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Visit North Iceland is responsible for marketing and promoting North Iceland, a friendly and tranquil area with a population of 36 thousand, including Akureyri, the largest town outside Reykjavík, and several historic coastal towns. The most visited attractions are Vatnajökull National Park, where you find Dettifoss, Europe's most powerful waterfall, and Lake Mývatn geothermal region with hot springs, volcanic areas, craters, geothermal nature baths, and fantastic lava formations. Here you'll find magical winters, Iceland's most popular ski area, energizing off-piste skiing slopes, the 13 Yule Lads (Santas), and unique locations for Northern Lights observation.

Featured Projects

  • Tourism unaffected by fourth eruption in four months

    A new fissure eruption started on the Reykjanes Peninsula by Hagafell and Stóra-Skógfell at 8:23 PM on March 16. This marks the fourth eruption in the area since December of 2023.
  • Akureyri International Airport expanded

    The first part of the expansion of Akureyri International Airport has now been completed. A new terminal for international flights was opened late in February, with passengers travelling with Voigt Travel and Transavia the first to arrive. The new building will have significant impact on the experience for travellers, with more room, improved baggage claim, bigger duty-free shop and more. 
  • Direct flights have significant impact on tourism

    "Direct international flights to Akureyri naturally increase access to our area. It's quicker to come to us, so it matters. Especially over the winter period, it is not always feasible by land route, but possible by air. So, it has a significant impact," says Freyja Rut Emilsdóttir, CEO of 1238: Battle of Iceland.
  • Photo by Departmen of Civil Protection

    Tourism in North Iceland unaffected by new volcanic eruption 500 km away

    A new fissure eruption started on the Reykjanes Peninsula by Mt. Stóra-Skógfell on Thursday, February 8th. Akureyri International Airport is open and in service. All flights are on schedule.

Top destinations

Direct flights to North Iceland
Akureyri International Airport is located only 3 km from the center of Akureyri, the capital of North Iceland. Akureyri Airport has a relaxing atmosphere and flexible services. The airport is well located for international flights, only 3 hours from London and 6.5 hours from New York. Akureyri International Airport serves domestic flights, a series of inbound charters, outbound charters and incoming private jets. It is also the base for ambulance flights in Iceland.

Unique Activities

Bathing & wellness
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Birdwatching
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Hiking
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Horseback Riding
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Whale Watching
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White water rafting
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Midnight Sun
During the summertime, you can see the sun go down and then back up again in a matter of minutes. This is truly an Arctic unique experience.
Northern lights
The chances of seeing the Northern Lights are 66% during a three nights stay in North Iceland, and 90% for a five nights stay.

Winter Magic

Travel suggestions

Film in North Iceland

Practical Information

Icelandic Water
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Icelandic Krona and Creditcard use
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Icelandic Weather
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Road Conditions in Iceland
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What to Pack for the Seasons
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Safe Travel
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Destinanation management plan

The Destination Management Plan for North Iceland presents a plan for the development of tourism services for the three years of 2021-2023. There is focus on the development of the destination as a single entity, as much work and investment has been devoted to building up the image of North Iceland ever since the year 2003.

Part of the Destination Management Plan is a list of priorities for projects that must be completed in order to ensure strong tourism services. These projects are submitted by municipalities and tourism clusters.

Click here to see a summary of the plan

 

Sustainability

Sustainable tourism might be a challenge, but it is also an opportunity, and tourism in Northern Iceland takes this responsibility seriously. Through the development of specific projects such as the Arctic Coast Way or the Birding Trail, a more balanced distribution of visitors is achieved which relieves visitor pressure on individual natural areas. By developing sights and attractions in remoter areas, the economically weaker communities benefit from tourism as a new source of local income.

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