Best Of North Iceland 2018: Must-See Spot

A five-hour drive away from the capital area, the North’s spectacular sights and vast unspoiled nature will amaze the most seasoned of travellers. Drive towards its coastline where the sun never sets and enjoy everything the North has to offer—from its many canyons and hiking trails, to more urban environments. Whether you choose to visit the up-and-coming town of Siglufjörður or fine-dine in the countryside; whether you go for a week-long hike in Fjörður or decide to travel all the way to Húsavík for a whale watching tour; whether you’ll be driving across the otherworldly landscape of Askja or the mellow hills of Mývatn, you’re inevitably bound to take on an adventure you’ll never forget.

Must-See Spot

Ásbyrgi

Just off Route 85

This forested, horseshoe-shaped canyon is at the northern end of Vatnajökull National Park. It was carved by glacial flooding several millennia ago, and it’s at once breathtaking and ominous in its magnitude. Drive down to the pond in the crook of the canyon, beneath towering cliffs, or turn off Route 85 and walk to the tip of Eyjan, the “island” of rock that was once the canyon’s northern bank, if you’d rather hike in the vast blanket of vegetation.

Runner-Up:

Arctic Henge

Raufarhöfn

This large-scale outdoor artwork started out as a hobby and was never fully completed. Its huge pointed arches now stand still against the sky of Raufarhöfn, like a long forgotten Stonehenge that is stunning, if not somewhat puzzling. Make sure to drive along the coast to get there and enjoy the vastness of the ocean and the countryside along the way.

Runner-Up:

Glaumbær

Skagafjörður

In this precious historical site near the bay of Skagafjörður, rests the farm of Glaumbær, where Þorfinnur and Guðríður, the parents of the first European born in North America, moved to around the year 1007. “You can still visit the farm and learn how people used to live back then,” one panellist said. “It’s almost surreal to see it all.”

More Best Of Iceland Awards

South Iceland

West Iceland

The Westfjords

North Iceland

East Iceland

You can buy a copy of the full Best Of Iceland 2018 magazine—an essential guide to having fun in Iceland—here, posted worldwide. We also have a Special Offer double-pack that also includes our Best Of Reykjavík magazine, about places to eat, see, swim, visit, and shop in the country’s capital city, here.