Cruise Port Stop: Falling in Love ~ Akureyri, Iceland (HAL Nieuw Statendam Nordics Cruise)

_{Please note: this post contains affiliate links which means if you buy something following a link on this page, I may get a small commission. There is no additional cost to you and helps reduce the ever-increasing costs of keeping this site active}. _{Thanks for supporting my blog (AKA feeding my ice cream addiction around the world!) Rosemary}

Do you believe that you end up where you should be or is it making the most of what hand you’re dealt? Still trying to figure out which is was in Akureyri, Iceland.

LOGISTICS

MONEY MATTERS

Credit cards were widely accepted (we were able to use Visa and Mastercard throughout Iceland but I couldn’t always use my AMEX). We found that other than for tipping in local currency, we didn’t need to carry cash (ie tipping guides on already paid tours). Speaking of which, Iceland is similar to Norway in that tipping is not obligatory with high/living wages and strong worker laws so there isn’t a need for a tipping culture (vs in the US where workers are reliant upon tips as part of their salary). As such, it is a nice gesture of appreciation to tip if you receive great service.

COMMUNICATION

English is widely spoken throughout Iceland

_{BEAUTIFUL TIP: Reminder that arrival times for port days are estimates for when the ship will be docked and may not be when the port has given approval to the ship to allow passengers to get off. IF the activity start time is close to arrival times, I will always reach out the activity/tour provider and find out exactly what their policy is if I am not able to be there on time. I have found that many operators are flexible especially if the majority/all of the participants are from the cruise ship but some may not be able to accommodate late arrivals with no refund given. Whilst both scenarios are valid business practices, don’t make the mistake of finding out it’s the latter when you aren’t able to join! See below in what we did for more info on this}

AKUREYRI

Often called the capital of the north, Akureyri sits at the base of the Eyjafjörður Fjord. It is Iceland’s second largest town with 19,000 inhabitants and is known for its cultural attractions and the incredible surrounding natural wonders.

The town is also beloved for its Hearts of Akureyri and there’s a heartwarming story behind them – and yes pun fully intended <3. Actually I have heard a number of stories about their origin with one alleging when Iceland’s economy collapsed during the 2008 global banking crisis, they were installed around town to help spread optimism and to remind people to put focus on what really matters. Another telling is that a mayor had them installed to help spread cheer and love through the long winters. And there’s yet one more version which seems most credible since it comes from the official Visit Akureyri’s website is that they were installed during one of Akureyri’s annual festival “Ein með öllu” which occurs in the summer. As the financial crisis unfolded, “there was a recognized need to spread positivity and optimism” and a campaign called “Smile with Your Heart” was born. It was focused on “spreading positive messages as widely as possible and encouraging participation that saw “tremendous engagement”.

Taking photos with red hearts in the stop lights proved to be so popular, that the above pictured special selfie traffic light was installed to safely allow for safely capturing photos. FYI you can find this near the Hof Cultural House (this particular light is about 750 meters / 10 min walk from the cruise port) – I love how consideration was put in for the background since it also includes the famous church.

LYST Cafe @ Akureyri Botanical Gardens

This is such a gem that I wanted to mention it here (and will touch on it in the what I ate section). A lovely spot to have coffee and a light breakfast (definitely recommend the avo toast) and they serve lunch as well. And the location is so great as it is inside the botanical gardens.

Akureyri Botanical Gardens (Lystigarður Akureyrar)

I left the boat around 9 in the morning and walked 1.7 kilometers from the cruise port to the gardens. Technically the gardens are open year round (the bathrooms are only open during the summer – Note that you can pay for the toilets using a credit here).

I absolutely LOVE botanical gardens so this was a must visit place for me as it’s one of the most Northernmost gardens in the world and is located only 50 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle!

The Akureyri Botanical Gardens are a tranquil retreat in the heart of the town. Home to over 7,000 plant species, this lush garden is a peaceful escape for nature lovers and a wonderful place to stroll.

This one is not only really interesting and beautiful, it’s free as there is no entry fee!

The gardens are especially known for their diverse collection of native and non-native plants, offering a serene experience throughout the year.

It is such a serene and beautiful place – I was in love with how vibrant and colorful it was and also loved how you would randomly get peeks of the fjord in the distance.

Wander around Akureyri + Lunch

It was a fairly typical summer day for Akureyri with some sun and cloud coverage especially in the morning. Beautiful tip for dressing in the Nordics: layers! Weirdly google maps will tell you that the walk to many places is flay but Akureyri is situated near a mountainside and can be hilly including going to the swimming pool and botanical gardens. Top left photo shows the decline heading back from the gardens.

I saw the top left rubbish bin on my first visit to Akureyri and the right was on this visit (this is the front of the Akureyri Art Museum) I still have NO idea why some of the trash bins around town have these knitted costumes but I am here for it…thoughts for why?

The town is easy to navigate and explore especially with one of the main street a car free – pedestrian zone where you can find this Love Akureyri sign on one end and the yellow frame on the other end.

I had an unexpectedly wonderful afternoon making a friend in Akureyri – when I really needed one the most. I don’t believe that everything in life happens for a reason but I have seen that if you are open to the universe, that the right people will come into your life at the right time. We had ice cream and sat and talked at the viewpoint overlooking the fjord and Akureyri. I had had a terrible interaction in the morning and was feeling very apprehensive so it was a light at the end of the tunnel type thing…but soon it was time to head back to the cruise ship.

WHAT I ATE

LYST Cafe

$19.60/2700 ISK: Latte 900 ISK + Avocado Toast 1800 ISK

Kristjansbakeri

Bottom left photo: Kleina (Icelandic specialty – donut) 245 ISK + chocolate donut 350 ISK

Moe’s Food Truck

Some of the best fish and chips I have ever had!

WHAT I SPENT

• Activities $70.81 $50.11/6900 ISK Forest Lagoon Entrance Fee & $20.70/2850 ISK BSO taxi: one way to Forest Lagoon (Ann paid for other way)
• Food $49.35 $19.61/2700ISK LYSK (900 ISK latte + 1800 ISK avocado toast) & $4.32/595ISK Kristjansbakeri (245 ISK Kleina + 350 ISK chocolate donut) & $25.42 Moe’s Food Truck (Fish and cheese covered fries)
• Misc $0 Previously purchased Akureyri magnet

ALTERNATIVE ITINERARY IDEAS & OTHER TOP SPOTS TO EXPLORE

Goðafoss

Goðafoss can be roughly translated to waterfall of the gods (again Nordic names are no nonsense: foss = waterfall in Icelandic) but the origin behind that name is less clear. A big plus for an overnight port stop in Iceland during the summer is that you have a great opportunity to really maximize your time in an area. On my first visit to Akureyri, we took a taxi here, then did the preceding whale tour – here’s how the day went.

If you prefer to have a tour, consider the Goðafoss Waterfall & Forest Lagoon from Akureyri Port Includes a visit to Laufás Turf Houses and Museum + entry to Forest Lagoon & towel Currently 20% off until June 26, 2025!

Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri

During my first visit to Akureyri, we went on a 3 hour whale watching tour.

Eyjafjörður is Iceland’s longest fjord is known for attracting humpback whales for summer feeding and you may want to opt for the Akureyri Express Whale Watching by RIB boat

Beautiful tip that when it is cold, it is so much colder on the water and on an exposed boat but you do gear up in a very warm suit (ie I would have been fine doing this tour but most of the family would have been miserable as they are more affected by cold)

Myvatn Nature Bath

The drive here is GORGEOUS besides you’re in Iceland, you definitely should visit a geothermal bath! Consider the Lake Myvatn Day Tour and Goðafoss Waterfall that will allow you to see two of Northern Iceland natural wonders!

TOURS

• Want to see the most you can around the area? Then this is for you: Diamond Circle Day Tour from Akureyri All day small group tour – 3 natural wonders
• Goðafoss and Akureyri Botanic Garden Shared Shore Excursion Also includes a drive/tour through Akureyri and a photo stop overlooking the fjord to Akureyri 
• Zipline Adventure Through Glerárgil River Canyon in Akureyri Town see Akureyri as even most locals have never seen it