Goðafoss, the Waterfall of the Gods, is found just off the ring road near Akureyri. Although this makes it an easy stop for tour buses, don't let the threat of crowds keep you away from one of northern Iceland's most impressive natural sights.
Maybe it's because of the long, dark winters, when any scrap of joy or warmth is especially appreciated, but Christmas is a very big deal in Iceland. And nowhere is the Christmas spirit stronger than in Akureyri, where it's celebrated all year round.
A day spent exploring the beautiful Eyjafjörður Valley, south of Akureyri, can be surprisingly exhausting. And the locals seem to know it. Two farms on either side of the valley have expanded their normal operations to offer unique places to recuperate, and we took advantage of both.
When Halldor offered to show us the autumn colors of the Eyjafjörður Valley, south of Akureyri, I was a little amused. Up until this point, we had seen approximately three trees in all Iceland. "Maybe the idea of 'autumn colors' means something different here," I thought. "Like, a pile of red lava rocks on top of wet, yellow hay." But it turns out that Iceland has some trees after all. There are a lot, in fact, if you know where to look.
When we pulled into Akureyri, I couldn't believe my eyes. This cute little village was supposed to be the second-biggest city in the country? Come on, Iceland, stop kidding. Where's the real Akureyri? Where is this "Capital of the North" we'd read so much about? Where are you hiding it?
