Capital of the North — midnight sun, whale watching, mountain skiing
Akureyri is Iceland's second city and the undisputed capital of the North — a surprisingly cosmopolitan town of 20,000 at the head of Eyjafjörður, Iceland's longest fjord, surrounded by mountains that hold snow well into summer. It's the jumping-off point for Lake Mývatn's volcanic landscapes, the Goðafoss waterfall, whale-watching tours in the fjord, and some of Iceland's best skiing at Hlíðarfjall. The botanical garden is one of the world's most northerly, yet flowers bloom in the midnight sun all summer.
Akureyri was formally established as a trading post in 1786, though the area had been settled since Viking times. It developed rapidly as a fishing and trade centre in the 19th century, and its cooperative freezing plant — one of the first in Iceland — transformed the fish industry. During WWII it served as a base for Allied forces. Today it's the centre of North Iceland's economy and culture, with a lively arts scene that punches well above its population size.