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North Iceland is very popular area in Iceland and contains some of the best attractions on the island. Akureyri is the capital of North Iceland and is the second largest "city" in Iceland. Around 20.000 people live in North Iceland.

The North coast has four major fjords (or bays) with mountain ridges between them and each of the fjords has corresponding agricultural districts.

The main districts are: Hunathing, Skagafjordur district, Eyjafjordur district and the amazing Thingeyjarsysla county, home to Lake Myvatn. 

More attractions in the amazing Thingeyjasysla are mentioned below. Note that the first three areas are geologically speaking ancient formations, while Thingeyjasysla is recent and full of volcanic activity, young lava fields and tuff mountains.

Siglufjordur and Grimsey island are also part of the north but listed separately.

Eyjafordur

In Eyjafjörður is the capital of the North, Akureyri with 17.000 inhabitants. It is a very charming town and highly popular with travelers, so we advise you not to miss it. Many cruisers land in the port of the town.

The older part of Akureyri is particularly worth a stroll. If you like skiing or snowboarding, one of the best skiing sites in the country is located nearby.

We also recommend the botanical gardens there, fine restaurants and many interesting museums, such as Davidshus and Nonnahus, dedicated to the memory of poet David Stefansson and Jon Sveinson, author of the Nonnabaekur ('Nonni’s books'). 

Not far from Akureyri is the unique turf framhouse of Laufas, a museum and a prime example of the old architecture and farmlife. Also not far from Akureyri are the submarine geothermal silica cones of Strytur, a natural wonder and an excellent place for a dive.

One of Iceland's most beloved poets, Jonas Hallgrimsson was born in Eyjafjordur, at the farm Hraun in Oxnadalur valley and the knife-edged lava peaks there are particularly stunning. Also essential when traveling in the area is the beautiful and peaceful island Hrisey, often called 'The Pearl of Eyjafjordur'.

Siglufjordur

Siglufjordur has the distinction of not falling under the regular four part division, as it straddles the border of Eyjafjordur and Skagafjordur. Here we highly recommend the herring era museum and the folk music museum. Indeed, Siglufjordur hosts an annual folk music festival that is truly worth experiencing.

Hunathing

Among major attractions in Hunathing are the Regional Museum at Reykir in Hrutafjordur, the Seal Watching Center at Vatnsnes and the Arnarvatnsheidi heath, with a large numbers of ponds and lakes full of trout.

Skagafjordur

In Skagafjordur, the largest town of which is Saudarkrokur, we particularly recommend the historical bishop’s seat of Holar and the agricultural university there, the Glaumbaer museum, and Drangey island.

Thingeyjarsysla 

Thingeyjarsysla county is the home of the beautiful waterfalls Godafoss and Aldeyjarfoss as well as the amazing Lake Myvatn with its fascinating pseudocraters and rich birdlife.

Near Myvatn is the chaotic lava field Dimmuborgir, a truly amazing sight (and paid homeage to by the Norwegian Black Metal band of the same name).

Husavik is the whale watching capital of the North so don’t miss that one either.

The Jokulsargljufur National Park is home to some of Iceland's most beloved natural attractions,  Holmatungur, Hljodaklettar and the Asbyrgi canyon. In the river Jokulsa a Fjollum is Europe's most powerful waterfall, Dettifoss. 

At the Melrakkasletta peninsula you can see fascinating birdlife and there is good trout fishing to be made there. Seals may be sighted as well as whales off the coast. The vegetation is rich and this is an ideal place to enjoy the midnight sun. Northern lights may also be spotted from late August to early April.

Grimsey

Far north, straddling the Arctic Circle is Grimsey island, the northernmost inhabited territory of Iceland, with a population of about 100 people. It is renowned for its fishermen, its rich vegetation and birdlife.

Myvatn is a beautiful lake with many small islands in the north of Iceland, the fourth largest lake in the country. Along with its surrounding area, the lake is one of Iceland's most amazing natural attractions.

Some of the islands in Myvatn are pseudocraters, formed by steam explosions. The lake has rich birdlife and more species of ducks than anywhere else in the world. As for vegetation, it is one of the few places in the world that grows Marimo, also known as Cladophora ball, Lake ball, or Moss Balls in English, a species of filamentous green algae (Chlorophyta).

The Myvatn nature baths are also renowned throughout the world, a perfect place to relax, surrounded by breathtaking landscape.

Close to the lake is Dimmuborgir, a fascinating area of dramatic and chaotic lava. Norwegian symphonic metal band Dimmu Borgir takes its name from the the lava field, and it continues to inspire travellers from all over the world.

The Myvatn area is definitely one of the most beautiful places in Iceland. Don´t miss it!

Dimmuborgir (e. ‘Black Forts') is a large area of chaotic lava, situated right east of Lake Myvatn, in North Iceland. With its dramatic view, Dimmuborgir is one of Iceland's most popular attractions.

The area is composed of various volcanic caves and rock formations, reminiscent of an ancient collapsed citadel. In folklore the Dimmuborgir lava field has been connected with hell, Satan was to have landed there after being cast from heaven and the Norwegian symphonic black metal band derives its name from the region.

Goðafoss waterfall is located the river Skjálfandafljót in north Iceland, the fourth largest river in Iceland. It is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Iceland, falling from a height of 12 metres over a width of 30 metres.

The fall's name means either waterfall of the gods or of the 'goði' (i.e. priest/ chieftain). It is said that when the lawspeaker Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði declared Christianity the official religion in Iceland, after his own conversion, he threw the statues of the old Norse gods into the waterfall.

Photo by Andrés Nieto Porras

Grjótagjá is a small lava cave located near lake Mývatn in north Iceland, famous for featuring a beautiful geothermal hot spring in its depths.

History of Grjótagjá

Grjótagjá’s known history begins in the early 18th Century, where it was known to be the home of outlaw Jón Markússon. Throughout Iceland’s history, their icy, jagged rocks, total darkness and reputation for trolls meant law-abiding folk avoided Iceland’s lava caves, making them the perfect spots for bandits who had been ostracised from Icelandic society by the parliament.

Little is known about Jón, but after his death, fears of his cave gave way to excitement at its potential. It was used by locals as a hot spring in the decades that followed until the 1970s, when Iceland’s unpredictable geothermal forces prevented them from doing so.

From 1975 to 1984, the Krafla volcanic system erupted nine times, resulting in (to say nothing of new expanses of lava, the creation of new caves and magma chambers and the release of toxic gases) the water’s caves to boil and make it unusable.

After 1984, the temperature has slowly cooled, but has been known to rapidly heat again; in the surrounding area, liquid rock is just two kilometres (just over a mile) under the surface of the earth, meaning it can be very unpredictable.

As such, bathing is no longer allowed in Grjótagjá. You are welcome, however, to at least feel the water and dip your feet in to relax.

The lava cave and hot spring, however, have such an ethereal, otherworldly beauty that they attract many visitors a year. This unique, fantastical appeal, did not go unnoticed by producers; HBO’s Game of Thrones even shot one of the season’s most iconic scenes here.

If you don’t want spoilers, please skip ahead to ‘Getting to Grjótagjá’.

Photo from Wikimedia, Creative Commons, by Petr Brož

In Season Three, Episode Four, Grjótagjá is used as the setting for the much anticipated love scene between Jon Snow and the wildling woman Ygritte, where Jon Snow ‘proves’ his abandonment of the Night’s Watch by consummating their relationship.

In the televised version of the cave, there is a waterfall added with CGI, but otherwise, Grjótagjá is as it appears in reality.

Grjótagjá is far from the only place in Iceland used to build up the world of Westeros; in fact, it is not even the only one in the local area. Also in the Lake Mývatn area is the lava fortress of Dimmuborgir; in midwinter, this dramatic area was used to reflect the wildling camp of Mance Raider throughout Seasons Two and Three.

Also in the series are Mount Kirkjufell and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks in the penultimate episode of Season Seven, Vatnajökull glacier, on which ‘the Wall’ is built with CGI effects, and much of the landscape around Þingvellir National Park throughout. Icelandic mountain ranges can also be seen cut behind scenes filmed in countries such as Ireland and Croatia.

Getting to Grjótagjá          

Grjótagjá is located conveniently in the Mývatn area, which is part of the most popular sightseeing route of north Iceland, the Diamond Circle, and on the Ring Road that encircles the country.

Reaching it and getting to the hot spring, however, requires a reasonable level of fitness and a little sense of adventure. There is a slightly rocky path that takes you from Dimmuborgir to the cave itself, which you will need to be careful descending into; lava caves are very jagged, and the ground is uneven.

There are car parking spaces beside Grjótagjá if you do not want to take the short hike.

Ludentarborgir is a crater row east of Lake Myvatn, about 15 meters long.

These craters take their name from the explosion crater Ludent, to their north east. The astronauts of space shuttle Appolo 11 trained for their mission in the lunar landscape of Ludentarborgir. The two southernmost craters are known as Threngslaborgir, and that name is often used for the whole crater row, or at least the southern part.

A volcanic eruption in the crater area created the Stora Laxarhraun lava field some 2300 years ago. The lava field covers some 220 km2 and is home to such attractions as the famous Dimmuborgir and the Skutustadagigar pseudocraters.

Námaskarð Pass is a geothermal area on the mountain Námafjall, in north Iceland, less than half an hour’s drive from Lake Mývatn. It is located by Route 1, which encircles the country.

Connected to the Krafla volcano system, Námaskarð is home to many hot-springs and fumaroles.

Geography of Námaskarð

Námaskarð is notable due to its barrenness; no vegetation grows on its slopes. This is due to the heat beneath the earth, the acidity in the soil, and poisonous fumes being expelled.

That is not to say, however, that the site is dull; its life comes from the vivid colours that streak through the earth, dyed by the elements brought up with the steam. Expect to see shades of red, orange, yellow and green, particularly concentrated around the springs themselves.

The air smells intensely of sulphur throughout the area, which, while unpleasant, is a constant reminder of the powerful forces at work beneath your feet. Though it would be damaging for your health to spend too long breathing it, a visit for a few hours will not cause any problems.

While exploring Námaskarð, be sure not to touch any of the running water, as it is likely to be boiling. Also, give all the hot springs a reasonably wide berth, as the land surrounding them may be unstable, with scalding steam just beneath the surface.

Námaskarð is about 400 metres (1312 ft) above sea level.

Surroundings of Námaskarð

Námaskarð is situated between the mighty waterfalls of the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river (which include Europe’s most powerful waterfall, Dettifoss) and the Lake Mývatn area, making it a natural part of anyone’s itinerary if they are exploring the north from Akureyri or Mývatn.

Those travelling the Diamond Circle are also encouraged to make a stop here if they have time.