Godafoss & Botanical Gardens

Your tour starts with a short drive to the Godafoss waterfall. Nicknamed “Beauty” (with Dettifoss being the “Beast”), Godafoss is indeed one of the prettiest waterfalls in Iceland. Its name means “waterfall of the gods” as it is believed that idols of the old gods were thrown into it when Iceland embraced Christianity in 1000 A.D.

We drive back to Akureyri via the Vikurskard mountain pass, with excellent views over Eyjafjordur and the town. Akureyri is Iceland’s second largest town outside of the capital area and is the heart of North Iceland.
The old town is charming, with well-preserved houses and monuments. Designed by the same architect as Reykjavik’s Hallgrimskirkja, the Lutheran church is one of Akureyri’s most famous icons.

In Akureyri, we stop at the Lystigardurinn botanical gardens. Just 50 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle, it is one of the world’s northernmost botanical gardens and a great place for a coffee.