Húsavík

Albeit being one of the main settlements in North Iceland, Húsavík is home to only 2,500 inhabitants. It is, however, considered to be the whale-watching capital of the country, as the immense mammals are seen on about 95 percent of expeditions. Sitting on the eastern shore of the Skjálfand Bay (“the Shaky Bay”, due to the frequent earthquakes in the area), Húsavík played a significant role in Icelandic history, as it is the first place where a Norsemen settled, a Swedish viking named Garðar Svavarssonb; he stayed for one winter around year 870 and left a few of his people behind as he embarked on a new journey. This is precisely where the town got its name, which means “bay of houses” in Icelandic, as the lodgings built by Garðar where most likely the only ones in the country at that moment.
Attractions in Húsavík include, unsurprisingly, the Whale Museum (Hafnarstétt 1, Húsavík), a non-profit organization aiming to provide visitors with thorough and pertinent information on whales and their habitat. Also high up the list of things to do is the quaint wooden church Húsavíkurkirkja, which was built in 1907. The nearby Jökulsárgljúfur Park (part of the Vatnajökull National Park, the largest in Europe) and its Diamond Circle both make for a fascinating day trip destination, with wonders like the horseshoe-shaped canyon Ásbyrgi, the turf houses in Grenjaðarstaðu and the famed waterfalls Dettifoss (the most powerful in Europe at 6,816 cubic feet per second), Hafragilsfoss and Selfoss. 

Practical Info

Húsavík can be reached by plane from Reykjavik or by car from Akureyri via route 1 and 85 in just under 90 minutes. It is also possible to reach Húsavík from Akureyri via bus route 641, which stops along many of the sites listed above.