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Ásgrímur Jónsson Collection
Icelands first professional painter, Ásgrímur Jónsson (1876–1958), was the son of a farmer. He lived and worked here, and you can visit his former atelier to see his work incorporating folk tales and Icelandic nature.
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Rjómabúið á Baugsstöðum
About 6km east of Stokkseyri, this old 1905 creamery dairy still has its original machinery. Interestingly, most of its products were sold to England – so some readers’ grandparents may have eaten Stokkseyri butter!
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Leifur Eiríksson statue
Gazing proudly into the distance outside Hallgrímskirkja church is a statue of the Viking Leifur Eiríksson, the first European to stumble across America. It was a present from the USA on the 1000th anniversary of the Alþing.
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Sagnheimar Byggðasafn
Housed in the city library, this interactive folk museum tells the story of Heimaey from the era of marauding pirates up to the 1979 eruptions and beyond. Displays also shed light on local sports heroes and native bird life.
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Seljavallalaug
Seljavallalaug, a peaceful 1923 pool, is filled by a natural hot spring. From Edinborg (7km west of Skógar) follow Rte 242 and signs to Seljavellir; park by the farm, and walk up the beautiful river valley for about 10 minutes.
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Berserkjahraun
About 15km west of the intersection of Rte 54 and Rte 56 lies the dramatic, spiky lava field at Berserkjahraun (Berserkers’ lava field). Crowned by looming mountains, this lunar landscape gets its name from Eyrbyggja Saga .
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Church
Sorry, we currently have no review for this sight.
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Icelandic Folk Music Centre
Traditional-music enthusiasts may be interested in this sweet little museum, which displays 19th-century instruments and offers recordings of Icelandic songs and chants. Its free to enter if you have a ticket to the Herring Era Museum.
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Þingvallabær
The little farmhouse in the bottom of the rift, Þingvallabær was built for the 1000th anniversary of the Alþing in 1930 by state architect Guðjón Samúelsson. It’s now used as the park warden’s office and prime minister’s summer house.
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Hjálparfoss
Heading further along Rte 32 from Árnes towards Stöng and Þjóðveldisbær, take a short (1km) detour along a signposted track to the delightful waterfall Hjálparfoss, which tumbles in two chutes over twisted basalt columns and into a blue pool.
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Whales of Iceland
Ever stroll beneath a blue whale? This brand-new museum houses full-sized models of the 23 whales found off Icelands coast. The largest museum of this type in Europe, it also displays models of whale skeletons and has a cafe and gift shop.
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Rauðhólar
The Rauðhólar (Red Hills) crater row, just north of Hljóðaklettar, displays a vivid array of colours in the cinder-like gravel on the remaining cones. The craters can be explored on foot during a 5km loop walk from the Vesturdalur parking area.
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Glaumbær
Following Rte 75 north from Varmahlíð towards Skagafjörður’s marshy delta leads to the 18th-century turf-farm museum at Glaumbær. It’s the best museum of its type in northern Iceland and well worth the easy 8km detour off the Ring Road.
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Sjóminjasafn Austurlands
Inside the 1816 black timber warehouse ‘Gamlabuð’, the East Iceland Maritime Museum illustrates two centuries of the east coast’s historic herring, shark and whaling industry. For more salty-dog stories, be sure to check out Randulffs-sjóhus .
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Stykkishólmskirkja
Stykkishólmurs futuristic church, designed by Jón Haraldsson, has a sweeping bell tower that looks like a whale vertebra. The interior features hundreds of suspended lights and a painting of the Madonna andchild floating in the night sky.
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Bustarfell
This well-promoted folk museum is set in a photogenic 18th-century turf-roofed manor house southwest of town. The idyllic Cafe Croft serves homebaked cake and coffee. Its 6km off Rte 85 about 19km from Vopnafjörður (or reach it on the sealed Rte 920).
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Gvenderlaug
Gvenderlaug is a landmark, 42°C miracle-producing pool (no bathing!) that was blessed by the bishop Gvendur the Good in the 13th century and is now a national monument. Find it signposted behind Hótel Laugarhóll; Gvenderlaug feeds the hotels pool.
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Birdland Exhibition
Outside town, 5km on Rte 805, this sweet-natured, kid-friendly museum showcases quirky avian facts beside a wetland reserve beloved by birdwatchers. There is camping and a well-regarded hostel out here, plus activities – see the website www.husabakki.is.
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Mánárbakki Museum
At the tip of the Tjörnes Peninsula is the Mánárbakki Museum, home to the eclectic personal collection of friendly farmer Aðalgeir, who will give you a tour of his turf-roofed house and show you various assemblages of photos, furniture and crockery.
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Dalir Heritage Museum
The museums curator is a wonderful character who knows a great deal about Dalir’s brilliant history, and if you make your way through the inumerable artefacts, theres an unexpected reconstruction of a traditional baðstofa (living/sleeping room).
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