Summer Sun<\/b><\/p>\n
Flourishing villages and farming communities, soaring mountain peaks, offshore islands and a landscape in formation make the North of Iceland a unique world of its own.<\/p>\n
In the western part of the region, volcanic forces are no longer active, and since the end of the Ice Age the landscape has been moulded by rivers into smooth hills interspersed with some of Iceland\u2019s finest angling rivers.On either side of Eyjafj\u00f6r\u00f0ur rise high, ancient mountain ranges opening here and there into valleys, and in the north, marine erosion has created splendid cliffs. This area is popular with mountain hikers.<\/p>\n
The Midnight Sun is an extraordinary spectacle in these northern latitudes: around the summer solstice, the sun sinks down to touch the horizon before rising again in breathtaking tones of red and gold.<\/p>\n
Further east, other forces are at work: fresh lava flows, fissures and gullies are clues to recent volcanic activity. It is only a little over twenty years since the last eruption in the geothermal area adjacent to Mt. Krafla, and the unrest in the earth continues.<\/p>\n
In ancient times a catastrophic glacial flood smashed through rock to gouge out the canyon of the river J\u00f6kuls\u00e1 \u00e1 Fj\u00f6llum and the huge sunken valley \u00c1sbyrgi, which now form a magnificent National Park. Just a short distance away is the beautiful Lake M\u00fdvatn, famous for its picturesque natural surroundings, geothermal activity, and unique birdlife.<\/p>\n
Most of the lowland areas have been inhabited since time immemorial by farmers and fishermen. In recent times remote spots such as the region east of Eyjafj\u00f6r\u00f0ur, and Melrakkasl\u00e9tta and Langanes in the far northeast, have become largely uninhabited, but they remain popular with travellers in search of peace and unspoiled nature.<\/p>\n
Tourist services in the region reflect aspects of local history and ways of life. In H\u00fanavatnss\u00fdsla and Skagafj\u00f6r\u00f0ur visitors can see the sites of many of the important events in the classic Icelandic sagas. Seals can be observed at play offshore; the Selasetur seal center in Hvammstangi is an excellent place to gain insight into seals and their way of life.Whales can be spotted off Eyjafj\u00f6r\u00f0ur and Skj\u00e1lfandi bay, and H\u00fasav\u00edk is home to a whale museum. In the first half of the 20th century, the \u201cHerring Boom\u201d brought unprecedented prosperity to many Icelanders, and the atmosphere of those times is recreated at Siglufj\u00f6r\u00f0ur, one of the leading herring ports of the time. Another interesting destination is Haf\u00edssetur, the pack-ice exhibition in Bl\u00f6ndu\u00f3s, where visitors can learn about \u201cthe land\u2019s ancient enemy\u201d through a graphic and text exhibition.Tucked away in the south part of Eyjafj\u00f6r\u00f0ur is a very original museum: The Museum of Small Things (Sm\u00e1munasafni\u00f0). Another very interesting museum, located at Svalbar\u00f0seyri, is The Icelandic Folk Art Museum (Safnasafni\u00f0).<\/p>\n
Over the centuries, Icelanders relied on the horse for all transport and farm work, and Skagafj\u00f6r\u00f0ur is especially famous for its horses and equestrian traditions, while horseback riding tours are available all over the north. Skagafj\u00f6r\u00f0ur also offers the thrills of white-water rafting, and at the Icelandic Emigration Centre in Hofs\u00f3s visitors can learn about emigration to the New World in the 19th century, when 20% of the population headed west in search of a better life.<\/p>\n
The Capital of the North is Akureyri, a centre of education, culture and services in Eyjafj\u00f6r\u00f0ur fjord. Akureyri has a full summer programme of events, arts, entertainment and activities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Summer Sun Flourishing villages and farming communities, soaring mountain peaks, offshore islands and a landscape in formation make the North of Iceland a unique world of its own. In the western part of the region, volcanic forces are no longer active, and since the end of the Ice Age the landscape has been moulded by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1666,"featured_media":57566,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[27],"class_list":["post-57536","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel-and-recreation","tag-iceland"],"yoast_head":"\n