At 1:00am this morning, we crossed the Arctic Circle. Akureyri is situated on the south end of the Eyjafjordur channel, the longest fjord in Iceland. We docked at the Oddeyrarbryggja Pier which is located only a few blocks from the town center. An easy walk.
The history of Akureyri dates to the 9th century. Helgi magri (Helgi the thin), a Norse Viking, settled in the area. But it wasn’t until the 1500s that Akureyri began to flourish. Danish merchants would build houses in Akureyri so they could come to stay for the summer and trade their wares.
Akureyri turned into a charming town:
On the dock in Akureyri, Iceland.This is not called an esplanade, but it funtions as one.A little bit of history is presented on sign boards as we walk into town.And we wind up in a pretty Town Square.Stopped at Kristjan’s Bakery for coffee and rolls. And, as you may have noticed, WIFI, too!The sweets were very nice! That explains the long line.Naturally, we shopped our way up the main street.Blaa Kannan Cafe serves the iconic Icelandic cake “terta.”Now, have you ever seen that! A kiosk for lasagna! On our return to the ship, this kiosk was open and doing a great business!Eymundsson Bookstore is a large chain in Iceland. They have a huge selection of english language books; a cafe and a big array of office supplies.Akureyrarkirkja was built in 1940 and has become the iconic symbol of this town.Ah, the view makes the climb worthwhile!The Hotel Kea sits at the base of the church steps. Makes it a good place to stop for refreshment after the trek up and down those gazillion steps!The patio at the Hotel Kea was pleasant while the sun was out. Later, the sky clouded and a breeze kicked up. Got a little chilly!The end of day libation at the Hotel KeaAnd then we trudged back to the ship after a tiring but fun-filled day!
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