Húsavík, Northern Iceland, July 2025
The north of Iceland is a joy to drive through. The landscape is varying. From green covered hills to a Mars-like landscape in a giant active volcano. It has a very cute town - Húsavík, Europe's most powerful waterfall and so many more highlights for those who wish to see them and has time on their hands. One can even expect not only to see snowy mountain tops, but even fresh snow in the middle of summer can happen. In my case, I was just a week too late in July 2025 - but to be frank, I did not mind.
Glaumbær historic turf farm.
The turf houses of Iceland
For those visiting Iceland, it is hard to believe there were birch forests once on the island. But the Vikings that settled out of Norway and later Denmark from the 9th and 10th century quickly used all the trees. It left Iceland with the amazing landscape it has today, but the strong winds and especially harsh winter conditions made living on the island quite challenging.
Being inventive as they were, the Icelanders started to dig in. Using flat stones as a base and remaining tree wood and driftwood for framing, they built low houses covered with layers of turf to keep warm. Being partly underground meant that the turf houses kept a lower profile against the elements - while it helped to preserve the heat in winter. Multiple houses were often built together - like row houses - with connecting narrow tunnels with a turf covered layer to keep the wind out as much as possible.
From the 18th century on, the newer turf houses were made with wooden front facades and a more stylish entrance. While the majority of the turf houses of the past have collapsed a long time a go, some of the "newer" ones have survived and some are being preserved nicely. One can find a few across Iceland, but the Glaumbær historic turf farm and the Víðimýri turf church in the north of the main island are some of the coolest examples - turned into a museum - to visit.
Víðimýri turf church. Norðurland, Iceland.
The Glaumbær historic turf farm, Northern Iceland.
Inside the Glaumbær historic turf farm
View at a more modern part of the farm.
For a long time, windows were a pure luxury on Iceland. They are rare in the turf houses.
The biggest modern building of the former farm is a restaurant and café.
A small building turned into ticket office.
The mountains are never far away.
Inside the modern house pictured on the next photo.
Goðafoss waterfall
A 35 to 40 minutes drive from both the towns of Akureyri and Húsavík, the Goðafoss waterfall is an attractive spot to take a short stroll and take the falling water into account. Translated it means either God's waterfall or Chieftan's waterfall - so it is advised to come in good spirits either way. The fall height of the stream is reportedly about 12 metres (39 feet), over a length of 30 metres (98 feet), but it looks bigger than it sounds in real life. One can approach the waterfall from both east and west, with both a foot bridge as well as one for cars spanning the gap a tiny bit further downstream.
A spotted common whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus).
The pedestrian bridge at the Goðafoss waterfall
Húsavík
For the fans of 2020 romantic film about Fire Saga winning the Eurovision song festival, visiting Húsavík is an absolute "must" on a trip to Iceland. There is even a bar overlooking the harbour and fjord with loads of memorabilia from the film. But also those who like to go out on a bout for whale spotting. The cute northern town is the best starting point for such an endeavour. And the ones that rather stay on land: the local whale museum has some great books and other souvenirs to take home. Unfortunately, this has also been discovered by cruise ship companies. The days when they release 2,000 or more passengers into the town and buses to landmarks up to more than an hour away are not the best for those who want some more peaceful experience. Besides that, Húsavík is a lovely stop, and certainly worth the D-tour from the main road 1 that encircles Iceland.
Boats Saeborg, Dagfara and Sleiphir in the harbour of Húsavík, July 2025.
The church where in the Eurovision film musician Lars rings the bell multiple times.
A gloomy evening in Húsavík.
The boat Sylvía in the harbour of Húsavík
The boats Bjössi sör and Saeborg in the harbour of Húsavík.
Close up os Saeborg.
The Holland America Line cruise ship Nieuw Statendam anchored just outside the harbour of Húsavík, July 2025.
The Formansshus (mayor's house) in Húsavík of 1898.
Another red house, this one higher up.
And the red elf houses.
"Rainbow" street in Húsavík.
Leirhnjúkur, Krafla and Hverir
Step onto a different planet when visiting the 10-kilometre (6.2-miles) wide Leirhnjúkur crater, part of the Krafla system and one of the most active volcanoes on Iceland. See geothermal smoke rising from the ashes, observe the bright white-blue volcanic lakes and stroll through a black lava rock landscape alternated by some of the most colourful hills and rock fields.
Hverir geothermal area.
A geodesic dome over a wellhead at Krafla.
Inside the Leirhnjúkur volcanic crater.
Dettifoss waterfall
Dettifoss is Europe's most powerful waterfall, and is located in the north of Iceland, inside the vast Vatnajökull National Park, named after a glacier. Fed by the massive melting of this glacier in the summer months, about 193 cubic metres (6,800 cubic feet) per second drop 45 metres (145 feet) over a length of 100 metres (330 feet). Forget the numbers for a second, it is simply impressive. The nearby set of waterfalls of Selfoss is worth the short hike from Dettifoss.
The Selfoss waterfall is just a short hike away from Dettifoss.
