Around Iceland 2015: Akureyri
Photo: Skapti Hallgrímsson
Iceland’s national newspaper Morgunblaðið is on a six-week 2015 tour of Iceland!
The paper’s journalists and photographers will be bringing us news and images of everyday life, culture, business, nature, education, services and more from the four corners of the land. Today’s destination: Akureyri.
Akureyri
Akureyri is a large town in North Iceland known colloquially as ‘the capital of the North’. The town has a population of over 18,000 and is Iceland’s second-largest urban area. It is an important fishing and service centre for the entire region.
Akureyri, the 'capital of the North'. Photo: Google Maps
Stella Gestsdóttir runs two popular eateries – Bláa kannan and Kaffi Laut – together with her husband and friends of theirs. The focus is on serving home-made bread and cakes and traditional North Iceland food. Many of their dishes are gluten-free.
Stella Gestsdóttir at Bláa kannan. Photo: Skapti Hallgrímsson
Alternatively, hungry visitors to Akureyri can make their way to Kaffi Ilmur , run by Ingibjörg Baldursdóttir. She has converted the beautiful house that her grandparents built in 1917 into a restaurant serving food all day long.
Ingibjörg Baldursdóttir. Photo: Skapti Hallgrímsson
88-year-old Valdimar Jóhannsson has worked as a furniture-maker and carpenter in Akureyri since 1945 – 70 years! Chisel and hammer always in hand, Jóhannsson has supplied all sorts of customers with all sorts of items – from furniture to musical instruments.
A labour of love... Photo: Skapti Hallgrímsson
An energetic crowd will be found at Crossfit Akureyri, which opened in December. Some 200 participants aged 10-60 use the new facilities to work out and keep fit. A new fitness timetable begins at Crossfit Akureyri tomorrow.
Mens sana in corpore sano. Photo: Írena Sædísardóttir
Check out Iceland Monitor for Morgunblaðið ’s next destination in Around Iceland 2015: Þórshöfn.
