Akureyri - an idyll in northern Iceland

Iceland's second largest city is located on the Arctic Coast Way, one of the island's most beautiful driving routes. This impressive route stretches 900 kilometres along the north coast, through many small towns and spectacular scenery. There is a special atmosphere in Akureyri: Colourful wooden houses, cosy bars, and steep streets shape the city's image. With around 19,000 inhabitants, Akureyri is large enough for a lively cultural life yet small enough for cosy flair. The traffic lights there are the only ones in the world to light up with red hearts. The city wanted to set an example for greater cohesion in society in the crisis year 2008, when the Icelandic state was close to bankruptcy.

Perhaps the most spectacular building is the Akureyrarchkirkja at Eyrarlandsveg 600, which is also a landmark of the city. This modern protestant Lutheran church was built in 1940 by the Icelandic architect Guðjón Samúelsson, who also designed the famous Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavik. The organ with its 3,200 pipes and the large stained glass windows made in England are of particularly large. In 2017, the church was damaged with hate graffiti, which let to extensive renovation on the exterior walls. Almost all the city's sights, including its museums, can be reached on foot or by free city buses.