Goðafoss Waterfall & Laufás Turf House Tour from Akureyri
Travel along pristine fjörds and enjoy some cultural and natural highlights of North Iceland with our half-day Goðafoss Waterfall & Laufás Museum Tour from Akureyri. With pickup and dropoff from Akureyri cruise terminal, it´s easy. As it´s a short tour, it also allows you free time during your stopover to explore Akureyri town center.
Our passionate guides will show you some of the cultural and natural highlights of the region. We start with a visit to Goðafoss waterfall, rightly celebrated as a standout in a land with countless waterfalls as competition. This location has huge cultural and historical meaning to Icelanders.
We continue our cultural theme, with a visit to Laufás Museum and Heritage site. This wonderfully preserved farmhouse and outbuildings offers a glimpse of how locals lived in the late 1800´s, in a challenging country. These turf house were common in the olden days, but few remain today and even fewer in the pristine condition found here.
Part of the National Museum of Iceland, Laufás is a perfect photo stop.
We end the tour with a great viewpoint across the fjord from Akureyri. Admire the town and busy port and take the perfect photo to remember your visit to this bustling town
Tour highlights & itinerary
- Pickup and drop off from Akureyri Cruise Terminal
- Guided tour
- Entrance ticket to Laufás Museum
- WiFi on board
- Food or drink
- We advise you to wear gloves, hat, waterproof coat and comfortable walking shoes.
- Snacks and water
- The shore excursions start times are tailored to the docking times of the ships in port on the day
- Disclaimer: The duration of this tour is approx. 3.5 hours but can vary due to weather, road works or unforeseen circumstances
- Cancellation Policy: The tour can be cancelled for a full refund upto 24 hours in advance. No refunds are available after that.
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![Akureyri downtown in winter [Photo credit ©Yanshu Li]](https://bustravel.is/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Akureyri-downtown-in-winter-4268-1200x645.jpg "Akureyri downtown in winter-4268")
Itinerary
Itinerary
AkureyriOur staff will be waiting at Akureyri Cruise terminal. Once everyone is onboard, we depart on our half-day adventure together.
1 Goðafoss WaterfallOur first stop is at Goðafoss waterfall. Serence and picturesque, it stands on the Skjálfandafljót river, a glacial river with its source at Vatnajökull glacier, Europe´s largest. Goðafoss is 30m wide and the water drops from a height of 12m to the basin below. The half-crescent shape of Goðafoss is striking and lovely.
Goðafoss translates as “Waterfall of the Gods” in English. It is named so, because legend has it that a prominent chieftan named Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði, symbolically threw icons of pagan gods into the waters here. A lawmaker, this represented Iceland turning its back on the old norse gods, and instead turning to Christianity.
2 Laufás Museum and Heritage SiteWe continue on to our next location, Laufás Museum and Heritage Site. Laufás sits on the banks of Eyjafjörður fjord and the view are quite stunning. There has been a settlement at this site since the 11th century, though the oldest building still standing in from the mid-19th century.
Laufás is a an example of the old turf house which were common even in the early-mid 20th century. Dirt and turf are great insulators and helped keep the households warm even during the harshest winter months. A beautiful old church also stands at this stand.
Wander through the rooms of the farmhouse and see how Icelander´s lived in times past.
Laufás is now part of the National Museum of Iceland, funding and ensuring it preservation for years to come.
3 Akureyri viewpointWe travel back along the fjord towards Akureyi once more. We make one final stop at a great vantage where Akureyri and Eyjafjörður can be enjoyed with almost panoramic views. The perfect photo opportunity.
- Akureyri Cruise Terminal
With our time together sadly at an end, we drop you back to your ship with
Our staff will be waiting at Akureyri Cruise terminal. Once everyone is onboard, we depart on our half-day adventure together.
Our first stop is at Goðafoss waterfall. Serence and picturesque, it stands on the Skjálfandafljót river, a glacial river with its source at Vatnajökull glacier, Europe´s largest. Goðafoss is 30m wide and the water drops from a height of 12m to the basin below. The half-crescent shape of Goðafoss is striking and lovely.
Goðafoss translates as “Waterfall of the Gods” in English. It is named so, because legend has it that a prominent chieftan named Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði, symbolically threw icons of pagan gods into the waters here. A lawmaker, this represented Iceland turning its back on the old norse gods, and instead turning to Christianity.
We continue on to our next location, Laufás Museum and Heritage Site. Laufás sits on the banks of Eyjafjörður fjord and the view are quite stunning. There has been a settlement at this site since the 11th century, though the oldest building still standing in from the mid-19th century.
Laufás is a an example of the old turf house which were common even in the early-mid 20th century. Dirt and turf are great insulators and helped keep the households warm even during the harshest winter months. A beautiful old church also stands at this stand.
Wander through the rooms of the farmhouse and see how Icelander´s lived in times past.
Laufás is now part of the National Museum of Iceland, funding and ensuring it preservation for years to come.
We travel back along the fjord towards Akureyi once more. We make one final stop at a great vantage where Akureyri and Eyjafjörður can be enjoyed with almost panoramic views. The perfect photo opportunity.
With our time together sadly at an end, we drop you back to your ship with