Christmas House

"This small settlement in the north just outside of Akureyri has one of the cutest Christmas villages in the world (in my opinion). It's open year round and has lovely gifts that you can bring home to your loved ones, a wide variety of home baked pound cakes, and most importantly... coffee. If you have children, plan on spending a lot of time here because there are surprises in every nook and cranny. It's a truly magical place that will bring alive your inner child as you make elf and troll friends. If you want to make the day even more perfect, you can visit the Forest Lagoon in Akureyri or go to the town pool. The waterslides at the pool are actually massively fun, you have to sling yourself off the bar to go really fast which as an adult, being strong is a benefit for maximum stoke. My favorite place to eat is actually a Thai place called Krua Siam, a great place to go at the end of the day. You probably want to get here early, make reservations, or plan for take out if you want to go on a Friday or Saturday night, because it gets incredibly busy. If you want something cheaper, Taste is always a solid choice. I usually get the falafel wrap with pickled onions instead of regular red onions. Don't forget to checkout the cultural house, the used book store, and the colorful botanical gardens. The earliest coffee you can get the next morning is at the art museum in the center of town. I highly recommend waking up early to take a walk around town before everyone else gets their day started."

"Does Santa Claus live in Akureyri? It certainly seems like it at Jólahúsið. The Christmas House is a shop, or rather a collection of shops, about ten minutes south of Akureyri Airport (head south, instead of north into the center town). You really can't miss it. The festive campus has numerous buildings. A tower, the first thing you'll see from the road, might be the world’s largest advent calendar. Its windows count up to December 25th, and its interior has fairytale scenes that were painted by an Icelandic artist. Eplakofin (the Apple Shed) sells sugar-glazed apples. Svarta Húsið (the Black House) offers more sweets and year-round Nordic gifts. The Christmas House itself has decorations, ornaments, toys, and Yule Lads (Icelandic Christmas trolls), many of which were made right in Iceland. While outside, the Christmas Garden has a miniature Icelandic church and turf-roofed houses, as well as a wishing well. It looks like you'll be starting your holiday shopping early this year. Open daily 12-6 pm."

" The Christmas Garden, Jólagarðurinn, is a bright red house with Christmas and candy decorations. It’s something absolutely absurd about visiting the place in summer, surrounded by green grass, but it’s also sort of amazing to walk into a wonderland of Christmas with the sun shining outside. The Christmas Garden is about a 10 minute drive from Akureyri centre, and it’s a place most Icelanders have been to at one time or another."