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This Icelandic city is perched on the country’s longest fjord, the mighty Eyjafjordur. It’s no surprise, then, that waterfront attractions are a big draw in Akureyri -- it’s home to the “waterfall of the gods,” Godafoss, as well as glaciers, fishing fleets and Iceland’s top whale-watching spots, where 18 species of the mighty beast come to spawn each year. Volcanic activity in the region created other stirring attractions for outdoor enthusiasts, including craggy lava fields, piping-hot steam vents and bubbling mud pools.

But Akureyri offers urban attractions, too, from interesting museums -- the Laufas Folk Museum, a former manor farm and home to the city vicar, captures a slice of life in 19th-century Iceland -- to a number of Dutch colonial structures and artifacts scattered throughout the city center. Akureyri’s blooming botanical gardens are a top draw, offering chilly Iceland a touch of fragrance and color no matter the outdoor temperature.

Language: Icelandic     Currency: Iceland Krona (ISK)