Akureyri Botanical Garden — Attraction in Akureyrarbær

The Akureyri Botanical Gardens, or Lystigarðurinn, are among the world’s northernmost botanical gardens, sitting just 50 kilometres shy of the Arctic Circle.

The Akureyri Botanical Gardens are, the name suggests, located in the capital of north Iceland, Akureryri. They were established in 1957, within a city park that had been created by local women in 1912. The gardens, which now cover 3.6 hectares, are home to over 7,000 species of plant; around 400 are native, but the vast majority are alien to Iceland.

Since their creation, the Akureyri Botanical Gardens have been a favourite attraction for both visitors and locals throughout the summer; they are an oasis of colour and a perfect place for quiet contemplation. The gardens have, however, also been used extensively for scientific research purposes.

Amongst the flowers and plantlife are several busts. One is of Jón Rögnvaldsson, whose donation helped create the botanical gardens; one is of Margarethe Schiöth, whose early work on maintaining the site helped it flourish; and a third is of Matthias Jochumsson, a local clergyman and poet who penned Iceland’s national anthem.

There are also several quaint wooden buildings within the park, some of which are amongst the town’s oldest.

Enjoying the Akureyri Botanical Gardens The Akureyri Botanical Gardens are free to enter, although only accessible in summer, from June 1st to September 31st. On weekdays, they are open from 08:00 to 22:00; on weekends, they open at 09:00. There are bathrooms on site.

In winter, it is still sometimes possible to walk through the gardens, but the facilities will not be open and the paths may be impassable due to snow.

The Botanical Gardens are easy to reach by foot, bus or car, just fifteen minute’s walk south from the town centre. They are also very easy to reach from the harbour, making them perfect for those taking a cruise to Akureyri, and the airport, for those flying. #direction_spain_across_iceland ...

On our way from the North Cape while travelling above the Arctic Circle we had to visit this, the world's northern-most botanical garden. It's by no means large, only 3.7 hectares (9 acres), but is beautifully laid out and maintained, and full of many beautiful Icelandic and Arctic flora. The fountains and greenhouses in the gardens are also definitely worth visiting.

The Akureyri Botanical Gardens (Lystigardurinn) function both as a public park, initially created by local housewives and first opened in the Spring of 1912, and as a botanical garden in 1957. The gardens are also used for scientific research into the survival of plants and function as a gene bank for hardy plants suitable to the weather conditions on the Arctic edge.

You cab get a good coffee in the modern, cafe/bistro located in the center of the garden and sitting outside on the patio area on a nice day is a great way to enjoy the garden surroundings. The cafe also has gluten-free items on its menu.

The drive to the gardens is quite enjoyable passing typical Icelandic homes in the older part of the town. It's easy to see why this garden is Akureyri's...

The people that went here in winter lol...

So let me tell you this is a place where you’ll see some of the tallest trees in all of Iceland, Icelandic birch trees at that. I went at the end of July and it was absolutely gorgeous full of flowers and different types of plants that I felt you could only see elsewhere.

There were poppies in bloom with a brilliant sign asking people not to steal the seeds (spoiler alert, unless you’re going back to Himalayas, poppies will not grow). There are several lawns around where you can lay and we were lucky to be there on one of the most sunny days so we got to have a great experience.

Entrance is free but there is a fee to use the restrooms and a coffee shop in the middle. It’s brilliant to just lay around.

This was one of my favorite places in all of Iceland. Kid...