Akureyri: Goðafoss, Laufás & Christmas House Half-Day

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.59 (175 reviews) 68% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/9

Duration4h

GroupUp to 35

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Four hours through North Iceland's quietest corners, starting with a waterfall that stops you cold

You visit three distinct stops — a major waterfall with easy access, a furnished 19th-century turf house with a working church, and a year-round Christmas attraction — in a single 4-hour loop from Akureyri. A qualified guide handles the history, folklore and logistics; all entry fees are included, and you're back in town by early afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit waterfalls, museums, and town sights

Drive to Goðafoss waterfall
Explore Goðafoss waterfall area
Drive to Laufas Turfhouse Museum
Visit Laufas Turfhouse Museum
Drive to the Christmas House and Gardens
Tour the Christmas House and Gardens
Drive around Akureyri town
Pass by Botanical Garden and other sights
Drop off passengers at Botanical Garden or town

The Experience

The drive out of Akureyri takes 35 minutes, and somewhere in that stretch the landscape shifts. You're heading toward Goðafoss, one of Iceland's most accessible waterfalls, and the guide is already talking — about the basalt columns that frame it, about how the river cuts through them, about what the name means. When you arrive, you step out and the waterfall is there, wide and powerful, surrounded by dark rock. The guide knows the best angle and the safest path; you get time to stand in front of it without rushing.

From Goðafoss it's another 30 minutes to Laufás, a turf-roofed farmhouse that's been standing since the middle of the 1800s. The current buildings are furnished with period household items and clothes, and there's a church on the grounds built in 1865 with a pulpit from 1698. The guide walks you through long corridors and interconnected rooms — one of them is the Bridal Room, where brides prepared for their weddings. It's the kind of place where you can feel the weight of how people actually lived, not just read about it. The Visitor Centre has refreshments and a small shop if you need a break.

Then comes the Christmas House, another 30 minutes down the road. It's open year-round and decorated as if December never left — log fire warmth, festive scents, songs playing. The garden has hidden things scattered around to find, and inside every corner is filled with Christmas detail. There's a troll mother character (Gryla) hidden in a cave somewhere in the grounds, and a shop next door selling local jams and souvenirs. It sounds like it could be kitschy, but the guide explains the Icelandic traditions behind it, which changes how you move through the space.

On the way back to Akureyri, the driver takes a short route through town — past the old town, the Botanical Garden, the Church of Akureyri, and the town centre. You can ask to be dropped off at any of these if something catches your eye. The whole tour is 4 hours from start to finish, all travel time included, and entrance fees are already paid. WiFi is on the bus if you need it.

What’s included

Your tour includes entry to Laufás Turfhouse Museum and the Christmas House, WiFi on board, and a qualified guide who shares local history and Icelandic folktales throughout the 4-hour loop. All travel between Akureyri, Goðafoss, Laufás and the Christmas House is included, as are entrance fees.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by The Traveling Viking

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want to see North Iceland's main attractions in one morning or afternoon without arranging transport or buying tickets separately — the fixed 4-hour schedule and included entry fees mean you just show up and move through three very different places with someone who knows them.