Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [172]
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INFORMATION
Bookshops
Fróði (Map Click here; Kaupvangsstræti) Secondhand bookshop next to Café Karolína.
Eymundsson (Map Click here; 461 5050; Hafnarstræti 91-93; 9am-10pm) Excellent bookshop with souvenir books and DVDs in many languages. A great place to relax with a coffee and cookie, and thumb through gorgeous coffee-table hardbacks.
Emergency
Fire and ambulance ( 112, 462 2222)
Police (Map Click here; 464 7700; Þórunnarstræti 138)
Internet Access
Akureyri is covered in a veritable blanket of wi-fi – most guest houses have connections, as do several cafes and museums. There are two internet terminals at the tourist information centre (opposite). The municipal library has computers and wi-fi as well (opposite).
Laundry
Most of Akureyri’s accommodation offers laundry service for guests.
Þvottahúsið Höfði (Map Click here; 462 2580; Hafnarstræti 34; loads up to 7kg Ikr2000; 8am-noon & 3-5pm Mon-Fri) Service laundry.
Libraries
Municipal Library of Akureyri (Amtsbókasafnið á Akureyri; Map Click here; 460 1250; www.amtsbok.is; Brekkugata 17; 10am-7pm Mon-Fri Jun-Aug, 10am-7pm Mon-Fri, noon-5pm Sat Sep-May) One of the largest libraries in Iceland, this impressive complex holds a vast assortment of books and DVDs in both Icelandic and English. The welcoming cafe and internet kiosks often lure travellers.
Medical Services
Akureyri Hospital (Map Click here; 463 0100; Eyrarlandsvegur)
Heilsugæslustöðin Health Care Centre (Map Click here; 460 4600; Hafnarstræti 99) Doctors on call around the clock.
Money
All central bank branches (open 9am to 4pm) offer commission-free foreign exchange and have 24-hour ATMs. After hours, ask at Hótel KEA. Banks also distribute the all-important parking clocks (Click here).
Byr (Map Click here; 575 4000; Skipagata 9)
Íslandsbanki (Map Click here; 440 4000; Skipagata 14)
Kaupþing (Map Click here; Geislagata 5)
Landsbanki (Map Click here; 410 4162; Strandgata 1)
Post
Main Post Office (Map Click here; 580 1000; Skipagata 10; 9am-4.30pm Mon-Fri)
Tourist Information
Tourist Information Centre (Map Click here; 553 5999; www.visitakureyri.is; Hafnarstræti 82 or Hof; 7.30am-7pm mid-Jun–Aug, 8am-5pm Sep–mid-Jun) Friendly, efficient tourist office with internet access. The office is planning to move to Hof, the new Culture House (Map Click here) by the harbour, in 2010. The info office sometimes opens on weekends in the colder months – this depends largely on government funding.
Travel Agencies
Domestic flights (including those to/from Grímsey) can be purchased online – travel agents don’t offer any special deals. The tourist information centre (above) can help you with tour and travel bookings. It can also assist with booking accommodation in the area (and it will charge a phoning fee of Ikr500 if it takes a while to secure lodging). Nonni Travel (Map Click here; 461 1841; www.nonnitravel.is; Brekkugata 5; 8am-6pm) is able to hook you up with just about any tour in the area.
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SIGHTS
Churches
Dominating the town from high on a hill, Akureyrarkirkja (Map Click here; Eyrarlandsvegur) was designed by Guðjón Samúelsson, the architect responsible for Reykjavík’s Hallgrímskirkja. The church continues his geological theme, but is less blatantly ‘basalt’ and has a more traditional interior.
Built in 1940, Akureyrarkirkja contains a large and beautiful 3200-pipe organ and a series of rather untraditional reliefs of the life of Christ. There’s also an unusual interpretation of the crucifixion and a suspended ship hanging from the ceiling. The ship reflects an old Nordic tradition of votive offerings for the protection of loved ones at sea. Perhaps the most striking feature, however, is the beautiful central window in the chancel, which originally graced Coventry Cathedral in England.
The Catholic church (Map Click here;