Organic Café and a small zerowaste store. The Café offers all kind of coffee drinks both regular and Vegan. Baked goods and light dishes.
Stillholt 23
Travel directory for Café Kaja
The official travel index of Iceland
Garðarlundur country park, protected for recreational use and the preservation of the typical landscape of the area. The areas' main characteristics are its rocky islands or bluffs that rise from the areas' vast flat wetlands.
If you are into photography or just interested in exploring new things in Iceland you need to look at Akranes lighthouses. Down by the harbour you will notice two lighthouses. The bigger one that is currently in use is open to the public so you can go up and enjoy the view from there and there is even a photography exhibition to enjoy in there.
The coastline around Akranes is rich with bird life and there are many different types of beaches along the coast. One of these is Langisandur, a sandy beach and one of the most popular outdoor areas of Akranes. Langisandur is one of three Blue Flag beaches in Iceland. Guests are welcome to join the local Sea Swimming Club at Langisandur Beach three times a week. More information at the Akranes Tourist Information Office, e-mail info@akranes.is, tel: +354 894 2500.
Whale Fjord (Hvalfjord) is 30km long and 84m deep.
Whale Fjord was the site of much British and US military activity during World War II. Some ruins from this period can still be seen in the fjord.
Akrafjall is a picturesque mountain close to Akranes. The mountain offers one of the best views in West Iceland across Faxafloi Bay and a panoramic view from Reykjanes to Snaefellsjokull Glacier.
The mountain was smoothed on the top by a glacier and surrounded by water during the Ice Age.
It is easy to ascend the mountain from the Akranes Water Works car park, where a sign points the way to Haihnukur (555m), the shoulder on the right side of the mountain seen from Akranes. A visitor's book is at the top. A somewhat longer hike takes you to the highest peak in the range, Geirmundartindur (643m).
Blautós og Innstavogsnes
At the north western rim of the town Akranes is the estuary nature reserve Blautós and Innsatvogsnes. The river Berjadalsá runs out of the western part of mount Akrafjall and mouths into the cove. The area has an abundance of bird life and is amply vegetated. The landskape is spectacular and has interesting geological formations from the last glacial periods.
The area is used for recreation as it is close to the centre of the town Akranes and the recidents have their stables by the cove Innstavogur.
Many migration birds stop at the area and some birds breed there. Brant gees stay at Blautós and Innstavogsnesi during spring and autumn. It is estimated that about a quarter of the entire brant geese species come by in Blautós and Innstavogsnes and the reserve Grunnafjörður on their way between their winter quarters in Ireland and breeding grounds in Canada.
There are eider ducks breeding in the area and the eider farmers are free to continue their tradition of collecting the eiderdown in early summer.
The area is important as an informative area but also as a recreational area for hiking and riding.
The population centres in West Iceland are as varied as they are many. Ten places have over 50 residents and Akranes is the most densely populated with 6,500 inhabitants.
All of the larger communities put ever-increasing emphasis on dynamic tourism where a wide selection of recreation and services are offered.
To make travel in Iceland safer - for your safe return
Safetravel.is is run by ICE-SAR and is part of a bigger project, simply named Safetravel. In that project a number of companies, public institutions and individuals join hands and the goal is to lower the rate of accidents in travel and tourism in Iceland.
The 112 Iceland app can be used for two things, both for added safety on your Iceland trip.
First of all you can call for help by pressing the red Emergency button. Your location will be sent by text message to the 112 response center. Remember that even though your phone shows no signal there is a possibility that you can send text message.
The green Check In button is for you to leave your location with us so if something happens we have more information to work with. Only the 5 last locations are stored and we recommend you use this – don’t worry – you are not disturbing anyone – except for our big computer who wants to be disturbed.
On Safetravel.is you can find extensive amount of information which can help you plan your travel to and around Iceland in more safe and secure way.
When to see the Northern Lights in Iceland?
The best time is between 21:00-03:00 although they can often be seen early evening or during the night. The official Northern Lights season in Iceland is from October till March. The more activity the more likely it is that you will see the northern lights but that is not all. There is never a guarantee of spotting the northern lights, but northern lights forecast by vedur.is are good. Clear skies are necessary, when we have clear skies in Iceland It is usually cold. So be sure to wear the right clothing.
Northern Lights Forecast
The Icelandic Met Office does Northern Lights Forecast which is good to use.
Visit the Icelandic Met Office www.vedur.is, for more info.
Always check the road conditions
The weather is not the same in different regions of Iceland. Here below are good websites to use when traveling in Iceland in winter. Vedur.is is the official website for weather in Iceland. But it doesn’t always give the right picture road.is, the website for the Icelandic Road Administration, is the best website to use if you use it right.If you are unsure then you can call 1777 and ask for the conditions (open 06:30-22:00) or 1778 an automatic telephone service open all day.
Driving in Iceland can be tricky - but if you listen carefully to Elfis you should be fine.
