The best family-friendly hikes and walks in Blautós Og Innstavogsnes

Memorial commemorating the 11 people from Akranes, aged between 20 and 30, who died in the "Hafmeyjarslysið" (Mermaid Disaster) on September 14, 1905, when the six-person boat Hafmeyjan wrecked en route from Reykjavík to Akranes. The exact cause of this tragic accident is largely unknown, but it is likely that the boat's overloading played a role.

The Akranes Lighthouse is a charming destination in any season. Away from the bright lights, tourists and locals flock here in winter to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights dancing and flickering in the sky. In summer, you can see locals picnicking in front of the lighthouse. The larger of the two lighthouses, built in 1947, has also been used for concerts and art exhibitions in recent years.

Here you can register with the lighthouse keeper for a tour of the lighthouse.

The work school has taken on many fun projects this summer, among other things they painted an artwork by Tinna Royal on the gable of Hafbjargarhús. The work has attracted a lot of attention and blends in well with the environment. One group in the Working School with their class leader did this project, they got a lot of attention from the tourists who went through Breiðina and enjoyed it a lot. This is one of eight works of art that will be painted on the gables of houses on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Akraneskaupstadir. Artists either paint the works themselves or design them and get others to paint them on the walls. Source: akranes.is

Guðlaug Baths has three levels. The third level is a viewing platform with gorgeous views over the sea and often to Reykjavík. Underneath, on the second level is the larger and hotter of the two pools along with showers and activity/equipment space. Finally, on the lowest level is a shallow wading pool. Stairs join the three levels together and also provide access down to the beach. Guðlaug Baths can be defined as a natural pool or a leisure pool. Additionally, there are changing rooms and outdoor showers for guests to use.

In the years 1943-1944, a concrete lighthouse was built on Breiðinn according to the drawings of Axel Sveinsson, an engineer, and it was put into use in 1947. The lighthouse is 22.7 meters high with a cylindrical conical tower shape where there is a 3.5 meter high Swedish light house on a concrete basic. The light house had a 500 millimeter lens and initially a gas lamp for lighting, but the lighthouse was then electrified in 1956 and had gas as a backup until 1995. The light height of the lighthouse is 24 meters above sea level and the sight distance is 15 nautical miles. The lighthouse stands on a vertical plinth, octagonal on the outside but cylindrical on the inside. A retaining wall extends from each corner of the plinth. The lighthouse has four concrete mezzanine floors and stairs between floors. The Akranes lighthouse is a lighthouse owned and managed by the Icelandic Maritime Administration. In March 2012, Akranesviti was opened to the public for the first time, but at that time only lighthouse keepers had access to the lighthouse. It was Hilmar Sigvaldason's idea to open the lighthouse and make it an interesting destination for tourists. Akranesviti has become one of the biggest tourist attractions in Akranes. The lighthouse, which is regularly open, is used for art exhibitions and concerts, as the acoustics in the lighthouse are unique. The view from the top of the lighthouse is magnificent, a mountain view from the Reykjaness Peninsula to Snæfellsjökull. From March 2012 to March 2017, more than 38 thousand people have visited Akranesvita from all over the world. Source: akranes.is

The development of a lighthouse system around Iceland was first discussed in Parliament in 1903, and a lighthouse on Skipaskaga was considered particularly necessary if there were to be regular steamship trips between Borgarness and Reykjavík in the winter. In 1918, a concrete lighthouse was built at the far end of Suðurflös in Akranes, according to the drawings of engineer Thorvald Krabbe. Due to the shortage of steel caused by the First World War, the light house of the lighthouse was built from iron plates from the wreck of Godafoss, which ran aground under Straumnesfjall in 1917. The light house had a 300 millimeter lens and a gas lamp for lighting. The old Akranes lighthouse is four-stranded, 10 meters high and was in operation until 1947. The locals take care of the maintenance of the old lighthouse. Source: akranes.is

The bust of the couple Ingun Sveinsdóttir and Harald Böðvarsson at Vesturgatu 32 is by Gyda L. Jónsdóttir, who was born in 1943 and is the daughter of Lilja Pálsdóttir and Reverend Jón M. Guðjónsson. The work is made of fiber concrete and was installed in 1974. Gyða studied at the School of Arts and Crafts in Reykjavík and, among other things, at St. John Cass Collage and Central School of Art in London. She also studied for a while at the Royal Academy of Arts in Copenhagen. Gyða has taken part in solo and group exhibitions in Iceland and group exhibitions abroad. She has worked together with other artists on small and large works with fired patterned tiles, mainly in connection with railway and underground stations and tunnels in Great Britain, e.g. at King's Cross, the Dover Underpass and at Elephant and Castle station, as she lived for many years in the UK. Source: akranes.is