Husavik

About

Settled by the Swedish Viking Garðar Svavarsson around 870, Húsavík is the oldest town in Iceland. It’s known as the country’s whale-watching capital thanks to the 23 species of cetacean, including the Blue Whale, that can be spotted in the bay. At the Whale Museum, you’ll learn about whales, marine ecosystems, and man’s impact on them - and see skeletons from 9 different species in the gallery. For those looking to learn more about Iceland in general, head to the Museum House at Húsavík, which houses a maritime museum, natural history museum, folk museum, district archives, photograph archives, and an art gallery. Finally, the Exploration Museum covers the entirety of man’s endeavors, including a monument honoring the Apollo astronauts who trained around Húsavík. The town’s main landmark is the charming gingerbread church, built in 1907, which is unique in Iceland for not having a pulpit. And of course, being Iceland, you can bathe in geothermally heated sea water.