北アイスランド

A ~250 km loop in North Iceland linking Goðafoss, Lake Mývatn, Dettifoss (Europe's most powerful waterfall), Ásbyrgi canyon and the whale-watching town of Húsavík.

Húsavík in North Iceland — nicknamed the whale-watching capital of Europe — with high summer sighting rates for humpbacks, minke and even blue whales.

Drive the Ring Road (~5 hours to Akureyri) or fly Reykjavík–Akureyri in about 45 minutes.

Yes — Iceland's 'Capital of the North' has a charming centre, botanical gardens, good restaurants, a ski resort and is the gateway to the whole region.

Not the lake itself, but the Mývatn Nature Baths are a geothermal lagoon with milky-blue mineral water and mountain views — quieter than the Blue Lagoon.

The most powerful waterfall in Europe by volume, in Vatnajökull National Park. The west bank (Road 862) is paved and easier; the east bank offers closer views.

September to April on clear, dark nights. The north's long winter nights and inland dark-sky areas make it excellent for aurora hunting.

Two to three days to cover Akureyri, the Diamond Circle and Mývatn comfortably without rushing.

Yes, for Northern Lights, geothermal bathing and snowy landscapes — but check that the Dettifoss and mountain roads are open.

Hverir (Námaskarð) boiling mud pots, Krafla volcano and Leirhnjúkur lava fields, plus the Mývatn Nature Baths — all near Lake Mývatn.