The Akureyri Botanical Garden — Lystigarðurinn — is one of the world's most northerly botanical gardens, and the fact that anything grows here at all feels like a minor miracle. Opened in 1912, it sits in the southern part of town and is sheltered enough by the surrounding hills to support an impressive collection of plants from around the world, including roses, perennials, and alpine species from similar latitudes.
Entry is free, and the garden is open daily in summer. It is genuinely lovely in July and August when the flowers are at their peak. Icelanders picnic here, bring children to the playground, and use it as the peaceful green space Akureyri otherwise lacks. A café operates in the summer months.