6 Best Sights in Dalvík, North Iceland

With unlimited ice-cold Kaldi beer on tap within arm's reach, you won't be tempted to slurp your beer bathwater. Not that you could, anyway, as the freshly run beer in these stylish kambala tubs is not for drinking. It's made with a blend of geothermal water and young unfermented beer with added brewer's yeast, rich in skin-conditioning B vitamins and minerals. They add some essential oils and beer soap, which creates a mildly fragrant foam on the top. After your 25-minute bath, plush carpets, warm blankets, and day beds await for post-bath relaxation. The spa is located in the town of Árskógssandi, just south of Dalvik.

At the Dalvík Folk Museum, you can find out about the town's most celebrated locals, including Jóhann Svarfdælingur, the 2.25-meter (7-feet 4½-inch) tall "Viking Giant," who was for many years the tallest man in the world. A few of the rooms upstairs are dedicated to his life as a side-show performer and film star, and feature some of his custom-made clothes, costumes, and specially made furniture.

The Berg Culture House is a modern building in the center of town, with a concert hall, art exhibitions, and conference facilities. It is also home to the town’s library, a coffee shop, and the tourist information/visitor center.

Learning about how beer is made does not take away the pleasure of drinking it, and at Kaldi, Iceland’s first microbrewery, you can do both. You even get to keep your glass as a souvenir. Make sure to call and schedule an appointment in advance. The brewery is located in the town of Árskógssandi, just south of Dalvik.

Located 15 minutes from Dalvik, several marine containers are now employed as hot tubs installed on the black sand beach at Hauganes, providing a delightful beach spa experience and a great place to warm up after a cool sea swim. There are two traditional tubs and then one that's been remade into a ship's hull for the kids. Showers and changing facilities are next to the tubs. 

An old abandoned herring factory has found new life as a contemporary art center, showcasing several eclectic exhibitions each year. The collective behind the gallery has a fantastic eye for up-and-coming talent and exhibitions that spark conversation. It's located in the tiny village of Hjalteyri, about 20 minutes south of Dalvik.