Mannfólkið breytist í slím is a festival staying loyal to one small Icelandic city

Picturesque is the expensive Northern harbour setting of Akureyri, where cruise ships dock just feet away from the window of your hostel room, ready for their very expensive postcard close-up. Like a still from an Addison Rae music video, snow-dusted fjords tower over unsuspecting travellers at the mercy of such a landscape – population 20,000. For those seeking leisure in spellbinding nature tourism, the casual visitor can whale-watch, or drive 30 minutes to their very own waterfall sighting. A willingness to embrace the UNESCO-recognised swimming pool culture is welcome, as is a detour to a charming folk art museum located in the oldest section of town. The never-ending midnight sun lingers, making blackout curtains and eye masks rather essential for re-energising. You can comfortably walk the downtown in little to no time, seagulls patrol the waterfront and fishing boats sit idle beside cafe hotspots like Kaffistofan, and frowned upon puffin souvenir shops. It is difficult, at first glance, to fathom this becoming a secondary epicentre for Iceland’s eclectic music offerings. It's common knowledge that Reykjavík dominates industry talk outside its territorial confines. It’s where...