Wellness in Iceland

Bathing in hot water is not a spa treatment in Iceland but a daily habit: geothermal springs heat the houses and fill the pools, and every small town has its public baths. The visitor-facing part of that tradition sits in the south-west, half an hour from Keflavík airport and from Reykjavík.

The Blue Lagoon is the best-known point: milky blue water in a lava field, around 38 degrees, entry at 94 dollars for a two-hour slot. It is a by-product of the geothermal plant next door, which does not stop it being the country's principal bath. A private day taking in the Reykjanes peninsula and the lagoon runs five hours at 1178 dollars. Entry times are booked ahead: the baths admit visitors by slot.

The alternative closer to town is Sky Lagoon, with a pool that drops away toward the ocean and a seven-step ritual; a pass with return transfer costs 135 dollars for two hours. To combine bathing with a drive, there is a Golden Circle day stopping at the Secret Lagoon, the oldest pool in the country: ten hours at 118 dollars. GetExperience lists 4 programmes in this category, from 94 to 1178 dollars; towel and robe are usually charged separately. Dates and party size are picked in the calendar.