The Two Lagoons
Most folk arrive into Iceland in the early morning after an overnight flight, the dreaded red-eye, and so it’s a good idea on arrival to take it slow and easy. However, many trips to Iceland tend to be quite short, so there is a counter tendency to want to hit the ground running. On balance, that first day, I always caution against overplanning. Otherwise, it can be hard to shake the travel fatigue during the 4-5 nights you spend exploring this island wonder.
To help cushion the entry, I recommend ending your first day in Reykjavik, with a visit to the rather sublime Sky Lagoon. A 20 minute taxi journey from the centre of town, it is a most pleasing pit-stop. Billed as an oceanside geothermal pool, that’s precisely what it is. After a cavernous and dark but satisfyingly upscale changing area, you enter the waters in what appears to be a cave, and as you plunge through the warmth, you emerge between a stone corridor that twists around to reveal a vista of the coast and the sea beyond. There is also a bar carved into the rock, so you may enjoy a glass of fizz as you bob in the warm geothermal waters. It is easy to release the stresses of the journey in such an atmosphere. Spirits up, shoulders down. There are also treatments you can opt for, but honestly, just being in the water and zoning out is bliss, and will encourage a great night’s sleep.
Of course, one cannot mention lagoons in Iceland and fail to mention that wonder of the world–the Blue Lagoon. While the area in which it is located has seen a fair amount of seismic activity lately, a visit is still a must, and can be done in safety. I like to book-end an Iceland trip with lagoon visits, so you can leave feeling replenished and with skin like a newborn baby! It is suitably different from the Sky Lagoon and both should be experienced. The Blue Lagoon does not have the views that Sky does but it makes up for that in its miracle-waters. A kind of muddy milky white – it feels amazing. My top tip, however, is to book into the Retreat Hotel, as the Blue Lagoon can become quite busy, a victim of its own success. The Retreat has its own part of the Blue Lagoon for exclusive use, and its own spa and facilities that really do feel special. You can enjoy all the pleasures of the lagoon but well away from the crowds.
