Dive into Icelandic bathing culture in this spectacularly scenic, new lagoon

If you’d like to go for a dip in Iceland, take your pick. The country ranks as one of the most volcanically active areas on the planet, which has gifted the island with an abundance of geothermal pools, heated by the Earth itself. The most famous, of course, is Blue Lagoon — pre-pandemic, it drew an estimated 1.2 million visitors annually to its location amid lava fields.

Now, there’s a new spa in town and it promises to be spectacularly scenic: Sky Lagoon, about a 15-minute drive from the capital of Reykjavik. Located at Kársnes Harbour, in Kópavogur, it’s meant to be a modern destination for diving into traditional Icelandic bathing culture.

Although ancient turf houses served as architectural inspiration (see the herringbone-patterned turf wall that greets you at the entrance), the spa’s most striking design choice is simply letting Iceland’s dramatic landscape speak for itself.

Standout features include the signature lagoon with a 230-foot-long infinity edge, where you can peer right into the North Atlantic Ocean. And if you’ve timed your trip with any luck, you might look up to catch the Northern Lights, too.

To reap all the mind-body spa benefits, guests are encouraged to follow a leisurely seven-step ritual, beginning with a fresh-air float in the warm geothermal lagoon through a canyon. Follow with a brisk splash in the cold plunge pool, an interlude in the sauna (where you can still soak up ocean views from the wall-sized window), a refresher in the cold fog-mist space, a sea-salt body scrub, and a breather in the steam room.

Finish with a shower rinse-off and more relaxed drifting back in the warm waters. Optional extra step: Nip over to the bar, set in a cave right in the lagoon, for a local beer, or tuck into rustic fare at the on-site café. Once you feel utterly blissed out, your immersion into Icelandic tradition is officially complete.

The Star understands the restrictions on travel during the coronavirus pandemic. But like you, we dream of travelling again, and we’re publishing this story with future trips in mind.