Reykjavík Grapevine - 20.10.2017, Qupperneq 26

BEST OF ICELAND
Pool Yourself
Together
A few of our favourite small-town
bathing spots
Words John Rogers & Elías Þórsson Photos Art Bicnick
After a long day of road tripping or
hiking, nothing feels better than
sliding into some hot geothermal
water. Pretty much every town in
Iceland has a local swimming pool,
each with its own unique char-
acter, atmosphere, and variety of
facilities. Here are some of our fa-
vourites.

West: Stykkishólmur Pool
Stykkishólmur’s pool benefits
from a local geothermal water sup-
ply that’s higher in some miner-
als than either the Blue Lagoon or
the Mývatn Nature Baths, as signs
at the pool proudly proclaim. The
silky water feels soft on the skin,
and when you’re done luxuriating
in the hot pots there’s also a "warm"
hot tub, where you can easily drift
off without overheating.

West: Krossneslaug, Westfjords
By far the most remote pool on
this list, Krossneslaug is located at
the very end of a precarious gravel
road on the Strandir coast of the
Westfjords. The facilities are basic,
but the location is stunning: Kros-
sneslaug is on a black beach, with
mountains and silhouetted sea
stacks visible on all sides.
West: Reykjanes, Ísafjarðardjúp
This one is technically the old-
est natural pool in the country, is
built like a swimming pool and has
facilities like a swimming pool...
so it must be a swimming pool. It
is by far the greatest pool in the
Westfjords, located in a beautiful
valley midway between Ísaförður
and Reykjavík, which makes it the
perfect pit-stop. The water is also
filled with green algae, which is
probably good for you.
North: Akureyri Pool
Iceland’s second city is home to a
modern swimming palace that’s
the envy even of Reykjavík. There
are various pools and pots for
swimming or basking, and it has
all the trimmings, including mas-
sage jets, a waterfall to lie under, a
steam room, and a 43° pot that will
relax even the tightest shoulders.
North: Hofsós Pool
Probably the most picturesque mu-
nicipal pool in Iceland, this breath-
taking bathing spot sits high above
Skagafjörður with an amazing view
across the fjord. The layout gives
you the impression of swimming
towards the horizon, infinity pool-
style. Worth the detour.

East: Neskaupstaður Pool
Iceland’s easternmost municipal
pool is far from the beaten track
of Route One, lying on the other
side of a mountain pass from
Reyðarfjörður. It’s a calm and re-
laxing place, full of chatting locals
enjoying the hot pots, which have a
perfect view of the immense moun-
tains of Norðfjörður.

East: Selárdalslaug, Vopnafjörður
Constructed way back in 1949, this
pool sits on the banks of one of
Iceland’s best salmon rivers, near
the northeastern town of Vóp-
nafjörður. In summer, people make
use of the large sun deck and deck-
chairs, but in winter, a dip in the
hot pot might be best.
South: Hveragerði Pool
Hveragerði is situated in a sheltered
geothermal valley, with torrents of
steam pouring from the ground in
various places. The water has been
put to good use at the charming,
retro-style town pool, which has a
steam room heated by a loudly bub-
bling hot spring right beneath the
floorboards.

South: Selfoss Pool
Quite possibly the largest swim-
ming pool in south Iceland, the
Selfoss pool is the perfect spot for
a family outing. It’s both indoor
and outdoor, with kid pools, a slide,
and grownup hangout tubs. It went
through an extensive renovation
renovation in 2015, making it quite
state-of-the-art.
In and out of Reykjavík 26The Reykjavík GrapevineIssue 19 — 2017
SELECTION
FROM BEST OF
REYKJAVÍK
2017
Best place to start the night
KEX Hostel
Skúlagata 28
KEX Hostel is a great place to
kick off an evening. It’s a hostel
bar, but it kind of transcends
that description, with an
amazing sea view over Faxaflóí
and Mount Esja, beautiful de-
cor, spacious tables, and a large
wrap-around bar with stools to
perch on.
It’s especially fun if they’ve got
a live show booked—they’re
almost always free, with great
local and visiting bands. KEX
just has a cool atmosphere,
with the bonus of great food
and a good beer selection (now
improved with a happy hour). It
can get crowded with the after
work crowd, so get there early
to find a seat.
Best Grocery Store
Krónan
Fiskislóð 15-21& other locations
Whilst the bargainous pig-lo-
goed branches of Bónus might
have a firm hold on the hearts,
wallets, fridge-freezers and re-
usable shopping bags of anyone
who lives downtown, this year
most of our panel preferred
rival chain Krónan. Despite
there being no downtown lo-
cation, they praised Krónan’s
size, and the quality and va-
riety of produce on offer. “It’s
open the latest, so you don’t
have to plan your life around
it,” said one panellist. “And
Krónan in Grandi is a party,”
added another. “I always put on
lipstick before I go.”
gpv.is/bestof
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