Iceland review - 2014, Side 76

74 ICELAND REVIEW
IIn Iceland there are more than 175
swimming pools; one pool per roughly
1,850 inhabitants.
The biggest one, Laugardalslaug, located
in the heart of the capital, receives 80,000
visitors a month during the summer season
and 50,000 a month during the rest of the
year.
Last year, the pools of Reykjavík had
close to two million visits.
The best pools? That depends, but defi-
nitely among the top ten is the Hofsós pool,
completed in 2010. The award-winning
pool, designed by Basalt Arkitektar, is deli-
cately integrated into the landscape, with
stunning views over Skagafjörður bay and
the rock island Drangey.
Another great pool in North Iceland is
Akureyri swimming pool, situated above
Gilið, a street paved with museums and
galleries.
One hundred and one kilometers (62
miles) east, by Lake Mývatn, you will
find another, very different kind of pool.
Jarðböðin (Mývatn Nature Baths) opened
in 2004. This incomparable natural pool,
filled with hot geothermal water drawn
from 2,500 meters below, offers a perfect
view of the lake.
Back in the capital, there are close
to 20 pools to choose from; from the
big Laugardalslaug, to the intimate
Vesturbæjarlaug. In between, you
have the best hot tubs at Salalaug and
Seltjarnarneslaug—great for children. *

Wellness