Secret Lagoon

Gamla Laugin, “the old pool,” opened in 1891 and is the oldest swimming pool in Iceland. It sits on the steaming geothermal ground of Hverahólmi near Flúðir, in southern Iceland. Bathers soak in a large natural pool fed by hot springs, with a small geyser spouting nearby and steam rising off the field around it. Facilities stay basic — changing rooms, showers and a snack bar — with none of the gloss or the crowds of the bigger lagoons.