Don’t fight them on the beaches

At least not on the Thermal Beach in Reykjavík.

Of course we realise that people don’t come to Iceland for the beaches. The Blue Lagoon, maybe, but the beach? Hardly.

But should you find yourself on a warm summer’s day in Reykjavík with nothing better to do (and remember that the words “warm,” “summer” and “day” are all relative here), you could do worse than head to the totally pronounceable “Nauthólsvík Ylströnd,” a small thermal beach more or less in the city centre (see map).

As the Icelandic tourist board doesn’t get tired of telling you, Iceland has more geothermal energy than Donald Trump has bad hair days. It’s, like, all over the place. And back in the days, close to where the thermal beach is now, there used to be a little stream with geothermal water running towards the Atlantic ocean. Great for families during the day and skinny–dipping students at night.

Next thing you know, in 2000 somebody decides to set up a little man–made bay, buy some proper beach sand somewhere, and pump a lot of nice warm geothermal water into the freezing Atlantic seawater. And voilà, we have ourselves a beach.

The whole thing is quite popular with locals, and The Guardian has even called it Europe’s Best Exotic Beach. (Just remember: exotic doesn’t always mean you can take off your clothes.)

Related posts on this blog:
It came from the Blue Lagoon
Slimy Little Secret
Reykjavík Swimming Pools: The Naked Truth