The Ultimate Guide to Icelandic Swim Culture

"If anyone knows their way around Iceland’s waters, it’s actor and former Olympic swimmer Ragga Ragnars. Before her star turn as Gunnhild on the TV series Vikings, she could be most often found at the country’s largest athletics center practicing her freestyle sprint. “Laugardalslaug has it all. It's in central Reykjavík, has a 50 meter indoor and outdoor pool, plenty of different hot tubs, and is a place people go to swim, relax and socialize all the same,” she says."

"Avant garde perfumer and artist Andrea Maack has made it her mission to visit Iceland’s most remote watering holes, embracing the precarious journey along the way. “For a memorable experience, Krossnesllaug in the West is hands down the best,” she says. “Just the dive down to the actual pool is quite scary. I got stuck there a few times, but it’s an experience in itself. It’s not a fancy spot, but so otherworldly,” she says."

"Fashion designer Sunna Dís fancies a dip in her favorite Southern spot whenever she comes back home from her base in Denmark. “Seljavallalaug is the most beautiful swimming pool in Iceland,” she says. “I love that you have to walk to get there, a small effort for the reward of being surrounded by mountains in the most amazing colors—an out of this world moment.”"

"Meditation and yoga gurus Eva Dögg Rúnarsdóttir and Dagný Berglind Gísladóttir, co-founders of online wellness program RVK Ritual, recommend venturing east for some state-of-the-art zen. “Our favourite is VÖK baths, a hot spring destination in the middle of a lake,” says Gísladóttir. “You can chill in water that is so pure it is certified drinkable, or jump in the lake and swim for some cold therapy.”"

"Bergmann, the Swimslow founder, can’t resist the capital’s most classic spots. “My all time favorite pools in Reykjavík are Sundhöllin and Vesturbæjarlaug. I just love the atmosphere. I always go to the outdoor dressing rooms. It ́s so refreshing."

"Artist and horsebreeder Lilja Palmadottir built her own pool of dreams when she and neighbor Steinunn Jónsdóttir commissioned Basalt (the same architects as the Blue Lagoon) to design Hofsós, a coastal swim spot in her northern fishing village. “The idea for the pool came when hot water was found in the earth close by,” she says of the beloved bolthole, a donation to the community which overlooks arctic fjords. She’s also a brave ocean swimmer, “which is a huge challenge because the water is usually 4 degrees celsius. It reduces inflammation, strengthens the immune system, and gives you super soft skin. Plus it is a cathartic experience that clears your head.”"