One of the area’s biggest draws is the Blue Lagoon (www.bluelagoon.is), a geothermal wonderland of steamy pools and grottos complete with – so they claim – health-giving natural clays. There’s nothing better than soaking the hours away, mud smeared on your face. It is a 40-minute trip to the southwest.

Another entertaining day trip is to the so-called Golden Circle, comprising Thingvellir National Park, the old Viking Parliament, the geysers of Geysir and Strókkur, and the fabulous two-tiered waterfall of Gullfoss.

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