I love hot water and so many places have a bathing culture of some kind – from Iceland’s geothermal pools to Georgia’s sulphur baths. I thought I’d collect my experiences together to give you an idea of what hot water can look like around the world.
Going to Tbilisi and not taking an hour or so for a sulphur bath is like going to Iceland and avoiding the Blue Lagoon or going to Paris and covering your eyes whenever the Eiffel Tower comes into view. The sulphur baths are a Tbilisi tradition. More than that, they’re the reason the city exists!… More What happens at a private Tbilisi sulphur bath?
Welcome to something of a sneak peek at a new series for 2024, in which I look at everywhere I’ve been and fill in the gaps, the places and experiences I just haven’t written about for various reasons. There are at least five stories missing from Helsinki back in May so those are definitely coming… More Nauthólsvík: Iceland’s warm geothermal beach
Right now, the Blue Lagoon is closed because massive tectonic activity only a couple of miles away is threatening an eruption that could pour lava into its blue waters within minutes of breaking through. Initially, it was just for seven days, and due to reopen on Thursday. Bearing in mind the beyond-massive activity on Friday… More Which is the best geothermal lagoon to visit in Iceland while the Blue Lagoon is closed?
I think this is finally the last “what I did in Iceland this summer” post. It’s actually the first thing I did – first after I’d driven three hours to Þingvellir, camped on a chilly cloudy night and dealt with tyres with low pressure. I’d detoured off the Ring Road because I liked the idea… More A morning at Guðlaug Baths
Another hot pool post! This one, though, isn’t an overpriced tourist experience, designed from the ground up to be luxurious and expensive and special. This is Seljavallalaug, Iceland’s oldest swimming pool, hidden in the mountains at the foot of Eyjafjallajökull. According to the documentary film Swimming Pool Stories, Seljavallalaug’s relatively remote location is mostly because… More Finding Seljavallalaug
The third of the three geothermal pool reviews! We’re at the tenth pool, east Iceland’s Vök Baths. Vök does have a USP, right up front and centre – Iceland’s only floating infinity pools! It’s a five or ten minute drive from Egilsstaðir, the capital and main town of the region, and it’s set on the… More Relaxing at Vök Baths
Second of three posts on the new-to-me geothermal pools/spas/experiences. Geosea is just north of Husavik, sitting on a clifftop with views across the fjord and out to sea, positioned perfectly to catch sunsets. The building itself is almost hidden from the car park, with the traditional turf roof, cut into the hillside so it doesn’t… More Visiting Geosea
I think I mentioned that part of the reason I went to Iceland this summer was to finish off the geothermal spas? Well, this is the first of those last three: the Forest Lagoon. This is one of the three that has an Icelandic name as well as an English one – Skógarböð really means… More What’s Akureyri’s Forest Lagoon like?
What’s more Finnish than a sauna? I’ve given this question a little consideration and I can’t think of anything more Finnish. I’m a bit of a fan of some spa and wellness and so went I went to test out my newfound language skills, of course I also wanted to try out a proper Finnish… More Löyly: a traditional Finnish sauna experience (for tourists)
I was last in Helsinki eight and a half years ago – and then only for a single evening – and things have changed a little since then. First, there’s now a nice easy train between the airport and the city centre. Second, there’s a floating geothermal pool in the harbour. Did I hear the… More Geothermal bathing in Helsinki at Allas Sea Pool