Iceland in Style - Luxury Hotels & Lagoon Retreats

Five days in Iceland built around doing very little, which is an underrated way to use a short trip there. Two nights near the Golden Circle and two at the Blue Lagoon.

Selfoss opens it as the base for the Golden Circle. Thingvellir is the first stop, and the Almannagja gorge there is a visible crack between the North American and Eurasian plates, which are pulling apart by around two centimetres a year. Lake Thingvallavatn beside it is the largest natural lake in the country, and the water is clear enough to dive in.

Haukadalur follows with Strokkur, which erupts reliably every few minutes, and Gullfoss, where the Hvita drops thirty-two metres in two stages into a canyon and throws up enough spray to soak anyone standing downwind.

Grindavik then gets two nights for the Blue Lagoon itself, with a restorative massage and a floatation therapy session included, dinner at the lagoon restaurant, and an optional 4×4 tour of the Reykjanes peninsula. The lagoon is fed by water from a geothermal power plant next door, which is less romantic than the brochures suggest and does nothing to spoil it. Original Travel include the hire car, accommodation, the spa treatments and dinner, concierge access, a 24-hour helpline and carbon absorption through their own programme. International flights and most meals are separate. Prices run from 2,650 to 3,650 pounds per person. One practical note: the Reykjanes peninsula has been volcanically active in recent years and the lagoon has closed for periods as a result, so the current position is worth checking before fixing dates. For a long weekend rather than a tour, this is the shape to take.