Forest Lagoon in Iceland’s Akureyri offers geothermal baths embedded into the mountainside and woodland.

Basalt Architects – the same practice that masterminded iconic Reykjavik’s Blue Lagoon – designed the spa complex, which sits at the heart of the Vaðlaskógur forest. Forest Lagoon’s buildings are designed to blend into the immediate landscape, constructed from timber and topped by grass roofing that appears to grow straight out of the rocky cliff it sits up against.

In a nod to the spa’s forest location, trees grow up and out of the water and even jut through the middle of buildings – a conscious decision by the architects to keep as much of the surrounding natural features as possible. Although located close to a road – with the city of Akureyri a short drive away – Basalt has situated key parts of the spa close to flowing water to drown out any background noise.

Visitors can soak in the water – heated by a geothermal water source discovered in 2015 during a tunnelling project – order a drink from the swim-up bar, dine at the bistro and enjoy views over the adjacent Eyja Fjord.

Vaðlaskógur 605, 605 Akureyri, Iceland

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