Destinations

The Most Unforgettable Hot Springs in Iceland

Author Mary Beth Keane recalls her most surreal travel experience.

MOST READ TRAVEL

Stays

What We’re Loving Right Now

The perfect upstate getaway, a delicious scoop of ice cream, a seductive new scent...

Destinations

Beth Ditto's Ultimate Escape in Paris

The musician on liquid eyeliner, her favorite yarn store, and the ultimate...

Stays

The Power of Paradise

The Four Seasons Resort Lanai cultivates the potency of the tiny island’s...

Highly subjective takes on life's most interesting experiences.

What was your most surreal travel experience?

I went to Iceland with a few friends in 2018 and we hiked to Reykjadalur Hot Springs, in a town called Hveragerði. It was only about 30 degrees out, so we were well bundled, but we'd read that after about an hour of hiking we'd end up at a river so warm that people swim no matter how cold. Feeling a little ridiculous, we wore our bathing suits under our winter clothes, not sure we'd actually be brave enough to peel off if we found the spot. Sure enough we got there and the water was so hot we had to be careful not to boil ourselves. Surreal to be in the middle of the wilderness, in cold weather, peeling down to bikinis. We packed wine and snacks and had one of the best afternoons of our lives. The only difficult part was eventually drying off in the cold with a towel the size of a face cloth.

MOST READ TRAVEL

Stays

The Power of Paradise

The Four Seasons Resort Lanai cultivates the potency of the tiny island’s...

Stays

Our Favorite Stays of the Year

Our editors’ picks for the most restful, memorable, and invigorating hotel...

Guides

Tapas Tales

The cookbook author and artist behind “Salad for President” shares her ultimate...


Advertisement
Our Contributors

Mary Beth Keane

Mary Beth Keane was awarded a John S. Guggenheim fellowship for fiction writing, and has received citations from the National Book Foundation, PEN America, and the Hemingway Society. She is the author of “The Walking People,” “Fever,” and most recently, the New York Times bestseller “Ask Again, Yes.”

Victoria Rosselli Illustrator

Victoria Rosselli is a multidisciplinary creative and consultant based in Brooklyn, New York, operating in media. She specializes in art direction and design for brand, film and editorial.

',
Newsletter

Let’s Keep in Touch

Subscribe to our newsletter

You’re no longer on our newsletter list, but you can resubscribe anytime.