Pictures: Travel to Iceland
The Blue Lagoon in Iceland is comprised of iconic geothermal pools, located about 45 minutes from Reykjavik. The waters, which hover between 98 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit, don’t have a written policy on whether the pools are clothing optional, but plenty of bathers soak sans suits. (Jim Dyson/Getty Images)
Orlando Sentinel
Summer months can be enjoyed in Iceland too (Arctic-Images/Getty Images)
Iceland
What do an Icelandic bank and an Icelandic streaker have in common? Both have frozen assets.
This bit of financial humor is courtesy of the Daily Mail of London, except no one in Iceland is exactly guffawing. Its recent descent into the financial bog has it gasping for air., which means bargains for the savvy traveler.
What you can find: In early December 2008, airfare from LAX to Reykjavik for $786 (combination of Delta and Iceland Air); the five-star Radisson SAS from $133. A round-trip ticket from LAX, plus six nights at the three-star CenterHotel Kopp starting at $988 (package on Travelocity.com), about $165 per person per day.
Blue Lagoon spa in Iceland. (Leon Neal, AFP/Getty Images)
Steam and gas rise from the fumaroles dotting Iceland’s landscape. (Lori Rackl / Chicago Tribune)
Thousands of waterfalls are spread across Iceland. (Lori Rackl / Chicago Tribune)
Tourists wander around the lunar-like landscape in the Namafjall geothermal field in northeast Iceland. (Lori Rackl / Chicago Tribune)
Natural beauty is a big draw in Iceland. (Lori Rackl / Chicago Tribune)
Chef Thrainn Freyr Vigfusson of the Blue Lagoon’s Lava Restaurant will be in Chicago for Taste of Iceland. He helped create a prix fixe menu that will be served at Cite March 17-20. (Lori Rackl / Chicago Tribune)
The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa is one of the most popular places for tourists to visit in Iceland. (Lori Rackl / Chicago Tribune)
A church in Iceland. (Lori Rackl / Chicago Tribune)
The colorful streets of Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital city. (Lori Rackl / Chicago Tribune)
