Follow the Icelanders: Leave the churning grind of work and worry behind and splash into the clean, warm, healthy water of Reykjavík's outdoor swimming pools, the perfect way to unravel those snarls of stress. In a country of 300.000 inhabitants some1.6 million visitors annually take a plunge into Iceland's thermal pools and baths, enjoying the medicinal benefits of the country's abundant supply of geothermal water. That is close to 6 trips per year for every single person in Iceland! Icelanders thrive on the heated thermal pools and baths, flocking to them during the frigid winters and during the eternal daylight of summer; they swim on, lap after lap, sweat away in saunas, bathe for hours in hot-pots, or just frolic in the liquid warmth. It energises and colours them young.

Fountain of youth: There are many factors contributing to the well-being and youth of the Icelandic people: an excellent national healthcare system, a diet rich in fish, and an environment free of pollution and crime; however, the never-ending supply of geothermal water pumped into the swimming pools plays an integral part in the fitness equation. Specialists believe that Iceland's thermal pools and baths reduce symptoms of arthritis and asthma, as well as reducing stress and eradicating various skin problems. Visitors of poor health and those who have suffered from accidents or injuries have recovered by going to the pools on a regular basis. Plus, swimming is a low-impact sport that builds muscle strength and endurance. Most of the local poolers concur, and often echo similar refrains during the cold and flu season "The hot water is the reason why I'm so healthy. After a swim I'm like a new person." For the those reasons, Reykjavík recently became a member of the European Spas Association (ESPA), and health-related tourism is on the rise since Reykjavík was labelled a "Spa City." The pools, operated year round by the Sports and Youth Council of Reykjavík, are conveniently open from around 7.00 to as late as 22.00.  A way of lifeOn any given day, a visitor to the pools of Reykjavík will see Icelanders of all ages gliding through steaming water, or chatting about the local gossip with friends in the hot-pots as they steam away the daily worries. The temperature of these hot-pots varies, from a rather mild heat of 35°C (95°F) to the King Kong of all hot-pots, which is a wrinkly 45°C (113°F) - talk about lookin' like a prune. The routine: kick out a few laps then climb in and sweat out the knots, or head straight from the steaming pre-pool shower to the round tubs of water. These cocktails of liquid heat, combined with the buzz you get from inhaling clean air, draw Icelanders to the pools. It's a way of life. And this swimming culture is learned early on. It's common for parents to take a dip with their paddlin' new-borns, and toddlers are often enrolled in guppy-type classes. Heck, swimming is compulsory amongst school-aged children. But the fun doesn't stop once the classes end. The hippest professionals, and especially the seniors, join in, all ages mingling together in some of the cleanest water in the world. And it's cheap. Take the Laugardalslaug pool, perhaps the most preferred swimming area in Iceland. Located a short distance from the centre of town, next to the national football stadium and exhibition hall, the popular pool is like a water park with its 50 metre lap-swim area, hot-pots, children's pool, fun-slide, wading area, basketball hoop, and an enormous, plastic, floating island that kids use to jump on and play king of the mountain and even Turkish steam baths. Entrance to Laugardalslaug won't dent your wallet, a full-day admission costs only 3 USD.