It’s one of those images you see on your Instagram feed now and again – people bathing in steaming hot waters amidst dramatic, volcanic surrounds. Often, it’s Iceland: that stunningly beautiful, rugged island country northwest of the UK. The Blue Lagoon is certainly the most famous, but there are actually hot springs across the country, so just find one local to you. They say the sulphur aids skin conditions like eczema, and the minerals will make you feel renewed for your flight home. The Blue Lagoon is also a mere 21.5km from the airport, so you could even hop in right before you jet off.

Krafla volcano in northern Iceland is very much alive – it last erupted in 1984. Its surrounding landscape is pretty magical – like a moonscape on earth. There are lots of thermal pools in the Lake Myvatn Geothermal Area where you can bathe, but they can be extremely hot so don’t just jump in for crying out loud. Test the water first or better yet, visit the area with a guide. Iceland Unlimited will pick you up at Akureyri Airport and show you around, with a restful visit to the Mývatn Nature Baths at the end of the tour.

Icelandic food doesn’t have much of a reputation, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a whirl because actually, with its strong history of smoking, drying and fermenting, it’s totally delicious. Dill restaurant in Reykjavík was the first restaurant in Iceland to get a Michelin star. The food, by Ragnar Eiriksson, is all about Iceland, embracing local produce (crowberries, anyone?) and making it the star of the show. Plus the interior is all kinds of beautiful – polished concrete, glossy timber and pale green detailing. Book well in advance, as this is one popular restaurant.

This ain’t for the faint-hearted so make sure you hire a guide, but Iceland is home to Vatnajökull – a giant icecap some 8,100 sq. km in size. That’s a big piece of ice. The colours – all whites and turquoises and deep, dark blues – will take your breath away and you’ll feel like you’ve just gone beyond The Wall (which, appropriately enough, was filmed here too). Grab a guide and prepare to be blown away.

That’s not a beach; this is a beach. Rauðasandur beach stretches out in reds and egg yolk yellows, and when you’re there, you feel like you’re at the end of the earth (which, here in the far north of the world, you really are). You can surf if that’s your bag, or simply walk along its golden sands for an hour or two. There is even a coastal walk between here and the puffin-populated Látrabjarg bird cliffs, if you feel like walking 20km.