Fensalir

Allow two hours to wander at your own pace, and note that opening hours and guided tours vary by season. In summer, costumed staff demonstrate crafts and farm tasks, and the café serves traditional pastries. Because most of the visit is outdoors, wear weatherproof clothing, and children usually enjoy the animals and open space.

Sky Lagoon is a modern geothermal spa on the Kársnes shoreline in Kópavogur, built into the coastal rocks. Its infinity-edge pool looks straight out over the North Atlantic, so soaking in the warm water feels like drifting toward the horizon. There are saunas, a cold plunge and a bar within the facility.

The site was once a farm owned by the medieval chieftain and writer Snorri Sturluson, and later a base for Danish officials. The house itself dates from the 18th century. It has served as the presidential residence since the early 1940s, around the time Iceland became an independent republic, which makes it an important symbol of the country's independence.