This ‘little bit of paradise’ is one of the world’s most relaxing beaches — but the water is -2°C

The summer might be firmly over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a beach day or two.

Now, a new study has analysed online travel reviews of beaches across the world to determine the most relaxing locations, counting the number of times phrases like ‘relaxing’ and ‘relax’ were used.

Ready to enjoy some downtime? The world’s most relaxing beach was named as Little French Key, found on a private island in Honduras, with almost 17% of the 4,250 reviews mentioning these key terms.

But if you’re searching for a little bit of TLC closer to home, the little-referenced in Iceland came in third place – with 15.1% of online reviews describing it as a ‘relaxing’ location.

Coming for a swim in this Reykjavík location can be like getting into a warm bath during the summer, as the beach is made geothermal by the fact that it has an artificial hot spring.

Along these lines, the sea averages 17C – and in the man-made lagoon, contained inside a concrete ring, the temperatures generally range between 15 and 19C.

However, if you want to channel this serene vibe during the winter, you’ll be chilling your boots both metaphorically and physically. The temperature of the sea here can dip down to a chilly -1.9C during the coldest months, with the lagoon resting at a cool 0C.

Brave enough to swap your swimming costume for a wetsuit? Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Nautholsvik Geothermal Beach.

Described by Visit Reykjavík as ‘a little bit of paradise’ that’s widely regarded by locals as ‘our own Ibiza,’ Nautholsvik Geothermal Beach undoubtedly provides endless relaxation.

According to a TripAdvisor review from Beth M, who visited from the UK in 2020, it’s a ‘must visit that’s off the beaten track.’

‘I stumbled across this quite accidentally…this is absolutely gorgeous,’ her review read.

‘Because of the sulphur content of the water, it is a bit smelly upon your arrival. However, with a bit of time, this does get better. You can also choose to go for a dip in the sea, which a lot of the locals do, or when the tide comes in, the little lagoon.’

Elsewhere, MadDr, who visited from Portugal, described the hidden gem as ‘delightful.’

‘My experience might have been enhanced by the fact that I arrived and hopped in the water directly from a many-hour hike. Nothing could have felt better at that moment,’ they wrote.

Ready to get involved? It costs just 890 Icelandic Króna (£4.89) to visit, and if you forget your swimming trunks, you can hire swimwear for 1.190 Icelandic Króna (less than £1).

Ready and raring to go? The easiest way to get to Reykjavík is to fly – and, as per Google Flights, there are currently return tickets available through easyJet from Luton to Keflavík International Airport for as little as £45 return in November.

The centre of Reykjavík is around 50km – approximately 54 minutes by car – from the airport, while the beach is around 12 minutes by car (or a 45-minute walk) from the city centre.

Put simply, the best time of year to visit Nautholsvik Geothermal Beach depends on how bothered you are about basking in the sun.

July and August are undoubtedly the warmest months, reaching highs of 14C, while January sees lows as frosty as -3C – temperatures which the Icelandic sea (outside of the geothermal beach) pretty well matches at -1.9C.

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