Iceland’s surplus of geothermal activity lends itself as a natural hotspot for steam baths, year-round outdoor swimming pools, and thermal bathing rivers. Enjoying a good soak in a hot spring aids circulation, sore muscles, and achy joints. Furthermore, the silica in the hot spring water eases skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Hot springs range from small baths without facilities or with minimal facilities to larger establishments with refined facilities which are usually deemed lagoons. Here are the hot springs (including but not limited to baths, swimming pools, and lagoons) we visited during our trip in 2021, in chronological order (not ranking order):
- Blue Lagoon
- Reykjadalur Thermal Bathing Pools
- Sundlaugin Laugaskarði (Laugaskardi) [swimming pool]
- Hoffell Hot Tubs
- Djúpavogskörin Natural Geothermal Pool (Djupavogskorin)
- Vök Baths (Vok)
- Geosea Geothermal Sea Baths
- Mývatn Nature Baths (Myvatn) aka “The Blue Lagoon of the North”
- Krauma (Geothermal Baths)
- Secret Lagoon (Gamla Laugin)
- Guðlaug Baths (Gudlaugh)
- Laugarvatn Fontana
- Vesturbæjarlaug (Vesturbaejarlaug) [swimming pool]
- Sky Lagoon
Details below; locations, pool quality, facilities, amenities, and price will be the main factors in our evaluations.
Blue Lagoon
Location:
Southwest; Reykjanes Peninsula (~21km/13mi/15min from Keflavik International Airport by car)
Norðurljósavegur 9, 240 Grindavík
Pool Quality:
Plenty of silica to go around here, multizone heating (temperatures shown in lagoon overview picture below), and varied shallow/deep area. Blue Lagoon is the largest man-made geothermal mineral bath in the world.
Facilities:
Lagoon, sauna, steam bath, steam cave, waterfall, lava cave, and The Retreat Spa (extra cost).
Amenities:
Showers, toilets, lockers with plastic bands and RFID (can be linked to credit card for use at bar), in-water Lagoon Bar, cafe, towels, complimentary face mask, complimentary drink, skin care products available for purchase, and swimsuits available for rent.
Price:
10100 ISK (~77.5 USD).
Tips:
Purchase tickets online ahead of time to save ~5% and try to go during off-peak hours as The Blue Lagoon is the most popular hot spring in Iceland.
Reykjadalur Thermal Bathing Pools
Location:
Southwest; Hveragerði; hike 3km from parking lot
Reykjadalur Parking Lot to Reykjadalur Thermal Bathing Pools
Pool Quality:
Areas deep enough for sitting/squatting down in. Temperatures in main area ~40°C, hotter temperatures can be achieved by wading further upstream but most areas further upstream are shallow with varying hotspots so proceed with caution.
Facilities:
Wooden boardwalk with multiple river entrypoints.
Amenities:
Outdoor changing stalls.
Price:
Free (250 ISK (~1.91 USD) hourly parking at trailhead if traveling by car though).
Tips:
Wear a hat during soaking and lay out clothes and towel strategically during winter visits to limit cold exposure.
Sundlaugin Laugaskarði
Location:
Southwest; Hveragerði
Reykjamörk
Pool Quality:
Clean, clear water, lifeguard on duty.
Facilities:
Olympic 50m pool, ~40°C hot pool (~10 person capacity).
Amenities:
Showers, toilets, lockers with plastic bands and folding metal key, and swimsuits and towels available for rent.
Price:
Free (1050 ISK (~8 USD) hourly parking at trailhead though).
Tips:
Wear a hat during soaking and kay out clothes and towel strategically during winter visits to limit cold exposure.
Hoffell Hot Tubs
Location:
Southeast; Hoffell
Hoffell
Pool Quality:
Clean baths, serene views, areas deep enough for sitting/squatting down in, could be a bit warmer especially during winter months.
Facilities:
5x ~37°C circular and square hot tubs (~8 person capacity per tub).
Amenities:
Showers (outdoor), bathrooms, and changing rooms.
Price:
2000 ISK (~15.24 USD). Payment in cash onsite or credit card at nearby hotel.
Tips:
Venture out during the night for some stargazing and aurora watching. Despite going there in the evening, almost all of the 5 tubs were occupied; Hoffell Hot Tubs proved to be quite the popular night spot.
Djúpavogskörin Natural Geothermal Pool
Location:
Southeast; Djúpivogur
Hwy 1, 765 Djúpivogur, Iceland
Pool Quality:
Decent cleanliness, quaint seaside views in the front, and epic mountain views in the back.
Facilities:
1x ~8 person rectangular pool and wooden patio near pool.
Amenities:
Hand rails and circular rubber stools within pool.
Price:
Free (free parking at entrance too).
Tips:
Wear a hat during soaking and lay out clothes and towel strategically during winter visits to limit cold exposure.
Vök Baths (Vok)
Location:
Northeast; Fellabær
Vok vid Urridavatn, 701 Egilsstadir
Pool Quality:
Varied pool temperatures (shown in pool overview picture below), and unique pool location within lake.
Facilities:
Lagoon, steam bath, cold mist, and lake access.
Amenities:
Showers, toilets, lockers with synthetic cloth bands and RFID (can be linked to credit card for use at bar, most sleek and comfortable band out of all the baths), pool bar, cafe, towels, complimentary face mask, complimentary drink, skin care products available for purchase, and swimsuits available for rent.
Price:
5990 ISK (~44.38 USD) for the standard package (includes a complementary tisane (herbal tea)). Additional tiers and pricing information can be found on Vok’s hours and prices page.
Tips:
Have fun with some hot-cold therapy going back and forth between the pools and Lake Urridavatn.
Geosea
Location:
North; Húsavík
Vitaslóð 1, 640, Húsavík
Pool Quality:
Pristine water, low silica content.
Facilities:
Three hot pools, sea view.
Amenities:
Showers, toilets, lockers with nylon RFID bands (can be linked to credit card for use at bar), pool bar, and towels and swimsuits available for rent.
Price:
4500 ISK (~33.5 USD) for entry.
Tips:
Savor the north Iceland Sea view from all the angles the main infinity pool has to offer.
Mývatn Nature Baths (Myvatn) aka “The Blue Lagoon of the North”
Location:
Northeast; Reykjahlíð
Jarðbaðshólar, 660 Mývatn
Pool Quality:
Plenty of silica to go around here, multizone heating (temperatures shown in lagoon overview picture below), and varied shallow/deep area. Noticeable sulfur scent but not enough to significantly detract from the experience.
Facilities:
Sectioned hot pools, sauna, retro steam baths, and lake and mountain views.
Amenities:
Showers, toilets, lockers with key bands, pool bar, cafe, drinking water near outdoor entrance/exit, swimsuits and towels available for rent.
Price:
6200 ISK (~46 USD) for the standard package.
Tips:
Heat up in the retro steam baths before braving the mountain winds. Many people wear hats into the pools during the winter.
Krauma (Geothermal Baths)
Location:
West; Reykholt
Deildartunguhver, 320 Reykholt
Pool Quality:
Multi-level pools, clean and modern pool design.
Facilities:
Hot/cold pools, sauna, steam bath, relaxation room.
Amenities:
Showers, toilets, lockers with synthetic cloth bands and RFID, restaurant, and swimsuits, towels, and bathrobes available for rent.
Price:
5400 ISK (~40 USD) for entry.
Tips:
Take it easy in the relaxation room with the cool center drop-down wood fireplace.
Secret Lagoon (Gamla Laugin)
Location:
Southwest; Golden Circle
Hvammsvegur, 845 Flúðir
Pool Quality:
Heat gradient flowing from source to pool edges and slight variation in pool depth, low silica content, beware of hot spots/rocks.
Facilities:
Lagoon/pool, boardwalk, elf houses, old shack. Guest house Garður Stay Inn has 4 double rooms for rent.
Amenities:
Showers, toilets, coin deposit lockers, cafe, swimsuits and towels available for rent.
Price:
3300 ISK (24.5 USD) for entry. 900 ISK (~7 USD) each for swimsuit or towel rental. Guest house ~200-250 USD per night.
Tips:
Oldest swimming pool in Iceland (est. 1891), take a stroll through the historical garden-like surroundings via the boardwalk path.
Gudlauð Baths (Gudlaug)
Location:
West; Akraneshöllin
300 Akranes
Pool Quality:
Simple enjoyable public outdoor hotspring with constant water flow from top to bottom pool.
Facilities:
Top and lower level bath, beach access.
Amenities:
Outdoor showers, changing rooms near stadium area.
Price:
500 ISK (~4 USD) for entry.
Tips:
Less crowded late at night.
Laugarvatn Fontana
Location:
Southern Region; Golden Circle
Laugarbraut, 840 Laugarvatn
Pool Quality:
Nature-mimicking smooth stone pools, multizone heating, and varied pool shapes, depths, and temperatures.
Facilities:
Pools, sauna, multiple steam baths, sauna, quick access to water fountain, and lake access (Laugarvatn).
Amenities:
Showers, toilets, lockers with key bands, pool bar, cafe, buffet, snacks, postcards available for purchase, and swimsuits, towels, and bathrobes available for rent.
Price:
4500 ISK (~34 USD) for access to the pools and facilities. 1000 ISK (~7.5 USD) each for swimsuit or towel rental and 1500 ISK (~11 USD) for bathrobe rental. 2500 ISK (~18.5 USD) for the geothermal bakery tour. 3000 ISK (~22 USD) for the soup and bread buffet.
Tips:
Steps leading into Lake Laugarvatn make for wonderful hot/cold therapy in combination with either the hot baths, steam baths, or sauna in close vicinity. Indulge in the soup and bread buffet; their Icelandic rye bread is to die for. Check out the geothermal bread baking tour too. This was our favorite hot spring by far.
Vesturbæjarlaug (Vesturbaejarlaug) [swimming pool]
Location:
Southwest; Capital Region
Hofsvallagata, 107 Reykjavík, Iceland
Pool Quality:
Very clean outdoor public geothermal swimming pools.
Facilities:
Swimming pools (one specifically for kids), steam room, saunas (men and women separate), and hot/cold tubs/pools.
Amenities:
Showers, toilets, lockers with nylon bands and keys, and large communal soap dispensers.
Price:
1300 ISK (~9.5 USD) for entry.
Tips:
Try to pick up some Icelandic from the locals while soaking in the tubs/pools. When in doubt, já (/jau̯/)!
Sky Lagoon
Location:
Southwest; Capital Region
Vesturvör 44-48 200, 200 Kópavogur
Pool Quality:
Classy theme park-like environment, long winding pools with separating rock structures.
Facilities:
Long smooth rocky lagoon-like pools, sauna, steam bath, steam cave, waterfall, and The Ritual (extra cost beyond step 1; in short: 1. Lagoon swim, 2. Cold plunge, 3. Sauna warm up, 4. Mist invigoration, 5. Body scrub, 6. Steam soak, 7. Shower relax).
Amenities:
Showers, toilets, lockers with silicone bands and RFID (can be linked to credit card for use at bar), towels, in-water bar, cafe, restaurant, and swimsuits available for rent.
Price:
6990 ISK (~52 USD) for the basic package. Increasing package levels can be purchased for access to the Ritual, private changing facilities, and date night specials. For more pricing info see Sky Lagoon’s website.
Tips:
Best and largest sauna out of all the hot springs we visited (the sauna is part of The Ritual and worth experiencing at least once in our opinion). Purchase tickets online ahead of time for off-peak hours to save ~5%.
