Martin & Tina
•
13. 11. 2024
One of the most popular activities for tourists and locals alike to spend their free time in Iceland, or to make their journey through this beautiful country more enjoyable, is to visit the hot thermal baths. There are plenty of them in Iceland, either paid or free, and it’s up to everyone to choose which one they want. We’ve put together an overview of the most famous and best available.
How does it work in Iceland?
We always recommend buying your entry in advance, in most cases it can be done online and you won’t get crowded. On entry, you ‘check in’ at reception; if you have also pre-booked towels or slippers, the reception staff will issue them to you and explain how they work. In most spas, you’ll be given a wristband to use to lock your locker and also to pay if you’d like a drink at the bar. You’ll need to wash up in the showers before entering the spa itself, which won’t surprise anyone. Generally, we recommend removing jewellery or (smart) watches when entering the baths, as the water is rich in various minerals that could damage them. If you plan to visit the spa in winter or in worse weather, it’s not a bad idea to bring a hat.
Blue Lagoon
Blue Lagoon is probably the most famous geothermal spa, located just a short distance from Reykjavik or Keflavik International Airport. They are very popular with tourists, you won’t come across many locals here. The water temperature usually ranges from 37 degrees to 40 degrees Celsius. The water is rich in minerals, contains a large amount of silica and sulphur, its typical blue colour is due to the high content of sulphur dioxide.
Thanks to its mineral content, the water has beneficial effects on the skin, but especially ladies with longer hair, beware – if you plan to soak your hair in the water, be sure to use conditioner in the showers first. If you don’t use it, your hair may end up “dry” and there’s nothing you can do about it. We recommend avoiding diving altogether. Same if you wear dioptric glasses, don’t get them wet, they could get damaged.
Please note: Due to the ever-present risk of eruptions in the area, with hot lava almost within reach of Blue Lagoon in 2024, we recommend checking the current situation before your visit. However, there is nothing to worry about as the local authorities are constantly monitoring the situation and issuing timely warnings.
Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa is a very popular tourist destination, although we think there are nicer and more modern spas in Iceland, Blue Lagoon is definitely worth a visit too, you just have to take into account that it gets quite crowded. Tickets can be purchased in advance on the official Blue Lagoon website.
The basic entrance fee includes a face mask, one drink and a towel rental, which you will receive when you return to the changing rooms. There is a restaurant and a shop where you can buy local cosmetics. The venue is divided into several sections, with a steam room or sauna available.
The water is rich in minerals and has a milky light blue colour due to its high sulphur dioxide content. Its temperature varies between 37-39°C and has beneficial effects on the skin. Before entering, take off your jewellery, as the high mineral content could damage it.
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Sky Lagoon
Opened in 2021, Sky Lagoon Spa is located a short distance from the centre of Reykjavik. If we had to choose between Sky Lagoon and Blue Lagoon, we would definitely choose Sky Lagoon. From the changing rooms, you climb straight into a warm pool with 38-40 degree Celsius water. This main pool is nicely structured, you’ll find plenty of nooks and crannies with waterfalls, and you have a view right out to the ocean. You may even be lucky enough to see the Northern Lights from here, of course, when the glow in the sky is viewable.
This spa also offers a 7-step ritual, which includes an ice pool, sauna, steam and more. We definitely recommend this experience to everyone. While it’s not a cheap affair, it’s really worth it for us.
Sky Lagoon
Opened in 2021, Sky Lagoon is about 15 minutes’ drive from Reykjavik city centre. There is a large car park on site, which is free of charge. If we had to choose, we would definitely prefer Sky Lagoon over Blue Lagoon.
Buy your tickets in advance on the official Sky Lagoon website, popular times tend to disappear quite quickly. You can choose one of three packages – the basic Pure Lite, which includes admission to the lagoon itself, the second option is Pure, which includes The Seven-Step Ritual, which we definitely recommend, and the Sky Pass, which includes private changing rooms in addition to The Seven-Step Ritual.
The Seven-Step Ritual consists of a sauna, cold mist, scrub, steam and shower. The sauna has a beautiful view of the ocean and is worth it for that at least. The water is around 38 – 40°C.
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Hvammsvík
Hvammsvík Spa is approximately 45 minutes from Reykjavík and it is important to remember that you must always purchase your entrance fee online before you arrive. You’ll find 8 pools of varying warm water, you can walk between them on the way, pack slippers if you have room – especially in winter it can get slippery and cold. From these baths you have a view of the beautiful bay and the mountains. If you want to cool off, no problem, there is also access directly to the ocean.
This is one of the nicest spas in Iceland, the pools themselves blend in with the surrounding nature and, like other spas, you can have a drink at the bar.
Spa Hvammsvík
Hvammsvík Hot Springs is one of the most beautiful spas in Iceland. It is located approximately 45 minutes from Reykjavik. It has amazing views of the surrounding countryside, it’s incredibly quiet and you can even go for a swim right in the ocean. The water temperature of each pool varies depending on the tide.
You can’t get in without booking in advance, so book on their official website, ideally well in advance. You can rent a towel here for a small fee. Free parking is available on site.
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Krauma
An hour from Reykjavik is another spa, Krauma, which opened in 2017. It features 5 warm pools and one ice pool, and you can relax by the fireplace on a lounger in the relaxation zone or go for a good warm up in one of the two saunas. This is a less touristy spa, often frequented by locals, so it’s an ideal choice for those who would rather avoid other tourists.
Spa Krauma
Krauma is a lesser known geothermal spa in the northwestern part of the island. The spa offers a total of 5 pools of varying sizes and temperatures, ranging from around 37 to 42 degrees. So if you want to warm up during your journey through Iceland, you’ll definitely have the opportunity here. The spa is also popular with the locals, and on our two visits here (February and October 2024) we met not only tourists but also locals who are just over an hour’s drive from Reykjavik, for example. The closest town is Borganes, about 30 minutes by car. In addition to the aforementioned warm pools, there is also a sauna, steam room and relaxation room on site. For the hardy, there is a tub of cold water – which is around 4 degrees all year round.
The spa is located in a small valley and you can tell that there is something here especially because of the rising steam.
Tickets can be purchased online or at the door for around CZK 1,200 per person, with an extra charge for a towel. We recommend booking at least a few hours in advance. In addition to well-equipped changing rooms, there is also a bar and restaurant on site.
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Vök Baths
Vök Baths is the largest spa in the eastern part of Iceland and if you’re passing through on the Ring Road, make sure you make a stop here. Located right on Lake Urriðavatn, you can cool off in its cold water, which is around zero in winter but up to 18 degrees Celsius in summer. Again, it is recommended that you make arrangements in advance, otherwise you won’t be able to get in during the summer season. There are 3 warm pools with water from 37 to 41 degrees Celsius. You can enter one of them directly from the changing rooms, but what is more interesting – there are two floating pools on the water of the lake.
Vök Baths
Vök Baths is the largest spa in East Iceland, located on Lake Urriðavatn, just outside of Egilsstaðir, and opened in 2019. We recommend buying tickets in advance on the official Vök Baths website.
This spa is truly exceptional, there are two infinity pools from which you can enter directly into the icy water of the lake. The water in each part has a different temperature, the warmer parts are around 37-41 °C.
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Include the spa in your itinerary
The geothermal baths are a great way to travel around Iceland, whatever the season. We recommend that you include at least one of the above mentioned spas in your itinerary and enjoy the tranquillity, relaxation and perhaps a good drink. We love to return to Iceland on our trips to the spa and especially in cold weather, a visit is a great thing to do.
In each of our itineraries to Iceland, you’ll find at least one of the above spas incorporated into your itinerary so you can relax after a busy day or longer trip. In the Ring Road itinerary, for example, we’ll be visiting 3 of the 5 spas listed above together, which are among our most popular.
Ring Road and the most beautiful places in Iceland
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