Iceland, land of fire and ice. You know what happens when you mix fire and ice? Hot springs, and Iceland is full of them. When planning a trip to Iceland, you’ll almost certainly have at least a few hot springs on the list of things to do, but choosing which ones to visit can feel a bit challenging. Some of Iceland’s hot springs (which for the purposes of this post will also include spas) are totally natural, others are manmade. Some are free, others are very expensive. Some have huge facilities, others are little more than a hole in the ground. After pretty extensive research, here is the list of hot springs we chose to visit in Iceland, along with a few alternatives if you are looking for something different.
When choosing which hot springs to visit in Iceland, we focused on one main question: Is the experience worth it? We love a good hot tub, but we have one of those at home. If we were going to spend money and time to visit a hot spring in Iceland, it had to be because if offered something unique. With that being said, many of the Airbnb’s we were staying in actually had a hot tub or sauna at the property, so we only visited a few hot springs in addition. You could easily visit all the places on this list if you really wanted to, but we were happy with the ones we chose, and didn’t feel the need to see more. Maybe one day we’ll go back to Iceland and can check a few more off the list!
Blue Lagoon
Undoubtedly the most famous geothermal pool in Iceland, Blue Lagoon is famous for its milky blue water and outstanding facilities. For many visitors, photos of this place are one of the reasons they came to Iceland. I wrote a whole blog post about our visit to Blue Lagoon, which you can read here. Blue Lagoon is quite pricy and touristy, but in my opinion, definitely still worth the visit. Because Blue Lagoon is located quite close to the airport, I recommend visiting right after you land or right before you leave Iceland.
Alternatives: Mývatn Nature Baths or Sky Lagoon
Two alternatives to the Blue Lagoon are Mývatn Nature Baths and the Sky Lagoon. Mývatn Nature Baths is located in North Iceland and offers a similarly luxurious product at a similar price point, but is less famous and therefore less crowded. Sky Lagoon is Iceland’s newest geothermal spa, and is located in Reykjavik. Like Blue Lagoon, it offers a luxury product, including a seven-step relaxation ritual. The setting looks very beautiful too!
Reykjadalur Hot Spring River
Located in South Iceland in the Golden Circle area, Reykjadalur is a totally unique hot spring experience. This valley is filled with geothermal activity, and a hike will bring you to a 100% natural hot spring river! To be perfectly honest, the hike to the river was way more difficult than I expected it to be. It is about an hour of walking uphill to get there, but the reward is definitely worth the effort. The temperature of the water varies a bit, but it was definitely hot. Sometimes natural hot springs are more lukewarm than hot, not so at Reykjadalur. It was so relaxing to lounge in the warm water after our long walk.
Alternative: Hrunalaug
Also located in the Golden Circle area, Hrunalaug contains three pools and has a natural look that reminds of me Reykjadalur. However, this hot spring is quite small, so it can get very crowded. The hot spring operates on an honesty system and has a small entrance fee to help maintain the area.
Seljavallalaug
Seljavallalaug has a mixed reputation. Located in South Iceland, photos of this place immediately made me want to visit. But I read online that the water is not very warm, the pool is covered in algae, and the changing rooms are disgusting. However, it’s completely free to visit, so we decided to give it a go anyway. I can confirm that the facilities could use some deep cleaning, but the setting was absolutely stunning, and the stop was worth it just for that!
Alternative: Secret Lagoon
For an alternative with a similar setting and similar vibe but much nicer facilities, check out Secret Lagoon. This is actually the oldest swimming pool in Iceland, and while not free, it is fairly reasonable. Secret Lagoon is located in the Golden Circle area.
These are just a few of the many hot springs you can enjoy in Iceland. After long days filled with adventures, lounging in a hot spring is the perfect way to relax, and I highly recommend making time for some of these amazing places.
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