People who haven’t traveled to Iceland probably don’t equate the small northern island nation as a destination for swimming. Well, forgetting your swimsuit on a trip to Iceland would be a BIG mistake. Whether you’re traveling with kids or not & whether you’re going in winter or summer, plan on getting wet. You won’t regret it.
And like so much of traveling, swimming in Iceland is more than just the experience. It’s a chance for you (and your kids) to learn about the uniqueness of this country. Much of Iceland’s beauty and attractions are thanks to it’s extensive geothermal activity. Iceland lies on the boundary of the North American and Eurasian tetonic plates and their movement contribute to the geothermic energy that heats the various pools and hot springs.
When you’re visiting you will find natural-setting hot springs as well as traditional outdoor swimming pools. What they have in common is that they are open all year long (with some exceptions), are heated geothermically and expect all visitors to follow strict Icelandic pool etiquette.
How to use an Icelandic pool/hot spring:
- if a locker area is provided, remove your shoes prior to entering. There’s usually a space provided to store footwear.
- in locker area, undress fully (NAKED). store clothes in locker if provided.
- shower and wash with soap
- put on your swimsuit
- leave your towel in the locker area
- enjoy the pools
- when you’re finished, head back to locker area, rinse off in the shower
- towel off
- get dressed
Here are some of our favorite swimming experiences in Iceland:
BLUE LAGOON
One of the most hyped attractions in Iceland is the Blue Lagoon. While it is certainly touristy (and expensive), it’s a must do in my opinion. The ride to the spa is pretty impressive as the road is lined by lava fields that are overgrown with moss and lichen. The lagoon is man-made and fed by water output of a nearby geothermal power plant. The water is renewed every two days. Superheated water is vented from the ground near a lava flow and used to run turbines that generate electricity. The warm waters are rich in minerals like silicia and sulfur.
All children were required to wear floaties. All adults were required to drink from the swim up bar (we thought so at least). There were complimentary silicia masks for everyone to try. Tip: Reservations are a must.
SECRET LAGOON
Maybe not quite secret, this lagoon is a well-worth it stop on the Golden Circle. It was tricky to find but guidebooks can direct you. It’s located next to an active geysir (note steam in background of pics) which provides the water and heat for the lagoon.
There’s a little bar & eating area at the facility if you need refreshment. The changing areas are very well kept. This was one of my favorite Iceland experiences during our first trip.
LAUGARVATN FONTANA
This is a spa with several pools, sauna and steam rooms also located on the Golden Circle. We found it reasonably priced and were super impressed by the facilities. It’s located on a lake and a local Icelandic man showed us how to get the most of the experience. After we built up some courage we all dipped into the lake (it had ice floating on top) and then hurried over to the 40 Celsius pool.
There was a tasty-looking buffet that we decided against but would highly recommend purchasing a loaf of their specialty bread. They make the bread, dig it into the warm ground and let it bake geothermically for 24 hours and then dig it up.
LAUGARDALSLAUG
I was fortunate enough to communicate with a fellow mom who lives in Reykjavik prior to our first trip. She told me her favorite pool for her family was Laugardalslaug. We didn’t get a chance to visit until our trip back this year & wow, we were not disappointed. This is a large community center/pool and we really felt like locals soaking and swimming on a cold November weeknight. The temperature outside was around zero degrees celsius but we had so much fun in the warm water. The place is huge with a 50m outdoor pool, outdoor children’s pool and paddling pool, two water slides and numerous hot tubs of varying temperatures.
KIRKJUBÆJARKLAUSTUR
While touring south Iceland in November we found ourselves looking for an evening activity. It got dark around 5:30 pm and after a long day of sight seeing there is nothing better than soaking in a warm pool. We stayed in an airbnb near the village of KIRKJUBÆJARKLAUSTUR and like most cities and towns in Iceland there was a local pool. This particular spot had a decent sized pool with a slide and 3 hot tubs of varying temperatures. I highly recommend finding a local pool to relax in especially if traveling in the winter months. It’s an awesome way to be among the locals too.
