Thermal baths in Reykjavík and Reykjanes
Geothermal bathing in and around Reykjavík: the Blue Lagoon outside Grindavík on the Reykjanes peninsula, Sky Lagoon on the shore at Kópavogur, the Nauthólsvík beach and the Vesturbæjarlaug pool in the city, and the Hvammsvík hot springs on Hvalfjörður. The Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon hold 37 to 40 °C, and Vesturbæjarlaug's hottest tub runs at 43.6 °C. At all of them you shower without a swimsuit before going in, then wear swimwear in the water.
- Baths5
- Water30 to 40°
- Hot rooms48 to 90°
Baths in Reykjavík and Reykjanes compared
Entry, swimwear rules, age limits and ticket type, side by side.
| Bath | Entry | Swimwear and rules | Age | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue LagoonGrindavík |
| Swimwear in and around the lagoon, sauna included; underwear and regular shorts don't count. Shower without a swimsuit before entering. | 2+ | Timed slots, book ahead |
| Hvammsvík Hot SpringsHvalfjörður |
| Swimwear required in and around the pools, including the steam room. Wash naked before entering. | 10+ | Timed slots, book ahead |
| Nauthólsvík Geothermal BeachReykjavík |
| Wash without swimwear before entering the hot tubs (operator rule, Icelandic page), swimwear in the tubs and lagoon. Changing rooms with showers and a steam bath; no diving into the hot tubs. | none stated | Day ticket |
| Sky LagoonKópavogur |
| Swimwear required in the lagoon and the ritual. Shower without swimwear before entering. | 12+ | Timed slots, book ahead |
| VesturbæjarlaugReykjavík |
| Everyone must shower thoroughly without swimwear before entering the pool, then wear clean swimwear in the pools. Changing rooms are single-sex; a private changing room is available. The steam room and saunas are mixed; in the saunas you must sit on a towel and under-16s need an adult. | none stated | Day ticket |
Every bath in Reykjavík and Reykjanes
Open all year unless the hours say otherwise.
Blue Lagoon
Thermal bath, Grindavík · Leave the water 30 minutes before closing
Nine million litres of milky geothermal seawater outside Grindavík on the Reykjanes peninsula, renewed naturally every 40 hours, so the lagoon needs no chlorine.
Hvammsvík Hot Springs
Thermal bath, Hvalfjörður
Eight hot springs on a black-sand shore of Hvalfjörður, 45 minutes from Reykjavík, some of which fill with seawater at high tide.
Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach
Thermal bath, Reykjavík · Swimming is banned around the Siglunes sailing club's pier and pontoons and boarding moored boats is forbidden. Staff cannot guarantee safety in the sea; the supervised area is inside the breakwater. No phones or cameras in changing rooms. Visibly drunk visitors are removed.
A man-made beach on Reykjavík's south shore, opened in 2000, where imported golden shell sand and two breakwaters close off a lagoon fed with the city's geothermal hot water, which the operator says holds 15 to 19 °C in summer.
Sky Lagoon
Thermal bath, Kópavogur · Timed tickets. No entry under 12; ages 12 to 14 with an adult
An infinity-edge lagoon at 38 to 40 °C on the shore at Kópavogur, 13 minutes from central Reykjavík, opened in 2021 behind a turf house and a herringbone turf wall.
Vesturbæjarlaug
Thermal bath, Reykjavík · No cameras or phones in changing rooms or pool areas. No alcohol, tobacco or nicotine products anywhere on site. No scented oils in the saunas.
A neighbourhood outdoor pool in west Reykjavík, opened in 1961 and part-funded by residents, where the city says all pool, tub and shower water is thermal spring water.
Nothing here for that filter.
Questions about Reykjavík and Reykjanes
Is the sauna included at the Reykjavík and Reykjanes lagoons?
Yes, at the Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon, Hvammsvík and Vesturbæjarlaug. The Blue Lagoon's sauna sits inside the lagoon area and is used in swimwear. At Sky Lagoon the sauna, at 80 to 90 °C, and a 46 °C steam room are steps of the Skjól ritual on both passes; Hvammsvík includes its sauna and a 48 °C steam bath. Vesturbæjarlaug's two saunas, infrared sauna and steam room come with pool entry, though under-16s need an adult in the saunas.
Can children go to the lagoons and pools around Reykjavík?
Yes, from different ages. The Blue Lagoon admits children from 2, and those 8 and under wear floaties, provided free; Hvammsvík takes them from 10, and Sky Lagoon from 12, with 12 to 14-year-olds accompanied by an adult. At Nauthólsvík and Vesturbæjarlaug children under 10 must come with a swimmer aged 15 or older.
Can you swim in the sea around Reykjavík in winter?
Yes, at Nauthólsvík, where a 38 °C sitting pool and a 30 to 39 °C hot tub at the tideline stay open for sea swimmers through the winter. The operator puts the open sea there at up to about 15 °C in July and August, and the supervised area is inside the breakwater. At Hvammsvík on Hvalfjörður some of the hot springs fill with seawater at high tide, and you can cool off in the Atlantic between soaks.
Can you reach the Reykjavík and Reykjanes baths by bus?
Yes, all of them. Destination Blue Lagoon buses run to the Blue Lagoon from Keflavík airport and from hotels in Reykjavík, and a daily partner bus leaves BSÍ in Reykjavík for Hvammsvík, 45 minutes away by car. Sky Lagoon is on bus 35 from Reykjavík or a shuttle, Nauthólsvík at the end of Strætó bus 8, and Vesturbæjarlaug on buses 11 and 15.