The Blue Lagoon was one of the last places we visited in Iceland. By that time, we’d already been to many pools and spas all over the country. And the Blue Lagoon is much more expensive than any other pool or spa in Iceland. So let’s just say that the bar was set pretty high for me to recommend it.
I was just about ready to write off the Blue Lagoon entirely when we got to the front entrance. Or, rather, didn’t get to the front entrance. [Read more…] about The Blue Lagoon- visiting with kids
The public pools in Iceland are beautiful and warm and a great place to take your little ones any time of year. (Swimming outside with snow in your hair is a really cool experience!) It is well worth the effort of getting everyone ready for the pool. BUT yes, what you’ve heard is true–you are expected to shower naked (soap, shampoo, and all) before entering the pool. No, you can’t skip that part. No, your kids can’t skip that part, even if they don’t want to be naked in front of strangers. What you need to know, then, is how it all works; that’s what we’ll tell you in this post.
With my kids, at least, part of making a new and anxiety-inducing situation more comfortable is talking through it step by step beforehand so that they know exactly what to expect. Kids who feel like experts and who are telling you what happens next are not kids who are worrying! So in this post, we will try to give you the info you need to let them become experts. All the pictures here are from public pools, not the fancier spas, so they won’t be showing the upscale end of things! [Read more…] about Swimming with kids in Iceland: Navigating the locker room
Last update: January 2024. We updated prices and added information about Hvammsvík Hot Springs and also the volcanic eruption happening in Iceland.
Featured image: “Blue Lagoon” by Moyan Brenn is licensed under CC BY 2.0
When describing the Blue Lagoon, someone once said: “We actually charge now every tourist 40 Euros to bathe themselves in a spill of water from a power plant.”
Except that someone happened to be the President of Iceland. Seriously. Oh, and it now costs 90 Euros. He isn’t the first person to state (or at least strongly imply) that the Blue Lagoon is an overpriced tourist attraction. On the other hand, you’re a tourist, and Iceland isn’t exactly the world’s cheapest country. So should you go anyway?
I think it’s worth going to at least one of the geothermally heated pools or spas. So which one is best? To compare, let’s take a look at each one, along with the cost for a hypothetical family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children, ages 5 and 8.)
Update January 2024: The Blue Lagoon is now open again after closing sue to volcanic activity. You may be wary of going there, and for good reason: As far as I can tell, they evacuated the Blue Lagoon once in November 2023, and then again in January 2024!
One alternative to the Blue Lagoon not mentioned below is the new Hvammsvík Hot Springs, just under an hour from Reykjavik. See our review of Hvammsvík Hot Springs, including how it compares to the Blue Lagoon.
Here’s a map of the options we’re looking at: [Read more…] about Which spa / pool / lagoon to go to in Iceland (with or without kids)?
