Blue Lagoon

What to expect

The Blue Lagoon is not a natural hot spring, and it never claims to be. It formed after the Svartsengi geothermal power plant opened in 1976. Superheated seawater pumped up from deep underground drives the plant’s turbines, and the outflow collected in the surrounding lava field. People started bathing in it, a bathing facility opened in 1987, and the business has grown steadily since then.

The lagoon covers about 10,000 square metres and is less than 1.3 m (4.2 ft) deep throughout. The operator gives water temperatures of 98 to 107°F37 to 42°C, with most of it around 98 to 104°F37 to 40°C. Walk around and you will find warmer and cooler patches. The milky blue colour comes from silica in the water, and the bottom is soft and white. The water is renewed roughly every two days.

Inside the lagoon there is an in-water bar for drinks, a mask bar where you pick up silica mud masks, a massage waterfall, a steam cave, a steam room and a sauna, plus a colder lagoon for cooling off. There is also a quiet zone where phones are not allowed. The setting is a black, moss-covered lava field, and the newer lava from the recent eruptions now lies close to the site.

It is busy, polished and expensive. If you want an empty natural pool, this is the wrong place. If you want a long, easy soak with good facilities a short drive from the airport, it does that very well.

Volcanic activity and access

Since late 2023 the Reykjanes Peninsula has had a series of eruptions on the Sundhnúkur crater row, just north of Grindavík and a short distance from the lagoon. The lagoon has closed many times as a precaution. It shut in November 2023 during an earthquake swarm and then closed with almost every eruption through 2024. In November 2024, lava reached the site and destroyed the car park, but protective barriers held and the lagoon reopened on 9 December 2024. It closed briefly again during the April and July 2025 eruptions.

The most recent eruption ran from 16 July to 5 August 2025. As of October 2026 no eruption is underway and the lagoon is open. The Icelandic Met Office reported in June 2026 that ground uplift and magma accumulation under Svartsengi were continuing, with about 27.5 million cubic metres collected since mid-2025. In plain terms, another eruption is possible, and the lagoon may evacuate guests or close with little warning.

What that means for you:

• Watch for emails from the lagoon in the days before your visit.
• Check the Blue Lagoon website and safetravel.is on the morning you go.
• Follow staff instructions immediately if they announce an evacuation.

Getting there

The lagoon is at Norðurljósavegur 9, about 5 km (3 miles) north of Grindavík.

• From Keflavík Airport: About 25 km (16 miles), roughly 25 minutes by car. Head east on Route 41 and turn south onto Route 43 (Grindavíkurvegur) toward Grindavík, then follow signs for the lagoon.
• From central Reykjavík: About 50 km (31 miles), roughly 50 minutes. Take Route 41 west past Hafnarfjörður, then Route 43 south.
• By bus: The lagoon sells bus transfers from Reykjavík and the airport as an add-on during booking.

Lava has crossed roads around the lagoon during past eruptions, and the old car park was lost in November 2024. Check umferdin.is for road status before you drive, and follow the signs to the current parking area.

Prices and booking

Every visit must be booked in advance for a set arrival time. Once inside, you can stay until closing. All prices below are starting prices per adult (aged 12 and over), as listed on the Blue Lagoon website in October 2026. The actual price depends on the date and time slot.

• Comfort, from ISK 11,990: entry, use of the steam bath, sauna and colder lagoon, a silica mud mask, a towel, shampoo and conditioner, a private locker and one non-alcoholic drink from a set menu.
• Premium, from ISK 14,990: everything in Comfort, plus a drink of your choice at the in-water bar, two more masks, a bathrobe and a 10 ml silica mud mask to take home.
• Signature, from ISK 18,490: everything in Premium, plus a second drink and Blue Lagoon skincare products to take home valued at ISK 14,000.
• Retreat Spa, from ISK 89,000 per changing room (one or two guests): five hours in the underground Retreat Spa with a private changing room, the separate Retreat Lagoon, the Blue Lagoon Ritual and access to the main lagoon. Minimum age 12, and under-18s must be with a parent or guardian.

Extras include in-water massage from ISK 20,900, float therapy from ISK 20,950 and group floating at ISK 5,900.

Children: The minimum age is 2, and the lagoon may ask for proof. Children aged 2 to 11 pay a reduced rate, share a locker with their adult, and get a towel and a drink. Children aged 8 and under must wear the arm floats provided. Children aged 7 and older use the changing room for their own gender.

Opening hours: 08:00 to 22:00 from 21 August to 31 December, 08:00 to 20:00 from 1 January to 31 May, 08:00 to 22:00 from 1 to 14 June, and 07:00 to 23:00 from 15 June to 20 August. Guests are asked to leave the water 30 minutes before closing.

Etiquette and practical tips

• Shower without your swimsuit first. As at every Icelandic pool, you wash fully before putting on your swimsuit and entering the water.
• Protect your hair. The silica can leave hair stiff and hard to manage for a while afterwards. Use plenty of the conditioner provided and leave it in, or keep your hair out of the water.
• Phones: Keep them out of the quiet zone. A waterproof pouch helps elsewhere.

Where to stay nearby

There are two hotels on site. The Silica Hotel starts from about ISK 104,000 a night, and The Retreat Hotel from about ISK 230,000. Otherwise, most visitors stay in Reykjavík or near the airport in Keflavík and Reykjanesbær, which have a wide spread of hotels and guesthouses.

Safety notes

• Volcanic hazard: Take evacuation instructions seriously and leave promptly if asked.
• Heat and alcohol: Long soaks in 100 to 104°F38 to 40°C water, combined with drinks from the swim-up bar, can leave you dizzy or dehydrated. Drink water between drinks.
• Children: The lagoon is shallow, but it is large and crowded. Keep young children within arm’s reach.
• Volcanic gas: During eruptions, gas pollution can affect the whole peninsula. Check the Met Office gas forecast if anything is erupting.