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Just a short drive away from Reykjavík, the Blue Lagoon in Iceland is the best-known spa in the country. Take a dip into warm geothermal waters and surround yourself with top Icelandic nature. Due to the enormous popularity of the lagoon, it is essential that visitors book sessions in advance.
View our selection of Blue Lagoon tours today to combine a relaxing soak in these healing waters with other exciting Icelandic experiences.
Imagine soaking in geothermally heated water that’s rich in minerals and surrounded by epic landscapes. Relaxing in this environment is good for your skin and a real treat for mind, body, and soul. The iconic white silica mud mask is also free to all lagoon guests.
The spa offers comfort, premium, and luxury packages. You can add extra items to the comfort or standard packages to make your experience even more special. Exclusive Blue Lagoon products are available at the Skin Care Shop. Nearby, find a popular café and Lava Restaurant.
The Blue Lagoon can thank the Svartsengi Geothermal Power Plant for its development. In 1976 employee Valur Margeirsson asked if he could swim in the geothermal pool created by Svartsengi´s operations. He suffered from psoriasis and did not want to swim in a public pool. The soothing water healed his skin. When other psoriasis sufferers tried it, their condition also improved greatly. Today the Blue Lagoon Clinic is an internationally recognized psoriasis treatment facility.
For those who are short of time, we recommend booking a combination tour that includes the Blue Lagoon. Choose between multi-day Iceland tours or a day tour and let us take care of the rest!
The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa located in a lava field near Grindavík on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland. It’s one of the most popular attractions in Iceland and well-known all over the world. The Blue Lagoon is located a 15-minute drive from Keflavík International Airport and a 30-minute drive from Reykjavík.
Yes, and no – there isn’t a clear-cut answer to this question.
The water, the minerals, the white silica mud, the green algae, the color of the lagoon, the steam, and the moss-covered lava – this is all natural.
The way the water comes up from the ground, the way it is moved to a perfectly shaped lagoon, the even pool bottom, the temperature of the water – this is not nature’s work.
We still refer to the Blue Lagoon as “au naturel” due to its natural minerals, pure water, and healing powers.
Reykjanes Peninsula, where the Blue Lagoon is located, is an active volcanic area. The peninsula and its surrounding landscape host many volcanoes, calderas, and craters.
In the year 1226, six volcanic craters exploded at the same time. The explosions caused major damage to the area in the form of the astonishing lava field, Illahraun, that we continue to admire today. Part of the lava terrain is called Svartsengi (i.e. The Black Meadow), and since the year 1976, an active power station has been located there.
The Blue Lagoon’s unique minerals were discovered as the power station drilled into the area. As they began to drill, a thick, almost neon-blue water appeared. Unfortunately, this water wasn’t great for the power station since it coated the engines and stopped them from running entirely.
As a result, the workers dumped this trouble-making water onto the lava field and resumed to a safer area to pump water. Meanwhile, the silica-rich water quickly coated the lava rocks, sealing in the water, and creating the lagoon that we now know as the Blue Lagoon.
People long believed the water to be poisonous until one of the power station’s workers, Valur Margeirsson, started bathing in the lagoon. He noticed that the mineral-rich water greatly improved his existing skin conditions.
More people then started to bathe in the lagoon. However, the lagoon was very unsafe as certain areas were extremely hot and its depth ranged from 1 meter (3 ft) to 7 meters (22 ft).
To meet the demand of people wanting to safely bathe in the lagoon, the Blue Lagoon company was established in 1992. Measures were put in place to guarantee visitors were completely safe while bathing in the lagoon waters.
Soon after, a clinic specializing in treatments for psoriasis patients opened and doctors even began prescribing that their patients bathe in the lagoon.
Today, the Blue Lagoon waters remain the number one treatment for psoriasis in Iceland. The company runs a lab where scientists continue to research the minerals in the water.
GPS coordinates of Blue Lagoon 63.8804° N, 22.4495° W
The Blue Lagoon is set in the heart of the lava landscape at Grindavík on the Reykjanes Peninsula, about 6 mi (10 km) from Keflavík International Airport. Visitors often schedule their time at the Blue Lagoon to coincide with their arrival or departure flights.
There are a few different ways to get to the Blue Lagoon. Buses from both Keflavík airport and Reykjavík run every hour. You can also take a taxi or rent a car. Parking at the Blue Lagoon is free.
The drive from Reykjavík to the Blue Lagoon isn’t long. Take road 41, called Reykjanesbraut, from the capital area until you see a clear sign to make a right turn. Then take the busy road toward the Blue Lagoon. Signs lead the way and the steam that rises from the lava field will signal that you are close.
The Blue Lagoon is only about a 15-minute drive from Keflavík airport. You can choose a rental car, a shuttle bus that runs every hour, or one of the bus companies that stops at the Blue Lagoon on the way to the city center.
The Blue Lagoon is warm and welcoming year-round. The only real difference apart from the weather is the price. The cost is always lower during the off-season while summer is the priciest time to visit.
The best time to visit the Blue Lagoon is first thing when you land in Iceland or right before your flight home because the airport is located close to the lagoon.
During the summer months when the sun in Iceland never sets, the Blue Lagoon stays open late. From June to August, you can soak in the spa until 23:00. Enjoy the waters until 21:00 during the rest of the year.
At night (which comes early during the winter months), the lagoon has a special, romantic and intimate atmosphere. Most children are away, so it’s also a bit quieter.
If you’re wondering whether you can see the Northern Lights at the Blue Lagoon, you might be in luck! In order to see the auroras, you need a dark sky away from light pollution. While the spa is quite well-lit, you might still spot the Northern Lights, although they won’t be as intense as they are in the wild.
Please keep in mind that the Blue Lagoon might be closed due to the volcanic eruption in the Reykjanes Peninsula region.
The admission ticket for a visit to the Blue Lagoon starts at 6,990 ISK per adult. Once you are in the lagoon, you are free to stay until closing.
The price for a standard Comfort ticket starts at 9,990 ISK or 75 USD per adult but can change depending on the time and season.
Included in Comfort:
The next upgrade is to a Premium and the price starts at 12,990 ISK or 96 USD. This upgrade includes:
Another option is Luxury Retreat Spa, and the price begins at 89,000 ISK or 655 USD. This upgrade includes:
Once you enter the Blue Lagoon, you can stay for as long as you want. Here are a few things you can do at the Blue Lagoon:
The line of Blue Lagoon Skin Care Products is constantly being developed, but the main four masks are the Lava Scrub Mask, the Silica Mud Mask, the Algae Mask, and the Mineral Mask.
Here are Blue Lagoon mask reviews:
The most famous mask of the four is the Silica Mud Mask. Silica mud is natural and mainly dissolved from the primary rock straight from the Earth’s mantle. Silica is the biggest influencer in the water at the Blue Lagoon.
Silica’s main function is to strengthen the skin, renew, exfoliate, and deep cleanse. This is the main product of the Blue Lagoon skincare, which is handed out free to those bathing in the Blue Lagoon.
Composed of actual lava grains, lava scrub masks are an extraordinary exfoliators and leave skin feeling smooth and energized.
The Scrub Mask is best suited for those looking for a deeper cleanse. If you have sensitive skin, it might be too harsh for you.
The Algae Mask nourishes and firms skin and is mainly made of blue-green algae that grows in the water and colors the lagoon in summer.
The Algae Mask is especially great for those with dry skin and for those looking for an anti-aging remedy. It’s not suitable for those prone to acne or oily skin.
Composed of some of the Blue Lagoon’s most unique minerals, the Mineral Mask gives your skin deep hydration and renewed vitality. Apply it on clean skin and the mask will make you feel relaxed and fresh.
The Blue Lagoon company has two different accommodation options for those looking to stay the night. There is the “original” Blue Lagoon Silica Hotel and now the luxurious Blue Lagoon Retreat.
Originally thought of as a treatment hotel, the Silica Hotel was designed for extreme comfort, wellness, and well-being.
There is a tranquil private lagoon for visitors with an inside entrance and buckets of the Silica Mud mask. Take the walking path from the Silica Hotel to the Blue Lagoon, where you have free admission throughout your stay.
The price for the night starts at 526 USD.
The Retreat is the newest addition to the Blue Lagoon complex and the first 5-star hotel in Iceland. If you are looking for a unique experience, this is the way to go. The Retreat is a designer hotel with intense beauty at every corner, a private lagoon, a spa, and a high-class restaurant. Each room gives you access to your own private smaller lagoon or a private balcony with splendid horizon views.
A night at the Retreat Hotel includes a la carte breakfast and access to the Retreat Spa and Ritual, Retreat Lagoon, Blue Lagoon skincare amenities, in-room minibar, guided group hikes, yoga sessions, a host, access to the fitness center, and more!
The price for the night starts at 1,210 USD.
Lava Restaurant features views of the Blue Lagoon. Large panoramic windows turn the restaurant into a spacious and bright hall. The restaurant is built into a lava cliff and features outstanding interior design.
Moss Restaurant is the newest addition to the dining scene around the lagoon. Members of the National Chef Team in Iceland work at both Lava and Moss restaurants. The views, the interior design, and the fresh local ingredients make for the perfect culinary experience.
Café Bryggjan is a charming fisherman’s café in Grindavik, a few miles away from the spa. The cafe is located on the pier and is a popular spot among locals, who come by for the lobster soup.
There is an ongoing myth about the Blue Lagoon ruining your hair. But the truth is that the Blue Lagoon is good for your hair! You can read more about what the silica-rich water does to your hair.
What are travelers asking about the Blue Lagoon?
The operational status of the Blue Lagoon may change due to volcanic activity in Iceland and the recommendations of authorities. Facilities are in good condition and are surrounded by protective barriers designed to safeguard them against potential lava flows. For the most current information, please visit the Blue Lagoon website.
Yes, the water in the Blue Lagoon is not only safe but also healthy because of the high concentration of silica. The only possible victim of the Blue Lagoon could be your hair, which can be protected by tying it up.
Even though the entrance to the Blue Lagoon is paid for and the pool itself is man-made, it doesn’t make it any less special. Its water is very rich in minerals and is believed to benefit your skin, while the surrounding stunning views of the lava field also can’t go unnoticed. Overall, it’s a unique and beautiful place and if you like spas and soaking in the hot pools, it’s worth a visit.
Yes, the visitors must shower before putting on a swimsuit and entering the lagoon. For the visitors’ comfort, the showers are fitted and have doors.
The Blue Lagoon is designed for calm and relaxed bathing, and its warm, milky waters are unsuitable for vigorous exercise or diving. There is no need for goggles either because the geothermal water is saturated with minerals and has a thick white and blue color, meaning it’s impossible to see anything underneath.
Yes, you’ll need to book an admission ticket before visiting.
No, it’s not allowed to eat packed lunch at the Blue Lagoon.
Yes, you don’t need to pay for parking at the Blue Lagoon.
Yes, if you’re looking to get a massage at the Blue Lagoon, make sure to book with good notice, because the slots are fully booked most of the time.
You are allowed to wear makeup into the lagoon, but if you’re going to use the masks we recommend not to.
At the Blue Lagoon, the staff members, which are called “greeters”, are often walking around the area and taking complimentary photos of people. They can send them to you via email if you ask. If they aren’t out and about, try asking them yourself!
Here are the additional features of the Premium ticket, that Comfort doesn’t have:
It’s unlikely that you’ll spend a whole day at the Blue Lagoon. Usually, people spend two or a maximum of three hours, because they just get bored and tired of hot water. It’s usually better to combine a visit to the Blue Lagoon with a guided tour and see other attractions too, instead of just booking the ticket on their website.
