Why We Stopped Recommending the Blue Lagoon (And What To Visit Instead)
It is one of the most photographed spots on earth, and it shows up on every Iceland 'top 10' list ever published. We took it off ours in 2024. Here's what we'd send you to instead.
I want to start by acknowledging that the Blue Lagoon is, in raw aesthetic terms, an extraordinary place. The mineral-blue water against the black lava field, the steam rising in the Arctic light — it's one of the few destinations that lives up to the photograph. We recommended it for years. We took it off our editorial list in early 2024, and we've kept it off since. Here is what changed and what we send our readers to instead.
The simple version: what changed
Three things, in roughly equal weight. First: the price. A Blue Lagoon Comfort entry — the cheapest option that gets you past the gate — is now €68 per person for a two-hour slot. The Premium tier (which adds a robe and a slightly less crowded changing room) is €100. The Retreat Spa (a separate, much smaller area) is €750+ and books out months ahead. Second: the crowd. The lagoon is a 50-minute drive from Reykjavík and a 15-minute drive from Keflavík airport, which means it functions as a giant transit-day stop for cruise passengers and stopover layovers. On any normal afternoon between 10am and 4pm, you are queuing to get in, queuing for a robe, queuing at the swim-up bar. Third: the geological situation. The 2023–2024 series of volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula has caused multiple closures, evacuations, and ongoing uncertainty — the lagoon was closed for 31 days across 2024 alone. None of this is the lagoon's fault, but it changes the practical calculation: you are paying €68 for an experience that may be cancelled day-of and refunded as a voucher.
Sky Lagoon: the closer, better, slightly cheaper alternative
The Sky Lagoon opened in 2021 in Kópavogur, a 15-minute drive from central Reykjavík, and it has quickly become our default recommendation. It's a 75-metre infinity-edge pool overlooking the Atlantic — the view is genuinely better than the Blue Lagoon's. The water is geothermal, the temperature is right, and the seven-step wellness ritual (sauna, cold plunge, body scrub, steam, etc.) is the most thoughtful spa programming in Iceland. Pricing tiers: Pure (€60), Sky (€75), and the private Skjól ritual (€100). The crowd is approximately 60% local, which is the metric that tells you everything you need to know — Reykjavík residents go to Sky Lagoon, not the Blue Lagoon. Best time to visit: an hour before sunset in winter, when the sky goes pink and the steam rising off the water lights up against the sea.
Editor's tips
- Book online at least 48 hours ahead — Sky Lagoon now sells out most evening slots in summer
- The Sky Pass bundle includes the seven-step ritual — worth the upgrade vs. Pure
- Bring sandals — the walk between buildings is short but cold and wet
Secret Lagoon: the village-pool original
Secret Lagoon (Gamla Laugin in Icelandic) is in the village of Flúðir, a 90-minute drive east of Reykjavík along the Golden Circle route. It was built in 1891, making it the oldest swimming pool in Iceland and predating the Blue Lagoon by 96 years. It's a single rectangular pool, naturally heated by the surrounding hot springs, set in a field with steam vents and a small geyser nearby. Entry is €40. Capacity is small — perhaps 60 people on the busiest summer afternoons — and it's an experience that more closely resembles what Icelandic geothermal bathing has been for generations. If you're already driving the Golden Circle (Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss), Secret Lagoon is a 20-minute detour and the most authentic geothermal stop in the country.
Reykjadalur: the free, hike-in option
If you're young, fit, and looking for the version that locals laugh at the Blue Lagoon visitors for missing — Reykjadalur is the answer. It's a thermal river in the hills above Hveragerði, a 45-minute drive from Reykjavík plus a 1-hour uphill hike (3km, 250m elevation gain, well-marked trail). The river is the right temperature to bathe in, surrounded by steam vents, and it's free. There's no infrastructure beyond a wooden boardwalk to keep clothes dry. In summer, the trail is crowded by local standards (perhaps 80 people on the river at the busiest times, scattered across kilometres of valley); in winter, with snow on the ground, you'll have stretches to yourself. Pack swimwear, a towel, and shoes you don't mind getting muddy. This is also the most photogenic Iceland experience by a meaningful margin.
If you absolutely want to do the Blue Lagoon, here's how
Some readers will book the Blue Lagoon anyway, and that's a fair choice — the photograph is iconic, and ticking it off the list has its own logic. If you do go, three rules will improve the experience meaningfully. Book the first 9am slot — the lagoon doesn't fill up until 11am, and the early hour gives you 90 minutes of relatively uncrowded time. Skip the Comfort tier for the Premium tier (extra €30) — the Premium changing area is genuinely a different experience. Add the Lava Restaurant lunch reservation; it's expensive (€100+) but genuinely good and ensures you don't need to leave the complex hungry. And check the Iceland Met Office volcanic-activity status the morning of your visit — if a fissure is active near Grindavík, your slot may be cancelled.
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Frequently asked questions
Not at €68–€110 per person for the standard experience. The Blue Lagoon is genuinely beautiful and technically impressive as a geothermal spa, but at its price point, Sky Lagoon delivers a superior experience for €55, and Reykjadalur offers natural hot springs in a hiking setting for free. The Blue Lagoon is worth it primarily if the specific experience of its signature milky-blue water is a non-negotiable bucket list item.
The Blue Lagoon is not a bad experience. It's a packaged one. For a four- or five-day Iceland trip — which is the typical length — we'd rather see you at Sky Lagoon for the views, Secret Lagoon for the authenticity, and Reykjadalur for the once-in-a-trip memory. The €68 you save on the Blue Lagoon entry is enough to upgrade your last dinner in Reykjavík to a tasting menu at Dill or Moss. We think that's the better trip.
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Camille Laurent
Senior Travel Editor · Based in Lisbon · Bali
Camille has spent the last 9 years living in or reporting from over 60 countries. Former contributor to Condé Nast Traveler and Monocle, she focuses on Southeast Asia, Mediterranean Europe, and the Middle East. Currently based between Lisbon and Bali.
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