One of the most popular outdoor activities in Reykjavík all year round is visiting the public pools, especially the hot tubs. Going to the pool is an integral part of life from an early age for many Icelanders, starting with infant swimming and all the way up to joining a swimming club in old age, which is no less about socializing than the exercise and fresh air.
Swimming pools have been mentioned as a key factor in maintaining good mental health for Icelanders, especially in the darker and colder winter months.
- See also: How to Go Swimming in Iceland
Public pools of Reykjavík
Reykjavík has no less than eight swimming pools (counting Klébergslaug in Kjalarnes, as it belongs to Reykjavík since 1998). The pools range from the biggest and most popular Laugardalslaug to the more modern but much smaller Dalslaug, which opened in 2021. Most of the pools are neighborhood pools frequented by locals, while the pools closest to downtown have been most popular amongst travelers (Laugardalslaug, Sundhöllin and Vesturbæjarlaug). Locals are still the majority of visitors in these pools as well.
Laugardalslaug
The biggest pool of Reykjavík and one of the oldest, with a 50 m swimming pool, several hot tubs, a cold tub, a water-slide and beach volleyball facility to name a few highlights. My personal favourite thing in that pool though, is the seawater tub, where you can smell the salt and minerals, which are also supposedly beneficial for health.
Laugardalslaug was built in 1968 and quickly became popular. It can become very busy in the hours after work as well as on weekends and is without a doubt the most popular swimming pool in Reykjavík among tourists (and locals). During rush hour, there can be a shortage of lockers in the locker rooms. If you are looking for a calm and relaxing experience, it is recommended to go outside the most popular times or choose another swimming pool.
Vesturbæjarlaug
Vesturbæjarlaug recently went through extensive renovations and is also among the oldest pools of the city, built in 1961. It is a friendly neighborhood pool but like Laugardalslaug, it tends to get very crowded at certain times, mainly in the standard after work hours, on the weekends and on summer evenings when the weather is good.
The main attraction of Vesturbæjarlaug is the big hot tub on the far right when you get out from the changing rooms. It is segmented into four areas, one shaped like a circle and two square ones with seats along the sides. The fourth area is with very shallow water (ca 50 cm depth) where people can lay down and relax.
Sundhöllin
Sundhöllin is the oldest public swimming pool in Reykjavík, inaugurated in 1937. It has an indoor pool and an outdoor pool as well as a few hot tubs and a sauna. By the indoor pool, there are two diving boards, one meter and 2.75 meter high respectively.
The building of Sundhöllin was designed by Guðjón Samúelsson, one of the most famous architects of Iceland. Among other buildings he designed are Reykjavík’s best known landmark, Hallgrímskirkja, as well as the main building of University of Iceland and the National Theatre.
Sundhöllin is the only public swimming pool in downtown Reykjavík.
Nauthólsvík
Nauthólsvík is not a pool but still belongs in this category as Reykjavík’s only geothermal beach, equipped with changing facilities and showers, steam-baths and hot tubs. Hot water is pumped into the man-made lagoon, which provides between 15 to 19 degrees C water in the summer.
The geothermal beach in Nauthólsvík was opened in 2001.
Árbæjarlaug
Árbæjarlaug is a quite large and modern neighborhood pool, especially popular among families with children. It has an outdoor pool, indoor children’s pool, a water-slide outdoor paddling pool as well as a steam bath and sauna.
For runners, there are plenty of great running routes in the surrounding area, including Elliðaárdalur (valley), Heiðmörk (forest) and Rauðavatn (lake). After the run, you could go to Árbæjarlaug to relax.
Grafarvogslaug
Grafarvogslaug is another neighborhood pool in the suburb of Grafarvogur. It opened in 1998, at a time when the neighborhood was rapidly expanding and developing. It has a 25 meter swimming pool, a smaller indoor pool as well as an infrared sauna, hot tubs and a cold tub to name a few highlights.
Dalslaug
Dalslaug is Reykjavík’s newest swimming pool, it opened in 2021. It is 25 meters long like most pools in town. It has a few hot tubs, a cold tub, a children’s pool and a sauna. A special thing about Dalslaug is that there is a public library in the same building.
The neighborhood around Dalslaug is Reykjavík’s youngest neighborhood, which started being built a few years before the financial crisis of 2008.
Breiðholtslaug
Breiðholtslaug is another neighborhood pool, but in the oldest neighborhood of these four and opened in 1981. It has an outdoor pool and a smaller indoor pool. It features two water-slides and is ideal for families with children, but also popular among seniors.
There are two hot tubs in Breiðholtslaug, a children’s pool and a sauna as well as a cold tub.
Public pools around Reykjavík
The capital area in Iceland is all grown together nowadays, so it looks like one city, but several parts are independent towns, e.g. Seltjarnarnes, Garðabær, Kópavogur and Mosfellsbær. Below, many of these pools are covered briefly.
Sundlaug Seltjarnarness
Sundlaug Seltjarnarness has a 25 m long outdoor swimming pool and three hot tubs, as well as two small cold tubs (one is more like a tube, fitting one person at a time) and a shallow wading pool. The pool is similar to the aforementioned neighborhood pools in Reykjavík in that it is very popular among families with children and seniors.
Kópavogslaug
Kópavogslaug is the only other public pool in the capital area (like Laugardalslaug) with a 50 meter pool. It boasts three water-slides and a good steam bath. It is one of the most popular swimming pools in Iceland and no doubt that the size of it and wide range of facilities attracts a bigger crowd.
Lágafellslaug
Lágafellslaug in Mosfellsbær is a thermal pool complex with outdoor and indoor pools, a steam room and play area for children with three slides. The pool is 25 meters long and there are three hot tubs with varying temperatures.
Salalaug
Salalaug is another very popular pool among families with children, featuring e.g. a water-slide that resembles a river. It has three hot tubs, including one with hydromassage.
Sundhöll Hafnarfjarðar
The oldest pool in Hafnarfjörður (opened in 1953), this pool is known for a calm atmosphere. It has an indoor pool (25 m) and two spacious hot tubs. It is popular among senior citizens and residents of the neighborhood.
Suðurbæjarlaug
Suðurbæjarlaug in Hafnarfjörður has a 25 m outdoor pool and is connected to an indoor pool that is used for teaching and for children. It has three hot tubs, a steam bath, children’s pool, two water-slides and a walking path around the swimming pool area. There are also two cold tubs with different temperatures.
Ásvallalaug
The newest pool in Hafnarfjörður (opened in 2008), Ásvallalaug, boasts a 50 m indoor pool, three hot tubs and a water slide. The pool area has a children’s pool (90–110 cm deep) and a 10 m wading pool with toys for the youngest.
Ásgarðslaug
Ásgarðslaug in Garðabær is an outdoor swimming pool with hot tubs and a children’s pool. A small water slider is in the children’s pool. The pool was recently renovated with new outdoor showers and hot tubs.
Geothermal spas in and around Reykjavík
Last but not least, let’s take a look at three popular geothermal spas in and around Reykjavík, Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon, and Hvammsvík.
- See also: Discover Iceland’s Spas and Pools
Sky Lagoon
Sky Lagoon is a geothermal spa that opened in 2021 at a challenging time during the pandemic but quickly became one of Iceland’s most popular spas. Of course the location in the capital area helps.
It is by the oceanside on the tip of Kársnes peninsula in Kópavogur. With luxury changing rooms and a full spa ritual, you can spend hours there.
Hvammsvík
Hvammsvík is one of the most recent spas in Iceland, located by the fjord Hvalfjörður (the name would translate to Whale Fjord), a 45 minute drive from Reykjavík. It has eight natural hot springs of different sizes and temperatures.
Hvammsvík is a family owned estate consisting of 1200 acres along the shore of Hvalfjörður. The views of the fjord and natural surroundings are stunning and in the winter, you might be lucky enough to see the northern lights dancing in the sky.
Blue Lagoon
Blue Lagoon is the oldest and most famous spa in Iceland and has been among the country’s biggest attractions in recent decades. It opened in 1992 to harness the health benefits of natural seawater. The water comes from a nearby geothermal source in Reykjanes, with silica, algae, and minerals, believed to have nourishing and restorative properties.
Blue Lagoon has been influenced by the seismic activity on the Reykjanes peninsula that started in 2021 and had to close for short periods of time due to that.
