This article contains affiliate links. When you book a hotel, a car rental or an activity through these links, we receive a commission from the advertiser at no extra cost to you 💕. By using them, you support us while paying exactly the same price 🙏. We earn a commission from the advertiser at no extra cost to you 💕. Thank you!
Our partners
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 💥
The Blue Lagoon is one of Iceland’s treasures, with the mesmerizing contrast between its milky blue waters and the black lava fields around it 🖤. This large geothermal lagoon, at about 39°C (102°F), offers a one-of-a-kind swim ♨️. Located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, about 20 minutes from Keflavík airport and 45 minutes from Reykjavik, the Blue Lagoon is a perfect start or finish to your trip to Iceland (for us, it was at the end of our road trip 😅).
Its story begins in 1976, when the Svartsengi geothermal power plant created an artificial lake by releasing its hot water into the lava fields 🌋. The lake brought relief to Valur Margeirsson, who suffered from psoriasis, and in 1981 he named it Bláa Lónið, the blue lagoon. After a major renovation in 1999, the site became the country’s most famous spa, with hotels, restaurants and treatments.
In this article, we tell you about our visit to the Blue Lagoon in March, and give you everything you need to know before you go: 2026 prices, booking, hours, volcanic risk, kids, and our honest take compared with the Sky Lagoon 💙.
🗺️ Planning your trip? Find all our tips and articles in our complete guide to traveling in Iceland.
👉 The Blue Lagoon was part of our 13-day road trip in Iceland. Itinerary, real budget, accommodation, ice cave and northern lights: we’ve gathered it all on our Iceland travel blog.
🌋 Near the airport, don’t miss the Reykjanes Peninsula: volcano, Grindavík and the Blue Lagoon, we tell you about our day in our article on the Reykjanes Peninsula.
THE MAP OF OUR ICELAND ROAD TRIP 🗺️
To help you plan your itinerary, we’ve gathered every place from our 12-day road trip in Iceland 🇮🇸 on an interactive map: waterfalls, glaciers, black sand beaches, hot springs and stopover towns, all the way around Route 1. Click on each pin to discover the place in detail 📍. And to keep it handy during your trip, open it in Google Maps: you’ll find it easily on your phone 📱.
Our itinerary
Our trip to Iceland
12 days10 stops1 full loop of Route 1Dacia Duster 4x4 in winter
The stops, in order
- 1
Reykjavik
1 night
Arrival at Keflavík and car pick-up
- 2
Selfoss
1 night
Golden Circle: Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss and Kerið
- 3
Hof
2 nights
South coast waterfalls, Reynisfjara, ice cave and Diamond Beach
- 4
Reyðarfjörður
1 night
The Eastfjords and the pebble beaches of Hvalnes
- 5
Egilsstaðir
1 night
Seyðisfjörður, its blue church and its rainbow street
- 6
Mývatn
1 night
Dettifoss, Hverir and the Mývatn Nature Baths
- 7
Akureyri
1 night
Hverfjall, Dimmuborgir and Goðafoss
- 8
Bifröst
1 night
Glaumbær turf houses, Grábrók crater
- 9
Hvalfjörður
1 night
The Snæfellsnes Peninsula and Kirkjufell
- 10
Reykjavik
1 night
Fagradalsfjall volcano, Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon
OUR VISIT TO THE BLUE LAGOON 🌟
ARRIVING AT THIS HUGE COMPLEX
We went on the last evening of our road trip, right after the Fagradalsfjall volcano hike. We had booked online, with a slot at a set time: you have to show up on time to get in, which is a bit unusual but very organized. If you arrive by car like us, the parking lot is huge 🅿️. Already on the road, you notice the big columns of steam. You reach the entrance via a path through the lava, which marks the start of the experience 😍! The building has large bay windows overlooking the bathers, a restaurant and a Blue Lagoon products shop.
OFF TO THE BLUE LAGOON LOCKER ROOMS
At check-in, we were each given an electronic wristband (we’re not going to jail, don’t worry 😂). It lets you pay for drinks and open your locker: in the end, you don’t need anything else on you (a system France should adopt 👍). Then off to the locker rooms, separated for men and women, with roomy lockers 🥳.
In Iceland, you shower naked before getting in the water: it’s the rule at every pool in the country. It can be surprising, we French aren’t used to it at all 🤣, but it’s a matter of hygiene that Icelanders take very seriously. If you’re shy (like me), the Blue Lagoon has private shower stalls to protect your privacy 😉. You can also try the Blue Lagoon shower gels and shampoos, which are truly amazing ❤️.
TIME FOR A SWIM
Time to slip into the water at about 39°C (102°F)! Leave your towel inside: depending on the weather, it could get soaked fast 😅. There are two ways into the lagoon: from outside, braving the cold for a few seconds 🥶, or through an indoor entrance that opens outside (that’s the one we chose 🥳).
The water is truly incredible: warm all year round, even in March with below-freezing temperatures outside. It’s no ordinary mineral water: it’s rich in mineral salts, silica and blue-green algae, hence its very special color 👀. Your ticket includes a drink at the in-water bar 🍹 and a silica mask at the “Mask Bar” 😂.
We stayed about 2 hours, and it was really crowded: it’s the most touristy site in Iceland, so expect it. ⚠️ Heads up: this water makes your hair very stiff. Avoid getting it wet, or apply plenty of the conditioner provided and wash it thoroughly afterward 💇.
BLUE LAGOON AND ERUPTIONS: WHAT TO KNOW 🌋
The Blue Lagoon sits in an active volcanic zone, right next to the town of Grindavík. Since late 2023, the Reykjanes Peninsula has seen a series of eruptions near the Sundhnúkur craters, just a few kilometers away. The Blue Lagoon has had to be evacuated and closed several times, and in 2024, lava even reached part of its parking lot. Barriers have been built to protect the site.
The Blue Lagoon is open and bookable as we update this article (October 2026), but no one can rule out a new eruption forcing it to close, or even lava reaching it one day. 👉 Our tip: book with free cancellation, check the official Blue Lagoon website a few days before and that morning, and have a plan B like the Sky Lagoon. To follow volcanic activity, check out our essential apps for Iceland 📱.
BLUE LAGOON PRICES, HOURS AND BOOKING 💰
BLUE LAGOON PRICES IN 2026
We took the cheapest option, the equivalent of Comfort, at €83 per person (price paid in March 2023). Today, the official Blue Lagoon website lists three options, with prices that vary by day and time (prices checked in October 2026):
- Comfort: from €88. Entry, sauna, steam room, cold pool, silica mask, towel and one non-alcoholic drink.
- Premium: from €111. Plus: a drink of your choice at the in-water bar, two extra masks and a bathrobe.
- Signature: from €136. Plus: two drinks and Blue Lagoon products to take home.
OPENING HOURS
- ❄️ August 21 to December 31: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- ❄️ January 1 to May 31: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- 🌞 In summer: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. in early June, then 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. from June 15 to August 20.
You have to get out of the water 30 minutes before closing. The Blue Lagoon is open every day, including weekends and holidays (shorter hours at Christmas and New Year’s).
DO YOU NEED TO BOOK THE BLUE LAGOON?
Yes, absolutely: without a booking, you can’t get in, and slots fill up fast, especially late in the day and in summer 😭. Book on the official Blue Lagoon website or through a tour with transfer, several weeks ahead if you have set dates. Morning slots are often the cheapest.
HOW TO GET TO THE BLUE LAGOON?
By car is easiest: about 20 minutes from Keflavík airport and 45 minutes from Reykjavik. Many travelers go when they arrive or just before flying home. We rented our 4×4 from Blue Car Rental for the whole road trip: all our tips are in our article on renting a car in Iceland 👇.
RENTING A CAR IN ICELAND 🚗
To explore Iceland, we think a rental car is the best option: you’re free to string together waterfalls, glaciers, black sand beaches and hot springs at your own pace, and stop whenever a landscape catches your eye, without depending on organized tours 🏔️.
We drove all the way around Iceland on Route 1 in a 4×4, in the middle of March, and everything went really well. Here’s the agency we used and recommend, plus an alternative if you’d rather compare 👇
Our rental tip
Renting a car in Iceland
The agency we used, and an alternative to compare.
Blue Car Rental
Iceland's largest local rental company
We rented our Dacia Duster 4x4 with them for the whole loop around the island: we recommend them without hesitation!
Our budget€62013 days, full insurance · ~€48/day
- Tested on all of Route 1
- Insurance included, no deposit
- Free cancellation
DiscoverCars
Rental comparison site
To compare several Icelandic rental companies in a single search.
Excellent rating290,000+ Trustpilot reviews
- 1,000+ rental companies compared
- Free cancellation
- 24/7 support
To compare before you choose
Good to know before you rent
- Gravel, sand and ashThe wind blasts gravel and sand onto the bodywork: make sure these protections are included.
- Check the roads every morningLook at road.is and safetravel.is before setting off: in winter, a road can close within a few hours.
- Your French driving license is enoughIt's accepted in Iceland. The international driving permit is optional: only if you want one.
- Photos and video at pick-upFilm the car from every angle when you collect it, to avoid any dispute when you return it.
- Fill up whenever you canGas stations are rare in the East and North, and often self-service: bring a card with a PIN code.
- Hold on to the doorsIn strong winds, a door can be ripped off as it opens: park facing the wind and open gently.
VISITING THE BLUE LAGOON ON A TOUR 💸
▶️ If you don’t have a car, many packages combine the entry ticket and transfer from Reykjavik or the airport, ideal for a layover. You’ll find them on GetYourGuide, with free cancellation on most of them 👇.
THINGS TO KNOW 🥰
- Booking is mandatory, and you have to show up at your slot time.
- Plan 2 hours on site, like we did: it’s plenty to enjoy it. You can stay as long as you like once you’re in ⏳.
- It’s very crowded at almost any time: it’s the most visited site in Iceland.
- Showering naked is the rule before getting in the water, with private stalls for the shy.
- The water makes your hair stiff and can fade the colors of your swimsuit: rinse it in cold water with a little soap.
- The maximum depth is about 1.30 m (4 feet 3 inches): everyone can stand.
- Kids are welcome from age 2, accompanied by an adult until 13, with mandatory armbands (provided free) from 2 to 8.
- You can take your phone into the water for photos 🤳: a waterproof pouch is a good idea.
- The site is in an active volcanic zone: check that it’s open right before your visit 🌋.
🌌 In the dead of winter, the Blue Lagoon stays open after dark: on clear nights, the northern lights can appear above the lagoon. All our tips for seeing them are in our article on the northern lights in Iceland.
♨️ Torn between the Sky Lagoon and the Mývatn baths? We’ve tried all three: see our ranking in our comparison Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon.
OUR REVIEW OF THE BLUE LAGOON 💭
The Blue Lagoon was the gem we absolutely wanted to do in Iceland, and we have no regrets: the water is truly incredible, and swimming at 39°C (102°F) in the middle of the lava with below-freezing temperatures is an experience to have at least once 💙. It’s crowded and the entry is expensive, but it’s still a memorable moment.
To be transparent: we also did the Sky Lagoon and the Mývatn Nature Baths. Our personal favorite is the Sky Lagoon, for its ocean view and calmer atmosphere. But the Blue Lagoon comes right behind, in second place, ahead of Mývatn: its milky water is like no other. If you have the time and budget, do both!
👉 What about you? Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon for your trip to Iceland?
FAQ: YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BLUE LAGOON ❓
These are the questions people often ask before visiting the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. Feel free to ask yours in the comments, I’ll add to this FAQ 💬.
In 2026, the Comfort option starts at €88 per person, Premium at €111 and Signature at €136, depending on the day and time. We paid €83 per person for the cheapest option in March 2023.
Yes, booking is mandatory and slots fill up fast. Book on the official website several weeks ahead, with a set time slot to stick to.
8 a.m. to 10 p.m. from August 21 to December 31, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from January 1 to May 31, and until 11 p.m. in peak summer. You have to get out of the water 30 minutes before closing.
It’s open as of October 2026, but it has been closed and evacuated several times since late 2023 because of eruptions near Grindavík. Check its status on the official website right before your visit and book with free cancellation.
Plan about 2 hours, like we did. Once you’re in, you can stay as long as you like until closing.
We preferred the Sky Lagoon for its ocean view and calmer atmosphere. The Blue Lagoon is still incredible for its unique milky water. If you can only do one, choose based on what matters most to you: the view or the water.
Yes, from age 2. Kids aged 2 to 13 must be accompanied by an adult, and armbands (provided free) are mandatory from 2 to 8.
Showering without a swimsuit is the rule at all Icelandic pools, for hygiene reasons. At the Blue Lagoon, private shower stalls let you keep your privacy.
By car, it’s about 20 minutes from Keflavík airport and 45 minutes from Reykjavik. Without a car, many tours include a transfer from the capital or the airport.
Yes, the site has two hotels, including the very upscale Retreat. We preferred to stay in Kópavogur, at 201 Hótel, which is much more affordable, for our last night.
It makes your hair very stiff because of the silica. Avoid getting it wet, apply the conditioner provided before going in and wash it well after your swim.
WHERE TO STAY IN ICELAND 🏨
During our 12-day road trip in Iceland 🇮🇸, we slept in 9 different places, alternating between hotels and guesthouses, almost all booked on Booking. Changing accommodation every night is the best way to loop around the island without piling up hours of driving 🚗.
OUR TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT PLACE TO STAY
- 📅 Book ahead: outside Reykjavik, accommodation is scarce and the best places go fast.
- 🍳 Breakfast included: very handy, because cafés and restaurants are rare on the road. We often used it to make our lunch sandwiches.
- 🛒 A kitchen in remote areas: around Jökulsárlón, the nearest supermarket can be more than an hour’s drive away. Do your shopping before you arrive.
- ♨️ A hot tub: after a day in the cold and wind, it’s pure bliss. Several of our places had one.
- 🌌 Away from the lights: in winter, a place in the countryside gives you a better chance of seeing the northern lights right from your door.
- ✅ Free cancellation, to stay flexible if the weather forces you to change your itinerary.
HOTEL OR GUESTHOUSE IN ICELAND?
Both have their advantages. A guesthouse is often cozier, sometimes with a kitchen to cook your own meals. A hotel is more convenient for a one-night stop, with a reception desk, a restaurant and often breakfast included. As for us, we liked both. It all depends on what you want, your budget and how you like to travel.
HOW MUCH DOES ACCOMMODATION COST IN ICELAND?
Iceland isn’t a cheap destination, and accommodation is one of the biggest items in the budget. We paid between €78 and €162 a night for two. To be completely transparent with you: €1,366 for 11 nights, or about €124 a night on average (that was in 2023, prices may have changed since).
👇 Here are the 8 places where we slept during our road trip that still welcome travelers, in the order of our itinerary.
Tested during our road trip
Our 8 places to stay in Iceland
GuesthouseHotel
-
HotelReykjavik201 Hótel (Kópavogur)
Right next to the capital, handy for the first and last night of the road trip.
- Double room
- Breakfast included
- Close to Reykjavik
- Guesthouse
SelfossLambastaðir Guesthouse
A quiet guesthouse, perfect for sleeping after a day on the Golden Circle.
- Hot tub and sauna
- Breakfast included
- After the Golden Circle
- GuesthouseOur favorite
SvínafellThe Potato Storage
Our absolute favorite of the trip: an exceptional place at the foot of the glaciers.
- Our best place to stay
- Fully equipped kitchen
- Close to Jökulsárlón
- Hotel
EgilsstaðirHótel Eyvindará
A quiet hotel on the edge of Egilsstaðir, with a hot tub to unwind.
- Hot tub
- Breakfast included
- Near Seyðisfjörður
- Hotel
MývatnVogafjós Farm Resort
A farm on the shores of Lake Mývatn, chosen for watching the northern lights.
- Ideal for the northern lights
- On-site restaurant
- Breakfast included
- Hotel
AkureyriCentrum Hótel
Right in the town center, a stone's throw from Akureyri church: you can do everything on foot.
- Town center
- Breakfast included
- Superior room
- Hotel
BifröstHraunsnef Country Hotel
A country hotel in the middle of nowhere, with a hot tub and a restaurant.
- Hot tub
- On-site restaurant
- Breakfast included
- Guesthouse
HvalfjörðurHótel Laxárbakki
A stop on the edge of the fjord, ideal after a day on Snæfellsnes.
- Hot tub
- On-site restaurant
- Heading back to Reykjavik
MY MUST-HAVE TRAVEL GEAR 🧳
It’s a question that comes up a lot when preparing a trip “What should I bring?” And in Iceland even more than elsewhere, because the cold, wind and rain can quickly ruin a day if you’re poorly equipped 🥶. That’s why you’ll find below the travel accessories we had in our bags. Planning ahead and getting these items in advance helps you save money and avoid paying for some of them on the spot, where everything costs much more 💸 These are the accessories we took to Iceland in the middle of winter 👇.
Our road trip checklist
What to pack for Iceland?
What we had in our bags for 12 winter days. Good news: the outlets are the same as in France, no adapter needed.
0 / 12 in my suitcase · check what you already have
- Essential
Cold & snowHeat Holders thermal socks
The ones we took: to keep your feet warm on walks in the snow.
- Essential
Cold & snowThermal underwear
Thermal leggings and T-shirt under your clothes: the basics for facing the Icelandic wind.
- Essential
Cold & snowWarm gloves
A pair of ski gloves against the wind, and a thin pair for taking photos.
- Essential
Cold & snowBeanie and neck warmer
The wind is often strong, especially near the waterfalls and on the black sand beaches.
- Essential
Cold & snowWaterproof hiking boots
Icy trails, snow and waterfall spray: dry feet all day long.
- Essential
ElectronicsPower bank
The cold drains batteries fast: your phone lasts until evening.
- Recommended
Baths & waterWaterproof phone pouch
To take photos in the hot baths with no risk to your phone.
- Recommended
Baths & waterMicrofiber towel
Light and quick-drying: handy for baths and hot springs.
- Recommended
Baths & waterWater bottle
Tap water is excellent in Iceland: no need to buy bottles.
- Bonus
Travel & securityEmergency blanket
Keep it in the car, in case a closed road forces you to wait.
- Bonus
Travel & securityTSA lock
To lock your suitcase on the plane, with no risk of it being broken at security.
- Bonus
Travel & securityAirTag
To track your suitcase if your luggage is delayed or lost.
THANKS FOR YOUR FEEDBACK 
Thanks for reading this article all the way to the end 🙏! We hope it helps you plan your trip.
A question, a doubt about your itinerary, or simply want to tell us what you thought? Write to us in the comments. Your messages also help other travelers plan their trip, and they always make us very happy 💚.
And if our articles are useful to you, a quick review on Google or Trustpilot helps us enormously to spread the word about the blog ⭐. Thanks for following us!