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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 💥
The hot baths at the Sky Lagoon, opened in 2021, are an exceptional destination just minutes from Reykjavik (very easy to reach). Set in Kópavogur, on the edge of the ocean, these geothermal baths offer an upscale relaxation experience facing the North Atlantic 😍!
You literally watch the waves break a few meters away while you lounge in the hot water. Luxurious locker rooms, an in-water bar and a 7-step wellness ritual: everything invites you to stay for hours ♨️. The Sky Lagoon has joined Iceland’s great spas like the Blue Lagoon and the Mývatn Nature Baths, which we also tried.
Spoiler: it’s our favorite bath in Iceland. In this article, we tell you about our visit, on the last day of our road trip in Iceland, and give you everything you need to know: 2026 prices (which have almost doubled since our visit), the ritual, hours, minimum age, and our comparison with the Blue Lagoon 💙.
🗺️ Planning your trip? Find all our tips and articles in our complete guide to traveling in Iceland.
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 SKY LAGOON 🌟
ARRIVING AT THIS LUXURIOUS PLACE
The Sky Lagoon is close to Reykjavik and very easy to reach. We went on the last day of our trip, just before flying home, and had booked ahead in the app. If you arrive by car like us, the parking lot is big. You walk into a very modern, dark building with no view of the lagoon: everything is designed to keep the surprise. The site also has a café, a bar and a Sky Lagoon products shop.
OFF TO THE SKY LAGOON LOCKER ROOMS
At check-in, we were each given an electronic wristband (we’re not going to jail, don’t worry 😂), used to pay for drinks and open your locker. The locker rooms are truly elegant: it feels like a 5-star hotel 🌟, spotlessly clean. Paradise begins!
As everywhere in Iceland, you shower naked before getting in the water. It can be surprising, we French aren’t used to it 🤣, but it’s the custom at every pool in the country. If you’re shy (like me), the Sér pass gives you access to private changing rooms with individual showers 😉. Nobody’s watching, but it’s a hygiene rule Icelanders take very seriously.
OFF TO DISCOVER PARADISE
You enter the water, at about 39°C (102°F), through a cave-like passage. A few meters further, you’re outside, among black volcanic rocks and cliffs ⛰️, before reaching the big pool. And there, facing the sea: wow 😍. Being in 39°C water with an ocean view is simply incredible. For us, it’s the best geothermal bath we’ve ever been to! A hot waterfall adds to the atmosphere, with spots to sit and chat 🌋🌊.
The main pool stretches 70 meters (230 feet), with a depth of about 1.20 m (4 feet), and an in-water bar you pay for with your wristband. We stayed about 3 hours: you feel incredibly good there. There’s also a cold pool we didn’t try, it was so cold outside 🤣.
THE 7-STEP SKJÓL RITUAL
Both passes include the Skjól ritual, inspired by Icelandic bathing culture. To be honest, we didn’t do all of it: we preferred to enjoy the pool and the view. Here are the 7 steps 📝:
- Laug: soaking in the warm lagoon, facing the sea ♨️.
- Kuldi: a dip in the cold plunge 🧊, to boost circulation.
- Ylur: the sauna, with a view of the Atlantic through the largest window in Iceland 👀.
- Súld: a cool, refreshing mist.
- Mýkt: the Sky Body Scrub sea-salt exfoliation.
- Gufa: the steam room, so your skin absorbs all the benefits of the scrub.
- Saft: a shot of Icelandic wild crowberry juice (krækiber) to finish.
Plan about 1.5 hours for the ritual at a relaxed pace. How could you not be tempted after reading and seeing all this 😍?
SKY LAGOON PRICES, HOURS AND PRACTICAL INFO 💰
SKY LAGOON PRICES IN 2026
We paid about €60 per person, booking ahead in the app (price paid in March 2023). We were very lucky: today, prices have almost doubled. The official Sky Lagoon website offers two passes, both including the Skjól ritual and a towel (prices checked in October 2026, varying by day and time):
- Saman (formerly the Pure Pass): from about €116 per adult, with shared locker rooms.
- Sér (formerly the Sky Pass): from about €139 per adult, with private changing rooms, a lotion and a bag for your swimsuit.
There are also “for two” packages with a platter and a drink, and an option with a bus transfer from Reykjavik.
HOURS, MINIMUM AGE AND BOOKING
- 🕘 Open every day, with hours that vary by season: check them on the official website for your date.
- 🧒 Not allowed for under-12s. From 12 to 14, kids must be accompanied by an adult, and ID may be requested.
- 🎟️ Booking is strongly recommended: some slots fill up fast. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
HOW TO GET TO THE SKY LAGOON?
The Sky Lagoon is in Kópavogur, about ten minutes’ drive from downtown Reykjavik, and about 45 minutes from Keflavík airport: perfect for the end of a trip, like ours. All our car 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 SKY LAGOON ON A TOUR 💸
▶️ Without a car, you can book a package with a transfer from Reykjavik, or combine the Sky Lagoon with other activities. You’ll find lots of offers on GetYourGuide, with free cancellation on most of them 👇.
THINGS TO KNOW 🥰
- Depending on the time, it may be fairly quiet, even though the Sky Lagoon is getting more and more touristy.
- Plan 2 to 3 hours on site: we stayed about 3 hours without noticing the time go by ⏳.
- The water is different from the Blue Lagoon’s: it’s fresh water, so no problem for your hair.
- The maximum depth is about 1.20 m (4 feet): everyone can stand.
- You can bring your phone or a GoPro for photos 🤳, and sit in lots of spots in the water 😍.
- A swimsuit is mandatory (you can rent one on site).
- The price is high, like everywhere in Iceland 💰: for the full budget, read our article how to pay in Iceland.
🌌 In winter, night falls early: with an evening slot and clear skies, you may be lucky enough to see the northern lights from the hot water. We explain when and where to see them in our article on the northern lights in Iceland.
♨️ Torn between the Blue 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 SKY LAGOON 💭
It’s simply our favorite experience of the three baths we tried in Iceland 😉. While planning our road trip, I kept thinking it would be amazing, and it didn’t disappoint ❤️! Arriving face to face with the ocean is spectacular, and you could spend hours just enjoying it, chatting and realizing how lucky you are to be there 😍.
👉 Our ranking of Iceland’s baths:
- 🥇 The Sky Lagoon, for the ocean view, the setting and the atmosphere.
- 🥈 The Blue Lagoon, for its incredible milky water, even though it’s much more crowded.
- 🥉 The Mývatn Nature Baths, very beautiful, a great experience in the north.
The only downside: the price, which has almost doubled since our visit. But if you only do one bath in Iceland, this is the one we recommend, ideally at the start or end of your trip 🥳.
👉 What about you? Does the Sky Lagoon tempt you, or are you more Team Blue Lagoon?
FAQ: YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SKY LAGOON ❓
These are the questions people often ask before visiting the Sky Lagoon in Iceland. Feel free to ask yours in the comments, I’ll add to this FAQ 💬.
In 2026, the Saman pass starts at around €116 per adult and the Sér pass at around €139, depending on the day and time. We paid about €60 per person in March 2023: prices have almost doubled since.
Both include access to the lagoon, the 7-step Skjól ritual and a towel. Sér adds private changing rooms with individual showers, a lotion and a bag for your swimsuit.
It’s strongly recommended, since some slots fill up fast. We booked ahead in the app. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before.
The Sky Lagoon doesn’t allow under-12s. From 12 to 14, kids must be accompanied by an adult, and ID may be requested.
Plan 2 to 3 hours, including about 1.5 hours for the ritual. We stayed roughly 3 hours.
It’s a 7-step circuit inspired by Icelandic bathing culture: warm lagoon, cold plunge, oceanfront sauna, cold mist, scrub, steam room and a shot of berry juice. It’s included in both passes.
We preferred the Sky Lagoon for its ocean view and calmer atmosphere. The Blue Lagoon is still incredible for its unique milky water, but it’s much more crowded.
In Kópavogur, on the ocean’s edge, about ten minutes’ drive from downtown Reykjavik and about 45 minutes from Keflavík airport.
No, it’s fresh water, unlike the Blue Lagoon, whose silica-rich water makes your hair stiff.
Only in the shower before getting in the water, as at every Icelandic pool. A swimsuit is mandatory in the lagoon, and the Sér pass offers private showers.
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.
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