Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa in a lava field on the Reykjanes Peninsula, 5 km from Grindavík and about 20 km from Keflavík International Airport. The lagoon is man-made. It holds mineral-rich water used by the Svartsengi geothermal power station, and dissolved silica gives it a milky blue colour. Bathing facilities opened in 1987, after the runoff pools were found to ease psoriasis. It is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland, with saunas, steam rooms, a mask bar and a restaurant on site.
Blue Lagoon
Local name: Bláa lónið
The lagoon is man-made: it is filled with water that has already passed through the turbines of the power station next door, and it renews itself every two days.
- Entrance
- Paid entry, and expensive compared with other geothermal pools in Iceland. The basic ticket includes a silica mud mask and one drink.
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: a ramp runs into the water, a shower chair is available, and there is a private changing room for guests with special needs. Parking, entrance and toilets are accessible.
- Parking
- Car park beside the entrance, with free and paid sections. The previous car park was destroyed by lava in November 2024 and replaced.
- Transport
- No bus stop serves the lagoon. Tour operators run coach trips to it; otherwise arrival is by car.
- Advance booking
- Book in advance. Tickets are tied to an arrival time, and the first slots of the day are the least busy.
- Hours
- Daily 08:00–22:00.
- Address
- Norðurljósavegur 9, 240 Grindavík
What makes it special
The water is not from a hot spring. It leaves the ground at 240 °C under pressure, drives the turbines of the Svartsengi geothermal power station next door, and is then fed into the lava field, where it settles at 37–39 °C. The milky blue colour comes from silica. The same silica forms soft white mud on the bottom, and bathers rub it on their faces; a mask bar in the water hands it out ready-made. Around the lagoon there are saunas, steam rooms and a bar you swim up to. Lava Restaurant is built into a centuries-old lava wall at the water's edge. The surroundings are flat black lava, with Mount Þorbjörn standing behind.
Good to know
- Age limits: children under two are not admitted. Those aged eight and under must wear arm floaters, provided free of charge.
- Shower first: showering before entering is compulsory, the communal showers are split by gender, and there are no family changing rooms.
- Crowds and phones: the lagoon is busy and cameras are constant at the water's edge. A quiet soak is not what this place offers.
- Wristband: a wristband opens your locker and pays for drinks, masks and food, so you carry nothing into the water.
Getting there
Almost everyone arrives by car, and many people fit the lagoon in on the way to or from Keflavík airport. No bus stop serves the site; the alternative is a coach trip booked through a tour operator. The car park sits beside the buildings, so the approach on foot is the distance from the car to the entrance and nothing more.
Best time to visit
Better: the first slots of the day, or late in the evening.
Avoid: peak summer, when the lagoon is at its busiest.
An early booking pays off twice. The water is quieter, and once you are in, nothing pushes you out again — the slot fixes your arrival time, not your departure.
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Blue Lagoon stands in an active volcanic zone. Earthquake swarms and eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula have closed it repeatedly since November 2023. Lava reached the site on 22 November 2024 and destroyed the car park; protective barriers around the facilities kept the lagoon itself intact, and it reopened on 9 December. Further closures followed in April and July 2025. Check that the site is open before you set out.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Blue Lagoon a natural hot spring?
No. The lagoon is man-made. It is filled with mineral-rich water used by the Svartsengi geothermal power station, which is then released into the lava field. The water renews every two days, has a pH of 7.5 and a salt content of 2.5%.How warm is the water?
The bathing area averages 37–39 °C. The water reaches the surface far hotter, at 240 °C, and cools before it enters the lagoon.Can children go in?
Children under two are not admitted. Those aged eight and under are allowed in only with arm floaters, which are provided free of charge. Changing rooms are split by gender and there are no family changing rooms.Is it wheelchair accessible?
Yes. A ramp extends into the water and a shower chair is available, along with a private changing room for guests with special needs. Parking, entrance and toilets are wheelchair accessible.Can volcanic activity close the lagoon?
Yes, and it has done so many times since 2023. Eruptions at Sundhnúkur forced closures through 2024, lava destroyed the car park in November of that year, and shorter closures followed in April and July 2025.