I absolutely love this trend in Iceland; if you can call it a trend, we are seeing more and more geothermal lagoons popping up in wonderful places in Icelandic nature. Every time a new geothermal lagoon opens, I can't wait to visit it.
And Laugarás Lagoon is definitely set in a beautiful location, along the banks of the milky-white Hvítá glacial river.
Top photo: Soaking in Laugarás Lagoon
Laugarás Lagoon - Hvítá river and Mt. Vörðufell in the distance
Most visitors to Iceland know about and visit the Blue Lagoon, which is wonderful, but I also recommend visiting the smaller geothermal lagoons; they are a pure delight and less crowded.
A gift certificate to the latest geothermal lagoons is a popular present, and companies often give them to their employees for Christmas. My husband and I got such a gift certificate for the Laugarás Lagoon.
I couldn't wait to visit this new lagoon at Laugarás, and one sunny summer day, I invited my friend to join me for a day trip to the village of Laugarás upcountry in South Iceland.
The lovely waterfall in Laugarás Lagoon
Laugarás Lagoon is a great addition to the Golden Circle, Iceland's most popular route. It is only a 6-minute detour from that route, and so worth it!
You will pass the Skálholt Episcopal See on the way, which is one of the most historical places in Iceland. Do include it in your visit, it was the center of ecclesiastical power in Iceland for 740 years, from 1056 to 1796, and the center of learning and culture in Iceland.
The Golden Circle route is about 8 hours, so relaxing in the Laugarás Lagoon will be a perfect way to unwind after a busy day. You can also join .
Laugarás Lagoon
We, on the other hand, skipped the Golden Circle, since we live in Iceland and have taken that route many times.
We made stops in the town of Selfoss, at Skálholt, and Sólheimar Eco Village.
And bought flowers at Storð greenhouses at Laugarás, which we do every year, as my friend is a horticulturist, and used to work in Laugarás. Now, a visit to the Laugarás Lagoon will be added to our annual visit to Laugarás, for sure.
By the way, all the flowers at Laugarás Lagoon were bought from our friends at Storð :)
Icelandic basalt columns define the secluded grotto - this is the quiet area
As, what beautiful surroundings, here at Laugarás Lagoon, we are immersed in nature, situated on the banks of the glacial river Hvítá, which, further upstream, created the most popular waterfall in Iceland, Gullfoss itself.
Hvítá (the White River) originates in Iceland's second-largest glacier, Langjökull, and is ice-cold and white in colour, thus the name.
What contrasts we have here: the ice-cold glacial water and the geothermal water in the beautiful Laugarás Lagoon!
Laugarás Lagoon as seen from the other side of the Hvítá river - it blends in perfectly with nature
Throw in the beautiful surrounding nature and the lovely Hvítárbrú bridge (Iðubrú), and it feels like you are in heaven :)
There is not much that can beat the feeling of soaking in hot geothermal water in nature.
Our ancestors, the Vikings, and their descendants enjoyed this luxury as well, and our Sagas contain many accounts of the protagonists soaking and conversing with their friends in geothermal hot pots.
Ylja restaurant
The gift certificate I got was for the Birki admission, which is the standard ticket to the lagoon and the wellness area.
If you book that pass, bring your own towels or rent them at the lagoon. This admission also doesn't include a drink. But you can always buy drinks at the swim-up bars in the lagoon.
And maybe dine at the Ylja (Warmth) restaurant to make the most of your visit. The restaurant's food comes from local farmers, greenhouses, and fisheries, so it is guaranteed fresh.
Ylja restaurant
You can also book the Laugaras Lagoon Lerki Premium Pass, which includes a towel and a complimentary drink.
Then we have the third option, Laugaras Lagoon Ösp Wellness Experience Admission, which additionally includes a two-course meal at the Ylja restaurant.
The names of the passes, birki, lerki, and ösp, are all names of trees in this area: birch, larch, and aspen.
Enjoying the waterfall in Laugarás Lagoon
The Laugarás Lagoon is a two-storey lagoon, and the lower lagoon is entered through a lovely little cascading waterfall, 6.61 meters wide (21.7 feet).
Cascading water features in geothermal lagoons are such an extra touch; there is something about cascading water that is both so relaxing and brings out the kid in us :)
If you are carrying your phone, it is best to enter the lower level via the other entryway, the steps by the swim-up bar.
The lower level
Here, you can enjoy the views from the infinity edge overlooking the glacial river.
At this level of the lagoon, we tried out the two saunas (wet and dry sauna), with wide windows through which you can enjoy views of the glacial river, and the secluded Forest pool by the saunas.
In the Forest pool, you are surrounded by birch and spruce trees, which is very cozy. On the other hand, I stayed well away from the cold pool, but that is just me ;)
Surrounded by birch and spruce trees in the Forest pool
Be careful when entering the Laugarás lagoon for the first time, as there are many seating areas with concrete benches that are not visible in the water; I bumped my shin on them twice, and so did my niece when she visited the lagoon.
The water temperature in the Laugarás Lagoon is 38 to 40 C (100 to 104 F), which is very comfortable. Just be careful around the water outlets, as the water there can be hotter.
The entrance to the Laugarás Lagoon
The Laugarás Lagoon blends in perfectly with nature. I love the architecture and the arches. Kudos to them for a job well done!
And the grass roof reminded me of the old turf houses, in which all Icelanders lived in the olden days.
If you want to see what turf houses look like, we still have some remaining, and the largest ones are now open as museums.
A List of the Beautiful Icelandic Turf Houses I have visited on my Travels in Iceland
Hvítárbrú bridge
This was my first visit to the Laugarás Lagoon (in June 2026), and I will definitely return, as it is a great and much-needed addition to this beautiful area and the Golden Circle.
You can buy your ticket to Laugarás Lagoon here:
Laugaras Lagoon Birki Standard Ticket
Laugaras Lagoon Lerki Premium Pass
Laugaras Lagoon Osp Wellness Experience Admission
Laugarás Lagoon is located at Skálholtsvegur 1, Laugarás, 94 km from Reykjavík, where I live. Here is the location of Laugarás on Google Maps.
Have a wonderful time at Laugarás Lagoon :)
Hi, my name is Regína and I was born and raised here in Iceland. Since 2013 I have written 320 travel blogs about various interesting places to visit in Iceland. I hope you enjoy reading my travel-blog :)
