Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
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Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
My trip
Talk to a local
The Secret Lagoon, also called Gamla Laugin ("the old pool"), is a natural geothermal pool in Flúðir, a short detour from the Golden Circle route. It is about 100 km (around 1 hour 30 minutes) from Reykjavík, costs around ISK 4,500 for adults, is open all year, and most visitors spend 1–2 hours there.
Built in 1891, the Secret Lagoon is Iceland's oldest swimming pool, long used by the local community before it was restored and reopened to visitors in 2014. Unlike purpose-built spas, it keeps an unpolished, natural feel: a stone-edged pool set into a geothermal field, with steam drifting off the water and a boardwalk running through the surrounding hot ground.
The water stays a steady 38–40°C year-round, kept warm by the same geothermal area that feeds a small geyser next to the pool, Litli Geysir, which erupts every few minutes. It is a simpler, quieter alternative to the Blue Lagoon, popular with people doing the Golden Circle who want a natural bathing stop without a long detour.
Locals call it Gamla Laugin, "the old pool", and it is often compared with the Blue Lagoon. The two are quite different. This one is smaller, costs much less and suits people who want a quiet soak more than a spa day. The water is hip to chest deep throughout, so you can stand, sit or float anywhere in the pool.
Flúðir is a farming village known for its greenhouses, which run on the same geothermal heat as the pool. The hot ground also explains why there are other old bathing spots close by, including the small Hrunalaug hot spring a few kilometres away.
A visit is simple: change, shower, soak, and take a short walk around the hot springs.
Be careful anywhere you see water bubbling or steaming hard. The pool is for bathing; the springs around it are for looking at only.
Adult entry is about ISK 4,500 (age 15 and over) and about ISK 3,300 for seniors aged 67 and over. Children aged 14 and under pay only a small fee and must be with an adult; one adult can bring up to three children. Prices go up from time to time, so check secretlagoon.is before you go.
Towels and swimsuits can be rented at reception for about ISK 1,200 each. Bringing your own saves money. Lockers with keys are available in the changing rooms.
You can buy a ticket at the door if there is space, but the pool limits numbers and recommends booking online in advance. That matters most from late morning to mid-afternoon in summer, when the Golden Circle tours arrive. Booking ahead also means less time queuing and more time in the water.
The Secret Lagoon sits just south of the classic Golden Circle loop, which makes it an easy addition to the three main stops: Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall. From Geysir or Gullfoss it is roughly half an hour's drive south to Flúðir.
A common plan is Þingvellir in the morning, Geysir and Gullfoss around midday, then a late-afternoon soak in Flúðir before driving back to Reykjavík through Selfoss. Friðheimar tomato farm is close enough for lunch on the way. If you have a second day, the waterfalls Hjálparfoss and Háifoss in Þjórsárdalur are a longer detour to the east.
Any time of year works, because the water temperature does not change with the seasons. The Northern Lights are never guaranteed: you need darkness, a clear sky and some luck.
Changing rooms with lockers and traditional gender-separated showers, a small bistro with an eating area, and rental of towels and swimsuits.
Flúðir and the wider Golden Circle area, including Reykholt and Laugarvatn, have hotels and guesthouses within easy reach of the lagoon.
Adult entry is around ISK 4,500; check the current price before your visit as it can change.
The pool itself is built, but it is fed directly by the surrounding natural hot springs and geyser.
It is smaller, simpler and less expensive, with a more local, unpolished feel rather than a purpose-built spa.
About 100 km, around 1 hour 30 minutes by car via Selfoss and Route 30. It is about half an hour from Geysir and Gullfoss.
It is not required, and you can buy a ticket at the door if there is space. Booking online is recommended, because numbers are limited and midday slots fill up in summer.
The water is hip to chest deep on an adult across the whole pool.
Yes. Children aged 14 and under pay only a small fee and must be with an adult, with up to three children per adult.
Yes, it is open all year and the water stays at 38–40°C. On clear winter evenings there is a chance of Northern Lights.
Tours and trips that include The Secret Lagoon, booked directly with a local travel agency in Iceland.
DAY TOURGolden Circle & Secret LagoonFrom 15,990 ISK per person
DAY TOURGolden Circle & Secret Lagoon TourFrom 20,300 ISK per person
DAY TOURGolden Circle, Secret Lagoon, Kerið & Northern LightsFrom 30,990 ISK per person
PACKAGE6-Day Iceland Family Vacation PackageFrom 76,880 ISK per person
MULTI-DAY8 Day Grand Laugavegur Trek & Iceland’s HighlightsFrom 429,990 ISK per person
