Geothermal Rye Bread Tour at Laugarvatn Fontana

About 30 minutesGroup: Small groupEasyMeet on locationAll agesAll year

Digging the bread pot out of the steaming ground

A short geothermal rye bread tour at Laugarvatn Fontana, on the shore of Laugarvatn lake. You watch (and help) dig up rye bread that has been baking in the hot ground for a full day, then taste it warm with butter.

Laugarvatn Fontana receptionGeothermal baking pit on the lake shoreBread diggingTasting with butter

See and take part in a real geothermal baking method used in Iceland for generations
Dig up rye bread straight from the hot ground on the shore of Laugarvatn lake
Taste the bread warm, spread with butter
A short, easy stop that works well alongside a visit to the Fontana baths
Suitable for all ages

Your day, stop by stop

Click a stop for photos and practical tips.

1Meet at FontanaMeet at the reception of Laugarvatn Fontana.

Down to the lake shoreWalk down to the geothermal baking pit by Laugarvatn lake.

A short, flat walk from the reception takes you down to the geothermal baking pit by Laugarvatn lake. Fontana's bakers bury pots of rye dough in the hot black sand along the shore, using the natural heat from below ground.

Walking · a short, flat walk from the reception

Digging up the breadWatch, and help if you like, as the pot is dug out of the hot ground.

The dough has been baking in the geothermal heat for about 24 hours by the time the pot is dug up. You can watch, and help if you like. The sand and pot are hot, so follow the guide's instructions.

Tip · the sand and pot are hot, so follow the guide's instructions

TastingTaste the warm rye bread with butter.

The bread is dense, dark and slightly sweet, a classic Icelandic recipe, and it is served warm with butter straight after digging. You can have as much as you like, with a slice of smoked trout. There is a café, changing rooms and toilets at Fontana.

Facilities · cafe, changing rooms and toilets at Fontana

5End at FontanaThe experience ends back at Fontana, where you can also visit the geothermal baths.

The experience ends back at Fontana, where you can also visit the geothermal baths if you have bought a separate ticket. The bread tour itself lasts about 30 minutes.

About the geothermal rye bread tour

Laugarvatn sits on a lake heated by geothermal springs, and Fontana has used that heat for years to bake rye bread the traditional way: a pot of dough is buried in the hot sand by the shore and left there for about 24 hours. On this tour you go down to the shore, watch the pot come up, and get to taste the bread while it is still warm.

It is a short, simple stop rather than a full activity, so it fits easily either side of a soak in the Fontana geothermal baths or a Golden Circle day out. There is little walking involved and no special clothing needed, though a warm layer is worth having since part of the experience is outdoors by the lake.

Tour times run a few times a day and change slightly between summer and winter, so it is worth checking the current schedule when you book.

Included

Guided rye bread experience, about 30 minutes
As much warm rye bread as you like, with butter
A slice of smoked trout

Not included

Entry to the Fontana geothermal baths (separate ticket)
Transport to Laugarvatn

What to bring

A warm layer, since part of the visit is outdoors
Comfortable shoes

Good to know

Duration is about 30 minutes, about half of it outdoors
Suitable for all ages
Meet at the Fontana reception in Laugarvatn
Tours start at 10:15, 11:45 and 14:30
This is the bread experience only; the geothermal baths are a separate ticket

Questions people ask

Is this the same as visiting the Fontana baths?

No. This is just the rye bread experience. The geothermal baths are a separate ticket, though many visitors do both on the same day.

How long does it take?

About 30 minutes.

Is it suitable for children?

Yes, it suits all ages, though children should stay close to the guide near the hot sand.

Do we get to eat the bread?

Yes, everyone tastes the warm rye bread with butter after it comes out of the ground.

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From3,500 ISKPer person