About Laugarás Lagoon
Laugarás Lagoon opened in August 2025 in the village of Laugarás in south Iceland, on the banks of the Hvítá river. It is Iceland's first two-tiered geothermal lagoon -- the upper and lower pools are connected by a cascading waterfall, which is a first for any geothermal facility in the country. The lagoon sits directly on the Golden Circle route, about 94 km from Reykjavík and 25 minutes from Geysir, making it a natural addition to a Golden Circle day out.
The building is designed to sit low in the landscape, with grass-covered rooflines, arch shapes drawn from local lava cave forms, and large windows looking out over the river and surrounding forest. The geothermal water is maintained between 38 and 40°C.
What's included
The lagoon has two levels of geothermal pools connected by the waterfall, a sheltered grotto with built-in seating, two dry saunas with views over the Hvítá river valley, a cold plunge pool, and swim-up bars serving drinks within the water. Changing rooms have private lockers and vanity stations. Entry is ticketed and time-slotted, so advance booking is recommended, particularly in summer and during the Northern Lights season.
Three ticket tiers are available. The standard Birki admission covers access to the pools and facilities. The mid-tier Lerki admission adds a towel and a complimentary drink. The premium Ösp package includes everything in Lerki plus a two-course meal at Ylja Restaurant. Swimwear is required; rental is available on site. Minimum age is 8 years old.
Ylja Restaurant
The on-site restaurant Ylja -- the Icelandic word for warmth -- is run by chef Gísli Matt, who previously ran Slippurinn on the Westman Islands and is known for modern Icelandic cooking rooted in local ingredients. The menu draws on produce from nearby farms, local fisheries, wild herbs, seaweeds, and berries from the Laugarás area, as well as ingredients grown in geothermal greenhouses in the region. The restaurant seats 80 indoors with additional outdoor seating overlooking the lagoon, and there is a separate private dining room.
Laugarás Lagoon on the Golden Circle
Laugarás Lagoon is well positioned for combining with the main Golden Circle stops. Geysir is about 25 minutes away, Gullfoss about 30 minutes, and Þingvellir roughly an hour. Many visitors use the lagoon as the final stop on a Golden Circle day, ending with a soak before the drive back to Reykjavík. It also makes a good add-on for Golden Circle self-drive tours.
