Silica , the Blue Lagoon ’ s 35-room hotel , is a 10-minute walk . ( It is closing in April and will reopen later this year as a 60-room luxury hotel with a new restaurant .)
Jessica and I spent hours walking on the lagoon ’ s smooth rock floor . We eventually relaxed , although we had to dodge tourists who splashed through the water in search of the perfect selfie backdrop .
One of the lagoon ’ s best features is its swim-up bar , where you can buy smoothies and water . We also tried the in-water massage ( about $ 80 for 30 minutes , but you can skip it unless you like the sensation of sinking ), had lunch at Lava ( some of the best food in Iceland ) and returned to the lagoon for several more hours .
The warm water is addictive , so we were glad to have allotted an entire day for the visit .
Hvalfjardarlaug
A 42-minute drive north of Reykjavik took us through lush green valleys , across bridges over rocky streams and down a pothole-riddled dirt road to one of the most magical spots I have ever visited .
We were sure we were in the wrong place , so we parked our car to avoid blocking the road , then made our way down a dirty path .
When we reached the pebble-lined shore
of the Hvalfjordur fiord , we turned left and walked about eight minutes ( our hotel concierge had provided us with instructions ) until we came to a tiny man-made pool surrounded by rocks . The hot water is piped in from a nearby spring .
The fiord ’ s deep blue water and green mountains are the backdrop for the small hot tub , which fits two people comfortably . Birdsong and the sound of water lapping lazily at the shoreline provided the soundtrack for the afternoon .
As we sat alone in the warm pool , we felt as though we had dropped into someone ’ s “ Wish you were here ” postcard . We alone enjoyed the solitude ; we hadn ’ t seen another human being in miles .
But isolation isn ’ t guaranteed . If someone happens to be in the pool when you arrive , you ’ ll have to wait your turn .
Secret Lagoon
The name may stem from the difficulty in finding this place . After our map app failed us , we had to stop at a gas station for directions .
The Secret Lagoon , created in 1891 , is one of the oldest swimming pools in Iceland . It ’ s in the small town of Fludir , a little more than an hour ’ s drive east of Reykjavik .
It ’ s a popular stop on the 186-mile Golden Circle tour , which also includes the Geysir geyser , the Gullfoss waterfall and the Kerid Crater Lake .
We arrived in the morning , which was smart because access is limited to control crowding . ( The website lists designated times for tour groups , so plan to arrive before or after them .)
The lagoon is behind a small building , where you check in and pay about $ 25 to enter .
The Secret Lagoon is about the size of a large backyard swimming pool and is surrounded by dense forest in one direction and rolling green hills in the other .
Steam rose from the ground , creating a dense fog over the water . A walking path allowed us to explore the spurting , bubbling hot springs without getting too close . We spent a couple of hours in the lagoon , which was ample time to relax and work up an appetite for lunch .
Laugarvatn Fontana
Laugarvatn Fontana looks more like a heated public swimming pool than a hot spring , with shallow geothermal baths with tile walls and floors .
Not only is geothermal heat used to warm the baths , but it ’ s also used to bake bread underground . The rye created in its geothermal bakery is delicious . You may want to stop for lunch rather than a soak in the pool
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