16 Sep What to Know Before Visiting Seljavallalaug Pool in Iceland

One of the most popular and well-known locations in Iceland is the Blue Lagoon. It is famous for its striking blue waters and the fact it is a geothermal pool. No matter the temperature in Iceland, the Blue Lagoon offers warm waters and a chance for relaxation. However, the Blue Lagoon is not the only geothermal pool Iceland has to offer. Seljavallalaug Pool is actually the oldest pool in Iceland and is also a geothermal pool. The pool is a pretty well known tourist destination, attracting visitors all year round. Additionally, travel a little further and you will find two somewhat hidden hot springs with more privacy and even better views.

Looking for other places to swim in Iceland?: Best Places to Swim in Iceland. The list does not just include geothermal pools. Instead, it even includes the glacial river within Stuðlagil Canyon.

Contents:

1) Location of Seljavallalaug Pool

2) Opening Hours and Entrance Fee

3) The Best Time to Visit

4) Quick Facts

5) Background

6) Condition of the Pool and Changing Rooms

7) Nearby Hidden Hot Springs

8) Recommended Items to Bring

1) Location of Seljavallalaug Pool 

• Region: Southern Iceland
• Location

Seljavallalaug Pool is located in southern Iceland. It is a bit far from Reykjavík, as it is a two hour drive east from the city. However, it is only a 35 minute drive west from the town of Vík. 

Some nearby attractions to Seljavallalaug Pool include Seljalandsfoss + Gljúfrabúi Waterfalls as well as Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. Trust me, they are worth a visit!

Driving Directions

To access Seljavallalaug Pool, you will need to drive along Route 1, no matter from which direction you are coming. Then turn onto road 242, also known as Raufarfellsvegur. Continue straight onto Seljavellir Road, and you will then shortly arrive at the parking lot. 

Parking

There are two parking lots available: (1) Swimming Pool Car Park (2) Seljavallalaug Bílastæði. The second lot is further down the road from the first, which can cut down your walking time by about 15 minutes. We chose to park at the second lot, for less walking time meant we could thus spend more time at the geothermal pool. No one else was parked there when we arrived, so we were the first ones. However, when we returned to the lot as we were leaving, multiple other cars were parked beside us. 

There is not necessarily a defined trail from the parking lot to the pool. Simply follow along the river for 20 minutes. It is a fairly easy walk as it is entirely flat, though it is rocky at some points. 

Lodging

For nearby lodging, we stayed the previous night at Skyggnir Bed and Breakfast within the Golden Circle. If you plan to stay within the Golden Circle, take a look at the best Golden Circle hotels. We then spent the following night at South Iceland Guesthouse, which is slightly west of the town of Vík. 

Additionally, you can take a look at the most romantic hotels in Iceland if you want to turn your trip into a romantic getaway.

The view while walking to the hidden hot springs

2) Opening Hours and Entrance Fee

• Opening hours: 24/7
• Entrance fee: none

This information will be fairly easy to remember. First, the pool is open all day, every day. Second, there is no entrance fee. No person or organization regulates visitation for the pool, and thus you are welcome to visit at your convenience. 

However, I will say that you should clean up after yourself, even though no one regulates the area. Seljavallalaug Pool has unfortunately suffered from visitors who left trash, dirty clothes, food, etc. Therefore, let us each do our part to keep this attraction as clean and beautiful as possible.

Another attraction in Iceland that has suffered from misuse and abuse is Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. It was closed a few years ago for restoration purposes. Let us take care of the attractions in Iceland so that they can be open for people to enjoy for many years to come.

Seljavallalaug Pool with the changing rooms in the background

3) The Best Time to Visit

I visited the pool in late summer – in August to be specific. Iceland weather tends to be in the 50s and 60s Fahrenheit (~10 to 15 Celsius) in the month of August. That being said, we had perfect weather for a visit to Seljavallalaug Pool.

However, Iceland always offers good weather for a visit to a geothermal pool simply due to the fact it never gets too hot. If you visit in summer, you will not be shivering as you climb into the pool. On the other hand, if you visit in winter, you will get to see Iceland and Seljavallalaug Pool as a winter wonderland. 

Long story short, any time is a good time to visit. 

4) Quick Facts on Seljavallalaug Pool

1. It is the oldest human-made pool in Iceland. 

2. There is no entrance fee, and it is open 24/7. 

3. It is located in southern Iceland, about 30 minutes west from the town of Vík.

4. There are two hidden hot springs just a couple of minutes beyond the pool. 

Seljavallalaug Pool and surrounding scenery

5) Background 

• Oldest pool in Iceland
• Geothermal pool

Seljavallalaug Pool is the oldest pool in Iceland. A man created it in 1923 to help people learn how to swim. In the past, Iceland required students to learn how to swim as part of its educational requirements.

Temperature of Seljavallalaug Pool

Water flowing from a natural hot spring fills the pool. However, the temperature often leans more towards lukewarm than hot. To find the warmest spot, check out where the water from the hot spring flows into the pool. On the other hand, the cooler spots are generally in the shallow sections. For reference, the temperature varies from about 68 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit (~20 to 35 degrees Celsius) based on the time of year. 

Are you also interested in checking out the glacial waters of Iceland? Then head to the Silfra fissure for snorkeling and the Glacier Lagoon for kayaking.

Size of Seljavallalaug Pool

The pool is approximately 32 feet (~10 meters) wide and 82 feet (~25 meters) long. In terms of depth, the deepest sections are around six feet (~2 meters) deep. Furthermore, it held the title of the largest swimming pool in Iceland for about 14 years until the mid 1930s. 

For more geothermal pools, check out the Blue Lagoon on the Reykjanes Peninsula and Myvatn Nature Baths in the north.

Up-close view of Seljavallalaug Pool

6) Condition of Seljavallalaug Pool and Changing Rooms 

• The pool has some algae
• Changing rooms are in poor condition

On the plus side, there is no fee required for Seljavallalaug Pool. However, no one maintains the pool or changing rooms. First, the water will appear somewhat green in color, and that is simply due to the algae growing in the pool. Nevertheless, the algae did not stop anyone from entering or enjoying themselves while we were there. It is only something to keep in mind so as to not be surprised by the green color of the water or the floating chunks of algae while swimming. 

Second, the changing rooms are not in the best shape. Unfortunately, previous visitors did not take care of them nor did they clean up after themselves, leaving behind garbage as well as wet clothing. I would recommend not using the changing rooms at all. Instead, prepare for swimming before beginning the short walk to the pool. We decided to change into our swimsuits in the car, and then we simply put our clothes back on over our suits. It was too chilly to wear only our swimsuits out and about. At the pool, there are plenty of rocks on which to set your clothes so they do not get wet or dirty.

7) Nearby Hidden Hot Springs

• 5 minutes past Seljavallalaug Pool
• 2 geothermal pool dimensions: 5′ x 4′ x 1′ and 6′ x 6′ x 1′

As we headed to Seljavallalaug Pool from our previous stop, I decided to double check the google reviews. My type A personality wanted to make sure we were going to the correct parking lot and knew how to walk to the pool from there. To my surprise, I saw an interesting review under Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool in google maps. The review said to walk another five minutes past the pool to find two small, hidden hot springs. There were no detailed directions on how to get there in the review, but we decided to take our chances and see if we could find it.

Directions to the Hidden Pools

We walked past Seljavallalaug Pool, staying on the left side of the river. Then we came to a section where the river covered our walkway. Leaning forward and around the small bend, we tried to see if there was this so-called hot spring waiting for us on the other side. And there it was. We probably would not have noticed it if it was not for the fact two people were already there. They had a red shirt lying on a rock that gave them away.

Pointing to one of the hidden hot springs

Now we had to decide, do we walk through this river to get there? Of course we did. The water was not deep, for it only rose slightly above our ankles. Additionally, we did not have to walk more than 30 feet in the water. We stayed on the very left, hugging the mountain. I will say, the water was COLD. We walked in the water for a total of maybe 30 seconds, but that was enough to make my feet hurt from the cold temperature. 

Descriptions of the Hidden Pools

But it was so worth it. The people there left shortly after we arrived, and we then had the place to ourselves. We also actually found two hot springs. One is up against the mountain, slightly higher than the other. The other is right along the river, and this is the one slightly visible from the other side of the river crossing. It is almost a perfect circle, surrounded by a pile of rocks. We stayed here for almost two hours to enjoy the warm water, appreciate the beautiful scenery, and watch the sheep graze in the grass. 

For more information: Best Hidden Hot Springs in Southern Iceland.

Relaxing in the hidden hot springs, appreciating the view

8) Recommended Items to Bring

Need to ease the stress of packing? Check out my Iceland summer road trip packing list and international travel essentials.

1. Towel: A towel and the warmth it provides will be greatly appreciated during the walk back to the car in a wet bathing suit (if not utilizing the changing rooms). Amazon has a variety of travel towels, including the green Rainleaf microfiber towel. Travel towels are specifically designed to conserve space and dry quickly for greater convenience while traveling.

2. Flip flops: If you do not want to get your socks wet, then you might want to opt for flip flops while walking back to your car. Yes, your feet will probably be a bit cold. 

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Look at our Iceland itinerary for some inspiration: 9 Day Road Trip Itinerary for Iceland.

Do go chasing waterfalls: The 4 Best Waterfalls in Iceland.