Laugarvatn Fontana

What to expect

Laugarvatn Fontana sits on the shore of Laugarvatn, a lake in the middle of the Golden Circle whose name means “lake of the warm springs”. The ground here is geothermally active. Hot water bubbles up along the shore and under the lake bed, and the village has used it for heating, cooking and bathing for generations. Fontana’s own history notes that locals built two small bathhouses directly on top of a hot spring in 1929, and the spa’s steam room still sits over one today.

This is a mid-sized spa, much smaller than the Blue Lagoon. It works well as a soak in the middle of a long sightseeing day: you can be in and out in an hour and a half, or stay for an evening. The house rules say Fontana uses no chlorine, so the water quality depends on everyone showering properly first.

The spa closed for its most extensive renovation since it opened and reopened on 1 August 2026. The new layout keeps the same idea, with hot water by a cold lake, but gives it more room.

The baths

• Geyser steam room: a dome built straight over a hot spring. You hear it bubbling below the floor, and the steam carries a sulphur smell. Fontana says the temperature varies with the spring’s activity, usually between 104°F40°C and 122°F50°C.
• New lake baths: a set of linked outdoor pools of different depths, sizes and temperatures that now extend out toward the lake. Fontana has not yet published temperatures for the new pools, so test them as you go.
• Swim-up bar: new with the renovation. Alcohol is sold and allowed, but visibly drunk guests are refused entry.
• New sauna: with a large window looking across Laugarvatn toward Hekla.
• The lake: you can walk out of the hot baths straight into Laugarvatn for a cold dip. Some parts of the lake shore are warmed by geothermal water, and Guide to Iceland notes you can feel warm pockets when you wade in.
• Locker rooms: expanded and improved in the rebuild.

Getting there

Fontana is at Hverabraut 1 in the village of Laugarvatn, on Route 37 toward Geysir and Gullfoss. The operator gives the distances as:

• 77 km (48 miles) from Reykjavík, about 50 minutes to an hour by car
• 25 km (16 miles) from Þingvellir National Park
• 29 km (18 miles) from Geysir and Strokkur
• 39 km (24 miles) from Selfoss
• 35 km (22 miles) from Flúðir
• 121 km (75 miles) from Keflavík Airport

From Reykjavík, the usual route runs north-east on Route 1 to Mosfellsbær, then Route 36 to Þingvellir, and over Lyngdalsheiði on Route 365 to Laugarvatn. All of it is paved. Parking is beside the building.

When to go

Fontana is open all year. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.

• Summer (1 June to 30 September): daily 10:00 to 21:00.
• Winter (1 October to 31 May): daily 11:00 to 21:00.
• Last admission is 30 minutes before closing.

Midday is the busiest time, when Golden Circle tours stop on their way between Þingvellir and Geysir. Early in the morning in summer, or the last few hours on a winter evening, are usually calmer. Winter evenings have an extra draw: with clear skies and low light pollution around the lake, you have a chance of northern lights from the water.

Prices and booking

Prices listed by Fontana in October 2026:

• Adults (16 and over): ISK 7,490
• Seniors and disabled visitors: ISK 6,490
• Youth (6 to 15): ISK 4,990
• Children (0 to 5): free

Book online at book.fontana.is. Walk-ins are welcome if the day is not sold out. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full bath refund. Groups of more than ten should email [email protected].

The geothermal bakery tour

Fontana is known for its rúgbrauð, a dark, sweet rye bread baked in a pot buried in the hot ground by the lake. The tour starts at reception, shows how the bread is dug up and lets you taste it warm.

• Prices: adults ISK 3,350, seniors and disabled ISK 3,000, ages 6 to 15 ISK 2,500, under 6 free.
• Times: the hours page lists daily tours at 10:15, 11:45 and 14:30 in summer and at 11:45 and 14:30 from 1 October to 31 May. The FAQ page on the same site gives different times, so confirm when you book.
• Cancellation: at least 48 hours ahead for a full refund.

Tours often sell out. Quarter loaves are usually sold to take away in the bistro, depending on what the spring has baked.

Rules and etiquette

• Shower without your swimsuit before bathing. Fontana stresses that this is Icelandic law and especially important here because the water is not chlorinated.
• Clean swimwear only. No underwear, shorts or T-shirts in the water.
• Children under 10 must be with a swimming-capable adult aged 16 or over, at most two children per adult unless they are the parent or guardian. Under-16s need an adult in the sauna and steam room.
• Quiet zones: the steam room and sauna. Silence your phone.
• Photography: allowed in the pools and outdoor areas, strictly banned in the changing rooms.
• No smoking or vaping anywhere on site, indoors or out, and no glass in the pool areas.

Where to stay nearby

Fontana itself has no rooms, but Laugarvatn village is a few minutes’ walk away and has a small campsite on the north side of the village and a hostel on Dalbraut. Selfoss (39 km) and Flúðir (35 km) have more choice, and many people simply drive back to Reykjavík in about an hour.

Safety notes

• Steam room heat: At 104 to 122°F40 to 50°C with full humidity, the steam room gets very hot. Short sessions, plenty of water.
• Hot to cold: Fontana itself pitches the cold lake dip at “the healthy hearted”. People with heart or blood pressure problems should skip it.
• Lake swimming: Treat the lake as open, cold water. Stay close to the shore and keep children within reach.
• Alcohol: Drinks from the swim-up bar plus hot water dehydrate you quickly.
• Winter footing: Paths between the baths and the lake can ice up. Walk carefully.