Sundlaugin Laugaskarði (Laugaskarð Pool)

What to expect

Laugaskarð is the town pool of Hveragerði, the geothermal town at the foot of the Hellisheiði plateau on the Ring Road. Its official name is Sundlaugin Laugaskarði, the swimming pool at Laugaskarð, and it sits in a south-facing hollow on the north side of the Varmá river, sheltered from the wind. The town runs and maintains it.

The main pool is 50 m long and 12 m wide. For a long time it was by far the largest pool in Iceland, and the Icelandic national swim team trained here until 1966. What makes it different from most town pools is the water. It is a flow-through pool, heated with geothermal steam, so fresh water keeps running through rather than being recirculated and heavily treated. Hveragerði says this keeps the pH natural and the water clean.

Around the main pool you will find:

• a shallow hot pool for sitting and talking
• a hot tub with water jets
• a cold tub
• a natural steam bath fed by steam from the ground

A gym in the pool building is run by the local sports club, Hamar, and there are two beach volleyball courts on the east side. The town does not publish water temperatures for the pool or the tubs, so expect a lap pool warm enough to swim in comfortably and hot tubs in the usual Icelandic range. Test the water before you settle in.

It is a working pool, not a spa. You share it with locals, school groups and swimmers training lengths, and the price reflects that.

History

The pool was built in two stages by the local youth association, Ungmennafélag Ölfushrepps, with a great deal of volunteer labour. The first section, 25 by 12 m, opened in 1938, and the second in 1945. The swimmer Lárus Rist, who moved to Hveragerði in 1936, led the project and chose the site, and he was the first pool manager from 1938 to 1946.

In the autumn of 1963 the old building was pulled down and a new stone pool house went up, designed by the architect Gísli Halldórsson. The town notes that the building is still admired for the way it fits into the landscape.

Getting there

Hveragerði is on Route 1 (the Ring Road), about 45 km (28 miles) south-east of Reykjavík over Hellisheiði. The drive usually takes 35 to 45 minutes, but Hellisheiði can close or slow down in winter storms, so check umferdin.is before you leave in bad weather.

The pool is at Laugaskarð, off Reykjamörk on the northern edge of town, near the Varmá river. Turn north off Route 1 into Hveragerði on Breiðamörk, follow it through the centre and look for signs to the pool (sundlaug). There is parking at the pool. Strætó buses between Reykjavík and Selfoss stop in Hveragerði; check the Strætó planner for the current route and times.

When to go

The pool is open all year. The town’s hours, last updated in July 2026:

• 15 September to 14 May: Monday to Friday 06:30 to 21:00, weekends 09:00 to 17:30.
• 15 May to 14 September: Monday to Friday 06:30 to 21:30, weekends 09:00 to 19:00.

Visit Iceland lists weekday hours of 06:45 to 21:30 in summer and 06:45 to 20:30 in winter, and a 10:00 weekend opening in winter. Go by the town’s page if the two disagree, and call 483 4113 to be sure on holidays.

Weekday late mornings are usually the quietest. Summer afternoons get busier with hikers coming down from Reykjadalur, and early mornings belong to lap swimmers.

Prices and booking

There is nothing to book. Pay at the desk. Hveragerði’s council approved this price list on 13 November 2025, in force from 1 January 2026:

• Adults: ISK 1,500
• Children: ISK 440
• Children and teens under 18 living in Hveragerði: free
• 10-visit card, adults: ISK 5,640; children: ISK 1,750
• 30-visit card, adults: ISK 11,390
• 6-month card: ISK 21,920
• Annual card: ISK 38,800
• Swimsuit rental: ISK 1,040
• Towel rental: ISK 820
• Swim, swimsuit and towel together: ISK 2,750

People aged 67 and over and disabled visitors swim free, wherever they live.

Pool etiquette

Laugaskarð follows the same rules as every Icelandic pool.

• Shower without your swimsuit before you get in. Undress fully in the changing room, wash with soap, then put your swimsuit on. Staff will send you back if you skip it.
• No phones or cameras in the changing rooms.
• Young children need an adult in the water. Icelandic pool rules require children under 10 to be accompanied by a swimmer aged 15 or older, with at most two children per adult unless they are the parent or guardian.
• Shoes off before the changing room, and dry off before you go back in.

Where to stay nearby

Hveragerði has a town campsite on Reykjamörk, a few hundred metres from the pool, and several hotels and guesthouses, including Hótel Örk in the centre. Selfoss, about 12 km east, has more choice, and Reykjavík is under an hour away.

Nearby stops worth adding

The Reykjadalur trail, one of the most popular hot river walks in south Iceland, starts from a car park just north of Hveragerði. The hike to the bathing stretch of the warm river takes roughly an hour each way and has only basic changing screens, so Laugaskarð is the place to get a proper shower and a long soak afterwards. In town, Hveragerði has a small geothermal park and steaming vents in several gardens.

Safety notes

• Hot tubs: Temperatures are not posted. Ease in, keep soaks short and drink water.
• Cold tub: Brief dips only. People with heart conditions should skip it.
• Slippery decks: Tiles get slick and can ice at the edges in winter. Walk, do not run.
• Steam bath: Natural steam can be very hot and humid. Leave if you feel lightheaded.