Sky Lagoon is a luxury spa in Iceland located less than 15 minutes away from the capital.

With the North Atlantic Ocean as its backdrop, Sky Lagoon is a luxury wellness destination in Iceland surrounded by stunning natural beauty including rock formations and captivating water views. Located on the edge of Kópavogur (Iceland’s largest town) and less than 15 minutes from the capital city of Reykjavik, the thermal spa provides the perfect setting for relaxing after one’s adventures with amenities and experiences inspired by Icelandic bathing culture. During the colder months, guests can also witness the Northern Lights from the lagoon.

From saunas with floor-to-ceiling glass windows that highlight sea views to a 230-foot, infinity-edge lagoon pool, Sky Lagoon offers guests an opportunity to experience warmth and wonder. Its popular Skjól Ritual is a seven-step healing journey that combines various cold and warm elements such as a cold plunge, traditional Icelandic turf house, geothermal lagoon, and cold mist, among others.

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Guests can choose between a Saman Pass and a Sér Pass, depending on the experience they seek. The Saman Pass is Sky Lagoon’s classic and most popular pass and includes admission, a journey through the Skjól Ritual, public changing facilities, and a towel. The Sér Pass is an elevated and exclusive experience that includes private changing facilities and samples of Sky Lagoon’s signature Sky Body Lotion.

To complement guests’ visits, Sky Lagoon also has three different Icelandic culinary options including a cafe that serves fresh, hearty, and light meals; a cave-side bar that serves beer, cocktails, and wine in the lagoon; as well as a snack bar that offers unique tasting platters that highlight the best seasonal ingredients and local dishes.

We chatted with Helga Albertsdottir, Managing Director at Sky Lagoon, to learn more about special amenities and treatments to try, insider tips, and more.

Sky Lagoon’s infinity-edge pool opens to the North Atlantic Ocean against a backdrop of natural rocks.

Why You’ll Love It:  The abundance of natural hot water in Iceland has, since settlement, been a big draw to Iceland. Geothermal hot water bathing has always been what made living here easier and more enjoyable—both our healing and our shelter. Sky Lagoon is all about honoring this bathing tradition, heritage, and history; we build on this philosophy in everything we do.

We try our best to stay true to our roots and work with the local community and vendors to create this special place. When travelers come to Iceland, they like to do what the locals do and our bathing culture is for most a very prominent part of any visit to Iceland. Along with this special bond to Icelandic culture, Sky Lagoon is conveniently located within the capital area so it is easy to get to and from.

Towering lava cliffs then encapsulate the lagoon and the Skjól Ritual so you are embraced with a new version of privacy so although the experience is shared it is only shared with those who are going through the same journey. This makes the experience all the more unique.

The journey through hot and cold is a healing journey for the body and mind, and the closeness to the ocean offers the opportunity to release your worries onto it and regain strength from the Atlantic, just like our forefathers did; however, this time through an elevated spa experience.

Amenities at Sky Lagoon include a cold plunge overlooking the geothermal infinity pool.

Key Features: Sky Lagoon features a geothermal infinity pool with breathtaking ocean views, along with a rejuvenating seven-step wellness journey called the Skjól Ritual. Indulge in Skjól, designed to rejuvenate the body and mind—experience the warmth of the lagoon (Laug), the invigorating cold plunge (Kuldi), warm up in one of our two saunas with panoramic views (Ylur), soothing steam room (Gufa), enjoy our signature sea salt body scrub or finish the circle with a delicious cold crowberry juice shot called Saft. A real Icelandic treat!

In the lagoon, you can find a lagoon bar named Gelmir Bar where you can purchase drinks on the wristband you are provided in the welcome area. This same wristband works as the key to your locker, but we offer two different changing rooms—Saman, which are shared changing rooms split into male and female; or opt for Sér, which grants access to private changing areas for a more exclusive and serene experience.

Afterward, you can savor the moment at Keimur Café for some freshly baked goods or at Smakk Bar, where you can delight in Icelandic treats and sip on local drinks. Sky Lagoon blends relaxation, nature, and Icelandic tradition, offering a truly unforgettable experience.

Sky Lagoon also has two saunas that offer panoramic views.

Insider’s Tip: Start with a visit to Skjól Ritual. We always recommend starting with a journey through Skjól Ritual. It truly takes the relaxation to another level, and you soak and enjoy the rest of the lagoon and its stunning ocean views at a much deeper level.

Smakk Bar is a hidden gem when it comes to finding authentic Icelandic cuisine. This is often a hard find as the world becomes a more ominous place, but at Smakk Bar you can find the best of Icelandic cuisine in bite sizes so you can taste so much more on one platter.

The Sky Platter, our most popular platter, includes Icelandic cheeses, gravlax with specially made sauce, wild game paté with reindeer and goose, and happy marriage cake with rhubarb.

Guests have their choice between the classic or phone-free sauna.

Bonus: All you need to bring is your swimsuit. Towels are included as well as shampoo and conditioner, hairdryers, and bags for wet swimsuits. With the Sér pass you will get private changing rooms with the signature Sky Lagoon body lotion to complete the smooth skin. The Skjól Ritual is included in all Saman and Sér passes so all of our guests get to enjoy the seven-step wellness journey.

The saunas offer a peaceful space to enjoy ocean views through floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

Snacks Served: We believe in honoring Icelandic culture, tradition, and heritage in everything we do—big and small. This meant looking for food vendors that share our ideology and bring even greater depth to our guests’ journeys. The search took some time, but resulted in a team of extraordinary local partners that now work with us to create unforgettable and authentic experiences at Sky Lagoon.

Our partners are local family businesses and community members who have made a mark on the Icelandic food saga—from our island nation’s first specialty coffee shop to one of the oldest bakeries in Iceland.

Ingredients arrive from throughout Iceland. The game is hunted by a father-son duo roaming the historic fields of Landeyjar, South Iceland. Pickled herring originates from the charming fishing village of Djúpivogur. All of our offerings blend in perfect harmony with one another and with every smakk (meaning taste) on our distinctly Icelandic platters.

Smakk Bar: Sample Iceland's culinary world at Smakk Bar. Team your lagoon experience with a unique tasting platter, offering a taste of the flavors that are characteristic of our island nation. It's an inspiring way to connect with Iceland in a whole new sense. Vegan and gluten-free options are available. 
Keimur Café: Relax and refuel. Join us at Keimur Café following your experience in the lagoon for fresh, hearty, and light meals served café-style. Enjoy sandwiches, soups, and rustic Icelandic specialties.

The Women’s Vitality Lounge has heated stone loungers, a steam room, sauna, and more.

Splurge Treatment:  Sky Lagoon for Two with Sér passes is the perfect thing to book for the full experience. It includes two passes with private changing rooms and Sky Lagoon skincare, the complete Skjól Ritual, and afterward the best-of-everything Sky Platter at Smakk Bar with one drink included per person. It is the ideal relaxation and guides you through the best of Icelandic culture both through soaking in it as well as savoring its taste.

The seven-step Skjól Ritual includes a refreshing cold mist that mimics the Icelandic winds and crisp, cool drizzle.

Insider’s Favorite: Laug and Mýkt are my favorite—I really can’t choose, but if I had to these would be at the top of my list. Laug, the lagoon is the first step where the healing begins. Soaking in geothermally natural hot water with towering lava cliffs and incredible views that change every time you visit. Wading around the lagoon to refresh at the waterfall, lounge at the infinity edge, or have a cold beverage at Gelmir bar, located in a small lava nook.

Mýkt is the heart of the Ritual experience and the balance between hot and cold has been leading up to this exfoliating sea salt experience. The scent is so natural and fitting for the experience and when the oils shrink into your skin in the steam, the enlivening effects truly last.

Individual showers and changing rooms are also available at Sky Lagoon.

Most Unique Treatment: Icelandic bathing culture as a whole is quite unique, we enjoy our natural geothermal bathing in any type of weather, every day of the year. We start at an infant age and carry on into retirement.  Sky Lagoon is all about honoring this sacred tradition and with each step of the Skjól Ritual you are introduced to new ways to explore it. It includes seven steps:

Laug: The lagoon offers splendid views over the Atlantic Ocean but our cultural connection with the ocean was one of the reasons why all Icelanders needed to know how to swim. The way it takes away worries and greets you with stunning views, sunsets, boats, and sometimes even seals. On dark winter nights the Northern Lights are also often visible from the lagoon—this has been especially prominent this winter and experts say will be for the fall and winters to come.
Kuldi: Our cold plunge is an homage to one of the oldest pools in Iceland, Snorrlaug. It is a perfect replica using the same basalt rocks and formation tactic.
Ylur: Our saunas offer two options, but are quiet zones and one is completely device-less for complete serenity. The views are displayed through the largest windows in Iceland and offer incredible views. Our favorite is to sit in the hot sauna in strong winds and watch the ocean and wildlife frolic around.
Súld: The cold mist is the local favorite. You walk through drizzling cold mist and most find a connection with their inner child, smile, and move playfully around. In the air, you will find a gigantic rock stuck in between the ceiling posts reminding us about the natural forces that surround us.
Mýkt: The Sky Lagoon Scrub features natural oils with hints of the flora surrounding the lagoon mixed with sea salt—our signature scrub is for many a highlight. It is the heart of the turfhouse and the surroundings are truly like stepping back into a simpler time, relaxing and rejuvenating.
Gufa: The steam room. You are immersed in thick steam and sit with the scrub to let the oils absorb into your skin for the best results and long-lasting, soft skin.
Saft: A healthy juice shot made from crowberries mixed with Icelandic herbal tea. Filled with antioxidants and vitamin C. The perfect cold refreshment at the end of the Ritual journey.

We happily invite all our guests to go through this journey—truly a shared unique experience.

Guests soak in the stunning views while settling into the natural warmth of the lagoon.

Featured Products: We have our own skincare line which you can purchase in our retail section. This includes our signature Sky Lagoon scrub, our shampoo and conditioner, as well as body lotion—all of which you can experience during your visit. It is the perfect buy to revisit the Skjól Ritual at home.

Other items sold are from local vendors including As We Grow, Farmers Market, Te & Kaffi, and Inga Elín ceramics.