Blue Lagoon, Iceland: Our Honest Review After 3 Visits
Blue Lagoon, Iceland, is touristy, of course, but it’s such a great experience you have to try at least once. We love it so much, we’ve gone three times and can’t wait to go again. The Blue Lagoon has expanded quite a bit and gotten a lot more crowded since our first visit over a decade ago, but we have some great tips to help you make the most of the experience. Here’s how to choose the right ticket, when to go, and whether to stay, plus the upgrade we’d skip next time.
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👉 Spending a few days in the city, too? Check out our Reykjavik itinerary for 3 days in Iceland’s capital.
How the Blue Lagoon in Iceland Has Changed
On our first visit in 2015, we showed up in the afternoon without a reservation and managed to get a time slot. It was a risk then, but it’s impossible now. Iceland and all its hot spots have become much more crowded over the years, and the Blue Lagoon is no exception.
The Blue Lagoon has also grown a lot. The main lagoon has been expanded, and The Retreat at Blue Lagoon, a luxury hotel and spa with its own lagoon, opened in 2018 right around our second time visiting. On our first trip, the Silica Hotel was still being converted from a clinic into a hotel, but we finally stayed there on our most recent visit, and we loved it.
Planning Tip: Book your Blue Lagoon tickets in advance, especially in summer. Walk-ins are no longer an option.
Blue Lagoon Tickets: Comfort vs. Premium vs. Signature
Every Blue Lagoon day ticket includes entry to the main lagoon, the sauna and steam bath, a silica mud mask, a towel, and a drink. Prices vary by time slot, and are based on demand, so these are starting prices:
- Comfort: From 11,990 ISK, or about $99. This is the basic ticket, with one non-alcoholic drink.
- Premium: From 14,990 ISK, or about $124. It adds a drink of your choice at the in-water bar, two more masks, and a bathrobe.
- Signature: From 18,490 ISK, or about $153. It adds a second drink and skincare products to take home.
We booked Premium on our second visit so we could use the priority lane. It was worth it because the lagoon was so packed that they were running behind on letting timed entries in. We’re not sure the priority lane is still part of Premium, so check before you book if that’s your main reason for upgrading.
If you want something quieter and more upscale, the Retreat Spa has its own lagoon and spa at The Retreat. We haven’t tried it yet, but hope to next time if the budget allows.
Should You Visit the Blue Lagoon at the Start or End of Your Trip?
The Blue Lagoon is closer to Keflavík Airport than it is to Reykjavik, so it’s easiest to visit on your way into or out of Iceland. We recommend one of these two options:
Start Your Trip at the Blue Lagoon
Many flights from the US land early in the morning, long before hotels in Reykjavik are ready for you. But Blue Lagoon opens at 8 a.m. (7 a.m. in peak season). So, a day pass on your arrival day gives you a place to relax, shower, and wake up before you head into the city.
Mistake to Avoid: Flight delays are a big risk here. Give yourself plenty of time between landing and your time slot, and consider having something to eat first. If that feels too risky, book the Blue Lagoon for your way back to the airport instead.
End Your Trip at the Blue Lagoon
Visiting on your way back to Keflavík is the safer choice. You can shower and change at the lagoon, so just bring a small bag for your wet bathing suit. Even better, spend your last night at the Silica Hotel so you’re closer to the airport the next morning.
Blue Lagoon Iceland From the Airport or Reykjavik
The Blue Lagoon is about 20 minutes from Keflavík Airport and about 45 minutes from Reykjavik. You can rent a car, but buses run to the lagoon from both the airport and Reykjavik for $25, and you can often add a transfer when you book your ticket. Avoid taxis if you can, because they’re shockingly expensive in Iceland.
Pro Tip: Do not take taxis. On one snowy winter trip, our shuttle never showed up at the stop, and we ended up paying about $150 extra for a taxi. But the bus from the lagoon to the airport the next day went smoothly (as well as every other time we’ve taken it).
If you’re visiting on the way to or from the airport with your luggage, there’s luggage storage at the lagoon, so you don’t have to bring your suitcase inside. Check the current hours and fees before you go.
Silica Hotel Blue Lagoon: Why We’d Stay Again
The Silica Hotel at Blue Lagoon has its own private lagoon for hotel guests, and that’s one of the big reasons we loved it. We shared it with only a few other guests on our winter trip, and one morning we even had it all to ourselves. Our stay included Premium access to the main lagoon, but we never went down, since we’d been there twice already and were enjoying the solitude.
One thing we loved in winter was getting into the water inside the hotel and swimming out to the lagoon, so you don’t have to run in and out in the cold. It was surreal to sit in the warm water in the dark with rain, sleet, and fog all around us.
Our package included a four-course dinner at Lava, the Blue Lagoon’s main restaurant, and the breakfast the next morning was also very nice. The whole package was pricey but still cost less or about the same as a night in Reykjavik with a tasting menu dinner in town.
Mistake to Avoid: We paid more for a room with a view at Silica in December, and the view was just a pile of snow on the terrace. I feel kind of dumb about that now. So, don’t make my mistake. Skip the upgrade in winter.
Planning Tip: The Silica Hotel is closer to Keflavík than Reykjavik, so it’s a great choice for a layover or an overnight stopover. 👉 Read more about adding a free stopover in our stopover flight tips post.
Best Time to Visit the Blue Lagoon: Winter vs. Summer
The Blue Lagoon is great all year. In winter, the dark, the steam, and the cold air make it feel surreal, and the indoor entry at the Silica Hotel makes it easier than I imagined. In summer, the main lagoon is very social, but it’s also crowded, and the long daylight hours mean the lagoon stays open later. Wherever you go, check the Blue Lagoon’s status before your trip. Volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula have closed it several times since 2023.
Where to Eat at the Blue Lagoon
Lava is a wonderful dinner experience that’s open to anyone with a reservation. It’s an open floor plan built into a lava cliff, so the setting is perfect, but does feel a little less intimate than we’d prefer. We had the four-course tasting menus, one meat-forward and one vegan, for $121 each. The lamb was Theo’s favorite dish. Mine was a butternut squash soup. Everything was fantastic. For something quick, Blue Café near the entrance has soups, sandwiches, and skyr. 👉 Read the full dining guide to Blue Lagoon restaurants on Foodie Frontiers.
Blue Lagoon Iceland Tips
- Book ahead: Time slots sell out, especially in summer.
- Plan around your flight: Leave plenty of time after landing, or go on your way back to the airport.
- Consider Premium on busy days: It was worth it for us when the line was long, but check what’s included first.
- Bring a bag for your wet suit: You can shower and change at the lagoon before your flight.
- Skip taxis: They’re too expensive. Book a bus transfer or rent a car (we love Blue Car Rental).
- Check for closures: Volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula can close the lagoon with little notice.
Is the Blue Lagoon in Iceland Worth It?
Yes. It’s touristy and crowded, but we’ve been three times and would happily go again, especially to the Silica Hotel. Book It If: You want an easy, relaxing stop at the start or end of your trip, close to the airport. Skip It If: You hate crowds and don’t want to pay extra for the Silica Hotel or the Retreat Spa to get away from them.
👉 Flying Icelandair to Reykjavik? Read our Icelandair Saga Premium review.
Blue Lagoon, Iceland: At-a-Glance
- Distance: About 20 minutes from Keflavík Airport and 45 minutes from Reykjavik
- Tickets: Comfort starts at about $99, Premium starts at about $124, and Signature starts at about $153
- Our pick: Premium on busy days, or a night at the Silica Hotel
- When to go: On your way into or out of Iceland
- Best season: All year, with a surreal winter and a social, crowded summer
- Book ahead: Yes, always
- Upgrade to skip: A room with a view at the Silica Hotel in winter
Blue Lagoon, Iceland: FAQs
Do You Need to Book the Blue Lagoon in Advance?
Yes. We walked in and got a time slot on our first visit in 2015, but that’s impossible now. Book your ticket as soon as you know your flight times.
How Far Is the Blue Lagoon From Keflavík Airport?
The Blue Lagoon is about 20 minutes from Keflavík Airport and about 45 minutes from Reykjavik. That’s why it’s easiest to visit on your way into or out of Iceland.
Can You Visit the Blue Lagoon on a Layover?
Yes, if you have enough time to get there, relax, and get back for your flight. You can store your luggage at the lagoon, and the Silica Hotel is a great option if you have an overnight layover or stopover.
Is the Blue Lagoon Better in Winter or Summer?
We’ve loved it in both. Winter feels surreal with the dark, steam, and cold air, while summer is more social but more crowded at the main lagoon.
Is Sky Lagoon Better Than the Blue Lagoon?
We haven’t been to Sky Lagoon, so we can’t compare them firsthand. We have friends who’ve been to both and prefer Blue Lagoon. It’s popular for a reason. The Blue Lagoon is a great option if you want to visit on your way to or from Keflavík, since it’s close to the airport.
Have you been to the Blue Lagoon? Tell us whether you’d go back in the comments.