Jóhann Viking
Hot Swimming Pools in Reykjavík
We Icelanders are very lucky to have geothermally heated running water in most of the inhabited part of the country. That’s why we can have all these hot tubs in our gardens and summerhouses and take long hot showers. Although in some places water is heated by electricity, such as where I grew up in Raufarhöfn.
And foreigners think it‘s remarkable how many pools we have and that there are so many hot tubs by each pool. Several hot tubs with different temperatures. Steam baths, heated pool for swimming and then usually another pool for playing. Slides, sauna, seawater hot tub and then we have cold pots too.
There are about 100 swimming pools in Iceland, almost one in each town, and more in some towns.
In the capital area there are about 17 swimming pools.
The first concrete swimming pool was built in Laugardalur, where Laugardalslaug is now located. It‘s also the largest swimming pool in Iceland.
Laugardalslaug has a heated seawater tub, 5 other hot tubs, a 50m swimming pool, and another pool for playing. There‘s also an indoor pool. Then there is a small children‘s hot tub outside as well.
Laugardalslaug has the largest gym in the country, owned by World Class. It‘s great to have a good workout there and then hop into the cold pot before warming up in the steam bath.
If you want to go to a swimming pool with a gym, I also recommend the swimming pool at Seltjarnarnes. There‘s a World Class gym there as well.
The access to the pool is free if you pay for the gym. Both in Laugardalslaug and Seltjarnarnes. In Seltjarnarnes you‘ll find a cold pot, a big and fun slide, a swimming pool, hot tubs, and a children’s pool.
The swimming pool in Breiðholt is also connected to a World Class. It has an indoor pool, 2 hot pots, a children’s pool, a swimming pool, and 2 slides. But it doesn‘t have a cold pot. No wonder I don‘t go there!
It’s not possible to write a blog about swimming pools in Iceland without mentioning Sundhöll Reykjavíkur. This is Iceland’s oldest swimming pool and it has undergone considerable remodelling over the past years. Here you have pools both inside and outside, a 25m swimming pool and there‘s also a large springboard which can be thrilling to jump off. There’s also a jacuzzi, 2 hot tubs, children’s pool, paddling pool, sauna, and don‘t forget the best bit about the swimming pool experience: the cold pot.
They also sell swimwear, so if you forget to bring your own you can buy or rent. There‘s even free WiFi. I recommend this pool.
There’s a lot of great swimming pools in addition to those I’ve mentioned.
For example:
Hafnarfjörður’s oldest swimming pool, Hafnarfjörður Sundhöll.
Salalaug in Kópavogur.
Krossneslaug
Seljavallalaug.
And many more.