Swimming pools in Iceland aren’t just for leisure and exercise—they’ve been a cultural cornerstone in the country for centuries, serving as a melting pot for people of all ages and backgrounds throughout its small communities. One of the oldest swimming pools, Seljavallalaug, is tucked in an impossibly green bowl of mountains, dotted with waterfalls, along the southwestern coastline of Iceland, a popular corridor with tourists that’s packed with hot springs, black sand beaches, and glaciers. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting the Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool, one of the most beautiful hot springs in Iceland.
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What is the Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool?
Seljavallalaug, a geothermally heated swimming pool, was built in 1923, making it one of the oldest pools in Iceland.
At the time, many Icelanders didn’t know how to swim, even though they worked out at sea. So, this pool, which was actually the largest one in Iceland for several decades, was built to teach people how to swim, as a workforce safety precaution. Now, swimming is actually a required part of the curriculum in Icelandic schools, up to the age of 16.
For years, Seljavallalaug served as a teaching facility and community meeting spot until more modern facilities were constructed in the nearby towns of Hvolsvöllur and Vik. Today, Seljavallalaug is mainly used by tourists, but maintained by a group of local volunteers.
Where is Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool?
The Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool is located here, about two hours and 10 minutes southeast of the capital city of Reykjavík.
It’s right off the iconic Ring Road in the itty bitty town of Evindarhólar, along the southwestern coastline of the country.
It’s also near a bunch of other popular attractions, like the Solheimasandur plane wreck; Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss, two of the most popular waterfalls in Iceland; and the Sólheimajökull Glacier. Accordingly, stopping by the pool is the perfect little detour while you’re exploring this beautiful area of the country.
How to get to the Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool
There’s no public transit or group tours that will get you to the pool. The only way to get to Seljavallalaug is by driving yourself in a rental car.
From Reykjavík, you’ll drive 144 kilometers along the Route 1 and then make a left at Route 242. When we visited, a portion of this road was gravel, but it was well-maintained and could be driven by any car (at least, when my husband, Justin, and I visited!). After three kilometers on this road, you’ll reach the Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool parking lot—easy peasy!
How much does the Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool cost?
Unlike most attractions in Iceland, parking and admission to the Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool is totally FREE!
The Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool Hike
In order to get to the Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool, you actually have to hike about 1.8 kilometers roundtrip from the car park.
The hike winds through a valley and follows along the western side of the Bakkakotsá River, offering jaw-dropping views of the surrounding volcanic cliffsides that are streaked with neon green moss. It’s not particularly strenuous, but you are hiking on top of slippery mud and rocks, so I’d strongly recommend wearing hiking boots to provide extra traction. I wore my beloved Teva hiking sandals and almost fell over multiple times—would not recommend!
After 0.8 kilometers, you’ll see the concrete pool off to the left hand side, with its historic bathhouse behind it and a towering green cliffside, with tiers of cascading waterfalls, towering above.
What to Expect at the Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool
I had read a LOT of reviews about the Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool before visiting, which called the water cold, disgusting, and full of algae. So, obviously, I went in with pretty low expectations.
During our visit, though, I was actually pleasantly surprised by the pool. The water was not crystal clear by ANY stretch of the imagination, but if you’ve visited any of the natural hot springs in Iceland, like the Fosslaug Hot Spring, you probably already know to expect water to be kind of greenish-brown and murky.
The water also is not piping hot and, instead, is more akin to a heated swimming pool temperature. The geothermally heated water is piped into the southeastern corner of the pool, so, if you’re expecting hot spring temperatures, you’d basically just be forced to go hang out in the corner where the water is piped in. The water temperature felt nice to me when we visited in September, but I imagine it may be too cold to enjoy if you’re visiting in the wintertime.
There are also patches of the cement floor that felt slippery with algae, but… what do you expect? It’s an outdoor untreated pool!
Bottom line—if you go in having reasonable expectations of an old geothermally heated swimming pool that’s been left open to the elements for over a century, I think you’ll enjoy it. If you’re expecting crystal clear and steaming hot water, I’d suggest heading to the Sky Lagoon or Hvammsvík Hot Springs instead.
There was one DISGUSTING part of the pool, though—the changing rooms in the historic bathhouse. Over the years, people have left empty beer cans, soiled towels, condom wrappers, and pretty much the most horrifying amalgamation of trash that I could possibly imagine, which smells as moldy and terrifying as you would think.
PLEASE take any trash that you generate while you’re there with you (and, if you’re a kind and generous soul, consider bringing some gloves and a trash bag to carry out some of the rubbish that others have selfishly left behind). The pool is being left open by the sheer generosity of the local sports club and, if it continues to be so carelessly mistreated, it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s eventually closed to the public.
Tips for visiting the Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool
Wear hiking boots
I mentioned it above, but, given that I almost toppled over several times during this hike, it bears repeating—the trail getting to and from the hot spring can be rocky and slippery, so I’d strongly recommend wearing proper hiking boots. Here’s the pair that I use and here’s the pair that Justin uses.
Wear your swimsuit under your clothes
As mentioned above, the changing facilities at the pool are horrifying, so wear your swimsuit under your clothes here so you don’t have to change once you get to the pool.
Carry your belongings in a dry bag
There aren’t any benches or other clean spaces to put your belongings, like your towel or cell phone, while you’re enjoying the pool. Instead, you basically have to store them on the wet cement pad outside of the pool, in the surrounding muddy area, or in the disgusting changing rooms. So… not a lot of great choices.
Instead, I’d suggest bringing a dry bag to store your stuff in. It’ll keep your stuff dry if you’re visiting while it’s raining (like it was when we visited!) and, if you have to stash your stuff somewhere unsavory, like in one of the changing rooms or on the muddy ground, you can easily rinse it off afterwards.
I hope you have a better idea of what to expect when visiting the Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool and whether it’s worth including on your Iceland itinerary. Do you have any questions about visiting this unique corner of the country? Let us know in the comments below!
