joellebohringerDid you know that Iceland’s oldest swimming pool is a 101 year old pool tucked in the mountain side? Built in 1923, the Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool is the oldest swimming pool in Iceland. It’s also completely free to visit and was one of the biggest highlights from our winter trip to Iceland.
It is absolutely breathtaking, and it really makes you feel the immense beauty of Iceland.
What makes Seljavallalaug Geothermal Pool Unique?
Unlike many other swimming or hot springs experiences in Iceland, Seljavallalaug is completely non-commercial. No one owns the pool, and it is completely isolated within the mountain scenery. It is truly a breathtaking natural experience!
How to Get to Seljavallalaug?
Getting to Seljavallalaug is not as difficult as it may seem. The first step is to park at the free, designated Seljavallalaug Car Park. From there, you just walk strat for about 30 minutes. There is a beautiful stream running through the property, and you want to walk so that the stream is always on your right side. It is not an overly difficult hike, but I recommend wearing closed toed shoes and carrying all of your essentials in a backpack to make the journey a bit easier.
Is the Water at Seljavallalaug Warm?
The water at Seljavallalaug is not directly from a hot spring, so the water is not overly warm. The actual hot spring that feeds Seljavallalaug is far too hot to swim in, so instead the hot water is feed through a pipe into the pool. This keeps the water between 17°C (63°F) and 30°C (86°F) throughout the year. In the summer, this may feel a bit colder than the air, and in the winter, the water will be a bit warmer than the air.
Are there Facilities?
There are two basic cabins at Seljavallalaug that you can use to get dressed in. However, as the site is not run by anyone, these changing facilities can get a bit dirty. I reccomend bringing a pair of sandals and a bag to store your clothes while you are there.
Can you visit the swimming pool in the Winter?
Surprisingly, yes! My husband and I visited Seljavallalaug on a mild day in January. The water, while not warm, was a bit warmer than the air, which made it comfortable for a 40 minute swim. Overall, if you visit in the winter, I reccomend paying close attention to the weather. On mild days, a visit to Seljavallalaug is completely doable. On harsh weather days, this may want to be avoided.
If you do visit in the winter, make sure you bring plenty of warm clothes with you. I reccomend putting your swim suit on before you begin the hike to the pool. Bring extra underwear and socks with you to make sure that you can change of your wet clothes before you begin the walk back to your car! Most importantly, don’t forget a towel, so that you can dry off properly upon exiting the pool!
What to bring to Seljavallalaug?
As stated before, be sure to bring extra underwear and socks, a backpack, closed toed shoes, and a towel. I also recommend bringing a pair of sandals so that you don’t have to stand on the wet ground near the pool and in the changing areas.
Is Seljavallalaug Crowded?
As there are no tickets, there is no way to know how crowded Seljavallalaug will be. In general, it is much busier in the summer. When my husband and I went, there was another group leaving as we began our hike, and we met another group walking towards the pool as we were leaving. However, while we were in the pool, we had it completely to ourselves!
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[…] The absolute highlight of our trip was visiting the free Saljavallalaug heated swimming pool in the mountains of Iceland. I’ve even written a complete guide to the site here. […]