• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Umami Girl logo

  • About
  • Recipes
  • Topics
    • Family
    • Food
    • Home
    • Adventure
  • Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Lifestyle
  • About
  • Shop
  • Favorite Things
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Lifestyle » Adventure » Travel » Europe » A Visit to Iceland: Blue Lagoon

    A Visit to Iceland: Blue Lagoon

    October 20, 2015 / Updated Jun 05, 2020 / by Carolyn Gratzer Cope / Leave a Comment

    Here's the last installment of our Iceland week series: A visit to Blue Lagoon. This human-made geothermal spa is fun but touristy. Here's what you need to know before you go. (You might like our posts about Reykjavik and Iceland's South Coast and Golden Circle too.)

    This will be a quick little ditty about one of Iceland’s most popular tourist destinations. A scant hour’s drive from Reykjavik and a mere 20 minutes from the airport, Blue Lagoon geothermal spa is one of the 25 wonders of the world according to National Geographic magazine. Maybe that’s why it was positively teeming with riffraff like us.  

    Some answers to questions you may have

    1. Yes, it’s very touristy. Très touristique. Teeming, I say.
    2. Yes, you should probably go anyway.
    3. Yes, you should definitely book ahead of time here. (Psst…you don’t need to shell out for a Premium visit to get a bathrobe if a bathrobe is the only thing pulling you in the Premium direction. You can rent one à la carte at the front desk when you arrive.)
    4. Yes, bring sunscreen.
    5. Yes, bring your bathing suit. They have rentals, but come on.
    6. No no, it’s definitely man-made. The water is runoff from a neighboring geothermal power plant. They don’t try to hide this fact at all, but somehow after you’ve looked at the marketing material, it’s still surprising.
    7. Yes, that’s a bar in the lagoon. You can use your entry bracelet to get a green smoothie or a glass of something more libationary. 
    8. Yes, there are a variety of dining options, including some meh sandwiches at the cafe and at least one sit-down restaurant that looked pretty good, but we didn’t bother with it.
    9. Yes, there are hotter parts and cooler parts of the lagoon, but it’s all reasonably comfortable, even for kids.
    10. No, you don’t really need to spend the whole day there. A few hours should do it.
    11. Yup, you’re about to see the same photo as the previous one, except with my toes in it. Damn internet.

    These grilled chicken sandwiches with halloumi, red bell peppers, arugula, and a really tasty, herby sauce are bursting with Greek-inspired flavors.

    What else?

    What else? Yes, if you’re under four feet tall, you’re very likely to be bludgeoned in the head with the business end of someone else’s selfie stick while waiting to enter the building. It’s selfie stick HELL out there, people. Protect your eyeballs.

    Then go out there and have some fun. Iceland is good-weird, and Blue Lagoon is no exception. Soak it in. See you soon.

    « A Visit to Iceland: Hello, Reykjavik
    Jamie Oliver's Vegan Shepherd's Pie »
    • 4

    About Carolyn Gratzer Cope

    Welcome! I’m Carolyn Gratzer Cope, and Umami Girl is your guide to a life well-lived. UG is a lifestyle site for curious, thoughtful people who seek to make every day a little special and have a great time doing it. We're brimming with real talk about the things that matter most — family, food, home, and adventure — and I hope you'll love digging in. Read More…

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    WELCOME TO UG

    Welcome! I’m Carolyn Gratzer Cope, and Umami Girl is your guide to a life well-lived. UG is a lifestyle site for curious, thoughtful people who seek to make every day a little special and have a great time doing it. Learn more

    THE FRIDAY NEWSLETTER

    Start every weekend off right with our Friday newsletter.

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Most Popular

    Spinach Tortellini Soup | Umami Girl

    Spinach Tortellini Soup: An Easy Tortellini Soup Recipe

    Basmati Rice Pilaf 780 | Umami Girl

    Basmati Rice Pilaf

    Cilantro Sauce for Mexican Food 780 | Umami Girl-2

    Cilantro Sauce Recipe for Tacos, Nachos, and More

    sirloin cap slices with chimichurri

    Reverse Sear Sirloin Cap (with Chimichurri, If You Like)

    Spring Favorites

    Asparagus Ricotta Burrata Crostata Recipe 780 | Umami Girl-2

    A Savory Tart Recipe for Spring: Asparagus Ricotta Burrata Crostata

    migas breakfast on a plate with a fork and napkin

    Migas Breakfast (Tex-Mex Scrambled Eggs and Tortillas)

    garlic scape tart with teff crust on a plate with tomatoes and a coffee cup

    Garlic Scape Tart with Teff Crust

    Green Beans (Haricots Verts) with Shallot Vinaigrette | Umami Girl 780

    French Green Beans (Haricots Verts) with Shallot Vinaigrette

    Footer

    As seen on

    a few examples of where umami girl has been featured

    Make It Tonight

    refried bean and cheese enchiladas with red tex mex enchilada sauce

    Refried Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

    tex mex enchilada sauce in a jar with a spoon

    Tex Mex Enchilada Sauce

    chicken and black bean enchiladas with green enchilada sauce in a pan and on a plate with a fork

    Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

    green enchilada sauce in a jar with a spoon

    Green Enchilada Sauce Recipe

    4 ingredient guacamole recipe in a molcajete

    4 Ingredient Guacamole Recipe and Variations

    vegan black bean soup in a bowl with a spoon and napkin

    Vegan Black Bean Soup (Instant Pot or Stovetop)

    • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

    © 2008-2022 UMAMI GIRL LLC