Iceland is one of the countries closest to the North Pole and with more fabulous landscapes to discover. It has a great geothermal activity, active volcanoes, a lot of heat emerging from the depths of the earth, and that means that we can almost say that it is a spa country because Icelanders make good use of what nature gives them.
The Reykjanes Peninsula is located near the capital of Iceland, Reykjavik. It is part of a volcanic system and is right at the point where the plate of Europe meets that of America. Under it the earth is still very much alive, it groans, it moves and the lava flows through underground conduits. So much energy is used by an important geothermal plant that generates energy for millions of people and at the same time heats the waters of the huge lagoon that you see in the photograph: the Blaa Ionio o Iceland Blue Lagoon.
Blue Lagoon Features
The Blue Lagoon is considered one of the 25 wonders of the world And you can't visit Iceland without diving into it. A whole tourist industry with accommodation, restaurants, spa centers and various activities has been organized around these hot springs. It is necessary to plan the visit, buy the tickets, reserve accommodation or think well what we are going to do if we decide to approach this dream place.
Geothermal water originates about 2 meters below ground, where fresh water combines with salt water at extreme temperatures. When they emerge the waters are between 37 and 40 ºC, and they are rich in various minerals, including sulfur and silicate. Is it is not a natural lagoon rather, it has been built by man alongside a geothermal power generation plant. The water that comes out of this plant goes to the lagoon and is renewed approximately every 48 hours. The lagoon contains about six million liters of water and reaches a depth that is between 1.2 and 1.6 meters.
At the plant, the water is ventilated by underground lava flows and used to move huge turbines that in turn generate electricity and the water and steam generated are converted into heating for the entire municipality. Once this process is completed, the water does end up in the Blue Lagoon, which has become a very crowded spa center. The truth is that the water has so many minerals, a very high concentration, that it cannot be reused so it must be dumped somewhere and that is why the lagoon was built, in a nearby lava field. It is precisely the high mineral content that gives the water that particular milky blue tone.
It must be said that the lava field has a certain thickness that allows a bit of permeability, but with time it becomes impermeable so Icelanders have to dig other holes / lagoons to send the water. Everything is in Grindavik, about 20 kilometers from Keflavik International Airport, the most important in the country, and just 39 kilometers from the capital. This way it is easy to get there, whether you rent a car or by public transport.
How to get to Blue Lagoon
The truth is that too easy. There is a highway that connects the capital Reykjavik with Keflavík and signs pointing the way. By car from the capital it will be about 50 minutes, nothing more. Also there are buses that connect Blue Lagoon with the capital and with Keflavík Airport. You can take a taxi in front of the airport terminal or in town. The thermal center has a very large parking lot and the price for leaving the car is included in the entrance fee.
If you travel with suitcases or backpacks, the center has a luggage storage room to store suitcases of any size. It is close to the parking lot and costs just 3 euros per suitcase or package.
Visit Blue Lagoon
Blue Lagoon open all year but it is essential to reserve as it has many visitors. Do not go without reservation. In general, the center opens from 8, 9 in the morning and closes between 8 and 10 at night. It depends on the time of year. Now, from January to May, the hours are from 9 am to 8 pm, although during the Christmas holidays it will close earlier. Once it closes, guests can stay for just another half hour. Please note that due to renovation work, the center will be closed from January 5 to 21, 2016. The complete transformation is expected to be completed in 20167.
Inside the thermal center or rooms where you can change clothes, on the one hand of women and on the other the one of men. They are modern, spacious and have private lockers to leave your belongings. The bracelet that they give you when you pay the entrance serves as an electronic key to the locker and at the same time identifies you when paying for drinks and food while you enjoy the spa. When you leave the bracelet, when you leave, you pay all your consumption.
Blue Lagoon is very strict regarding hygiene so you must shower before entering the lagoon. There are private showers in these changing rooms and you must use them without a bathing suit. In the showers there is shampoo and soap and hair conditioner. There are also hair dryers for when you are leaving. They are free to use. Se they rent towels and bathrobes, although you can bring your own too.
All the people with disabilities can visit the Blue Lagoon Also because the center has a large elevator that leads to the entrance to the lagoon, there are non-metallic wheelchairs that can be introduced into the water, ramps everywhere and more spacious and private changing rooms. Finally, do not wear jewelry because the water will affect them, always use hair conditioner because the minerals dry it out a lot, stay hydrated because being in hot water for a long time causes dehydration and bring sunglasses because on sunny days the reflection in the water is very strong.
Within the Blue Lagoon complex there is a restaurant built into a lava cliff, a cafeteria and a bar. Finally, how much does a day at Blue Lagoon cost? There are different passes: Standard, Comfort, Premium and Luxury. The difference is to use a bathrobe, towels, drinks, have a skin care set, a reserved table in the restaurant and that kind of thing. The Standard costs 35 euros, the Comfort 50, the Premium 65 and the Luxury 165 euros.
Staying at Blue Lagoon
In this thermal center in Iceland there is a hotel, the Blue Lagoon Clinic Hotel which is located just ten minutes walk from the lagoon. It has its own private thermal pool and hosts its guests every day from 9 am to 10 pm. It has been built in perfect harmony with the surroundings and is a true oasis. A standard room costs 250 euros and a double room costs 300 euros.
The rate includes the night of accommodation, taxes and services, breakfast, entrance to the hotel's thermal lagoon, WiFi and gym. The hotel offers 35 rooms with private balcony and beautiful views of the lava field. All rooms have private bathroom with shower, television, telephone, minibar and towels. It offers a massage parlor.
And finally, before you go you can stop by the store and take some skin care product with you. A hand cream costs 35 euros, for example, so it doesn't have sooo expensive prices
I have recently been to Iceland and been through the Blue Lagoon.
It really is a site that is overrated.
It is crowded with British bachelor parties, the Waterfront Bar serving Beer, and the amount of shops and restaurants, it is far from being a quiet and relaxing place.
There is another lake in the North in the Myvatn area, which is smaller and much less crowded and more pleasant.
I liked it much more.