Secret Lagoon

Gamla laugin at Fludir was built in 1891 and is the oldest swimming pool in Iceland, made where hot springs come out of the ground beside the Litla-Laxa river; swimming lessons were taught in it for decades, at a time when very few Icelanders could swim at all. It was abandoned in the middle of the twentieth century as newer pools opened, silted up, and was restored and reopened for bathing in 2014. The water sits around 38 to 40 degrees and comes straight from the springs, which still bubble and steam around the edge; a small geyser beside the pool erupts every few minutes.

What you actually see

• A pool from 1891 - the oldest in Iceland, restored and reopened.
• Springs around the rim - the water arriving direct and unfiltered.
• A small geyser beside it - erupting every few minutes.
• Natural stone edges - kept rather than tiled over.

When to go

Year round; evenings are quieter. Two to three hours.

Honest expectations

It is far smaller than the Blue Lagoon and books out - reserving ahead is effectively required in summer. Facilities are simple, and showering before entry is compulsory as everywhere in Iceland. The name is a marketing one; it is not a secret.

Nearby

Geysir is north; Hrunalaug is minutes away outside the village.