Grettislaug Hot Spring | Geothermal Pools & Turf Houses

Iceland Hot Springs, hot springs in Iceland, Grettislaug hot spring in north Iceland

How To Get To Grimsey Island Iceland, Grettislaug hot spring

What to do on Grímsey Island - Iceland Tour Guide, Grettislaug hot spring

Iceland hot spring, Grettislaug hot spring in north Iceland

turf house at Grettislaug hot spring in north Iceland

Basic Information

GPS: 65.88225, -19.73694
Two hot spring pools, Grettislaug and Jarlslaug
Temperature around 39°C / 102 F
Changing facilities available.
Small fee to get into the pool.

With extreme geological contrasts and mysterious places to explore, Iceland never disappoints you with its charm and has always been one of the major travel destinations for solo travelers, explorers, and environmentalists. Pictures over the internet won’t justify how beautiful Iceland is in real. The sky kissing mountains, staggering waterfalls, the campsites by the cascading rivers, steaming geysers, massive lava fields, glacial lakes, alien landscapes, Viking history and not to forget the aurora borealis. You get to witness everything you possibly would have mentioned in your bucket list.

There are infinite places to visit in Iceland, and one such destination is Grettislaug Hot Springs. Yes! A must-visit place if you love to spend some quality time with your friends, family and that too amidst the Icelandic beautiful landscape, in the lap of nature by the seaside. Grettislaug hot spring pool is located in North Iceland.

History Behind the Name “Grettislaug”: Grettis Saga

Grettislaug hot spring pool got its name from a very famous main character of the most famous Icelandic saga – Grettis Saga. It has mentioned the life of an enormous man, Grettir, an extremely strong man and a formidable warrior, who lived for approximately twenty years in Iceland as an outlaw. Someone who is sentenced and deemed as an outlaw can be killed and that too without any prior punishment, while helping an outlaw was also a punishable act. Grettir survived constant assassination attempts, harsh Icelandic winters, which was considered exemplary. He was oddly strong and tough. He used to live on the Drangey island (Drang Isle) and it is believed that he swam five miles, which is approximately seven and a half km., from the shore to these hot springs. The hot springs at that time proved to be a great escape from the chilled Icelandic weather. And since then, the pools have been named after him. Though, there are numerous places where he has visited and has his name attached to it as well.

Iceland’s weather has always been changing which leads to the constant change in the geographical shapes too. Alongside Grettislaug hot pool, there used to be another pool in Reykjalaug hot spring, but in the 20th Century the volatile climate changed the natural shape and both the pools were lost. It was in 1992 that the locals decided to build it again and during that time, a second pool was also added along with it. The second was given a new name – Jarl’s pool, this was named after a local Jon Eiriksson, who is known for his popular Drangey Island tours, which made him earn the nickname – ‘the Jarl of Drangey’.

A Perfect Place to Take A Dip in The Hot Water

Grettislaug hot spring is located by the seaside, on Skagafjörður shore, in North Iceland. With a magnificent view of the sea, mountains and not to forget Drangey Island. Since the pool is built on private property, you will have to pay to enter and take a dip; the temperature remains approximately 39°C (102 F). There are changing facilities available for a convenient experience. It is a perfect place to visit with your friends and family and explore this beautiful destination in North Iceland. You get to see the mountains, vast land, sea, and island at once! If you wish to stay in a camp, go ahead and experience that as well. A dip in the hot water is enough to rejuvenate you while you enjoy some snacks and hear good music too.

Directions to Grettislaug hot spring

If you wish to travel to Grettislaug hot spring from the capital city Reykjavík, it will approximately take you 3 hours and 50 minutes to reach the destination. When starting from the city center of Reykjavík, follow Suðurgata to Hringbraut/Route 49, continue to take Þjóðvegur to Skagastrandarvegur in Norðurland vestra, and then, follow Þverárfjallsvegur to Reykjastrandarvegur, continuing on this path will take you towards Grettislaug hot spring.