What is the best alternative to the Blue Lagoon?

Sky Lagoon for the higher-end alternative. Vesturbaejarlaug for the local 7 euro geothermal pool. Secret Lagoon (an hour out of town) for the cheaper rural version.

When can you walk to Grotta Lighthouse?

At low tide. Check the tide table the morning of. The walk across the tidal sandbar takes 5 minutes. Bring waterproof boots in case the tide is coming back.

Where do Icelanders actually eat fish soup?

Saegreifinn (the harbor shed) for the cult version. Messinn at multiple locations for the more polished version. Both around 15 to 18 euros per bowl.

Is the Blue Lagoon worth the cost?

Once, if it is the trip splurge experience. The water is genuinely good and the architecture is beautiful. Repeat visits make less sense. The Sky Lagoon or the local pools cover the daily geothermal need.

Hidden Reykjavik, 5 min read

Hidden gems in Reykjavik, beyond the Blue Lagoon

Published 5 June 2026

Quick answer

-Grotta Lighthouse at the western tip of the peninsula for empty sunsets.
-Hvalfjordur fjord, the empty drive parallel to the busy south coast.
-Vesturbaejarlaug, the locals geothermal pool.
-Saegreifinn for the city best fish soup, 15 euros.
-The Settlement Exhibition for the original Viking longhouse.

Grotta Lighthouse

At the western tip of the Seltjarnarnes peninsula, a 25 minute walk from the city centre, sits the small Grotta Lighthouse on a tidal island. At low tide you can walk out to it. The sunset over the Atlantic with the snowy mountains behind you is the photo of the trip and there is almost nobody there.

Hvalfjordur fjord

Most visitors drive south to the waterfalls. North of Reykjavik, the Hvalfjordur fjord is a 90 minute scenic loop with one major waterfall (Glymur, second tallest in Iceland), tiny black sand beaches, and almost no traffic. Half a day instead of the full south coast day, a different mood.

Vesturbaejarlaug, the locals pool

Skip the Blue Lagoon queue once. Vesturbaejarlaug is a geothermal swimming pool in a residential Reykjavik neighborhood, 7 euros entry, used by locals before and after work. Hot pots ranging from 38 to 42 degrees, a regular pool, and a steam room. The unvarnished Icelandic geothermal experience.

Saegreifinn for fish soup

A small old shed by the harbor with one table and a few stools. The fish soup (lobster, salmon, cod) is 15 euros and worth flying for. Skewered minke whale and shark if you want to try the Icelandic specials. Walk-in, around 30 minutes including queue.

Hofdi House

The white seaside house where Reagan and Gorbachev met in 1986 to end the Cold War. Now a city function room, the exterior is publicly accessible. Five minutes by bus from the centre, 30 seconds to photograph, but a real moment of recent history.

The Settlement Exhibition

Underground beneath the central square, the Settlement Exhibition preserves the foundation of a Viking longhouse dated to before 871 AD. The audio guide makes it. Takes 45 minutes, around 12 euros.

Frequently asked

What is the best alternative to the Blue Lagoon?
Sky Lagoon for the higher-end alternative. Vesturbaejarlaug for the local 7 euro geothermal pool. Secret Lagoon (an hour out of town) for the cheaper rural version.
When can you walk to Grotta Lighthouse?
At low tide. Check the tide table the morning of. The walk across the tidal sandbar takes 5 minutes. Bring waterproof boots in case the tide is coming back.
Where do Icelanders actually eat fish soup?
Saegreifinn (the harbor shed) for the cult version. Messinn at multiple locations for the more polished version. Both around 15 to 18 euros per bowl.
Is the Blue Lagoon worth the cost?
Once, if it is the trip splurge experience. The water is genuinely good and the architecture is beautiful. Repeat visits make less sense. The Sky Lagoon or the local pools cover the daily geothermal need.