Visiting the Blue Lagoon in a Snow Storm

A holiday in Iceland is not really complete without a visit to the Blue Lagoon.

I had been once before, on my previous trip. It was sunny, around 9°C outside, which sounds ridiculously cold, but made for quite a pleasant experience.

We sipped on Skyr smoothies, rubbed on some mud masks and relaxed, enjoying the juxtaposition of the warmth of the water and the chill of the crisp, autumn air.

This experience was the complete antithesis of my second visit. The forecast predicted snow, which we thought would make for a magical spectre.

What we had not reckoned with was the wind. The sort that rips right through your clothes and skin, chilling you to the bone.

Visiting the Blue Lagoon in a snow storm had admittedly never been a part of my itinerary, but life is for living. We got there at around 6PM and hurriedly donned our bikinis. After a quick shower, it was time.

I had managed to completely miss the fact that you can enter the Lagoon inside the building, via a door that leads straight outside. Whoops. Instead, we believed our only option was to run from the building, through what was effectively a snow storm outside, to enter the lagoon. We would be left to the elements for a good five to ten seconds, mere slivers of nylon barely protecting us from the harshness of the bitter, winter wind.

There’s no real way to mentally brace oneself for that degree of cold. I inhaled, gritted my teeth and walked determinedly out into the 0°C air. Ten seconds of absolute torture and then I was in, sighing in relief as the warmth of the water flooded my system.

Make no mistake; it was still very cold and hard to relax. The wind had turned the water choppy and if we were to accidentally face the wrong direction, our faces would be hit with a deluge of rain and snow.

We navigated the perimeter of the pool, searching for the random hot spots that littered the lagoon, where the temperature of the water was upwards of 35°C. Brief relief from the piercing cold of the outside air.

All that being said, it was extremely fun; searching for alcoves where we could shelter from the storm, bobbing up and down in the water, smearing mud masks on our faces and laughing as they were essentially wiped straight off by the rain and snow.

After an hour and a half, the appeal was beginning to wear off and our fingers pruning, so we decided to call it a day. One last run through the blistering cold to the warmth of the building and the discovery of the side-door that led to direct access of the lagoon without having to bare all to the outside elements… D’oh.

I would definitely rate the Blue Lagoon as a must do in Iceland. It’s pricey, but you need not pay any more than the standard entry price of €35; the add-ons are a bit of a waste of money.

Related: Is the Blue Lagoon a Waste of Money?

Algae masks in the pool itself are 500 Kroner and are worth it for the gimmick factor of the experience. You can also purchase Skyr smoothies and alcoholic beverages within the pool.

The best part is, the lagoon is open to all elements and having now done both, I think winter makes for a more unreal experience. No matter how cold it is outside, do not be deterred!

One last handy hint – if you’re taking a Go-pro, make sure you check the charge before you get there, or you will be very sad when you arrive and find you have a depleted battery. Speaking from experience… But I wasn’t going to make that mistake again!

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