BLUE LAGOON VS. SKY LAGOON: WHICH ICELANDIC SPA SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?
Perks and Price Value
Quick Comparisons
Which Should You Choose?
Iceland is famous for geothermal bathing, and two world-class spa experiences attract visitors from all over the globe. In this post, we’ll compare the iconic Blue Lagoon with the newer but hugely popular Sky Lagoon: two unforgettable ways to unwind in Iceland’s soothing geothermal waters.
Overview: The Classics vs. The Contemporary
- The Blue Lagoon has been an Icelandic staple since the 1980s. Located in a geothermically active area and surrounded by ancient lava fields, this geothermal spa is known for its striking milky-blue waters rich in silica, algae, and minerals: elements said to have therapeutic benefits for the skin.
- Sky Lagoon, just outside Reykjavik, offers a fresh take on the Icelandic bathing tradition. Its design and experience leverage modern luxury and a deep connection to Nordic wellness culture, including an immersive 7-Step Ritual inspired by local bathing customs.
Quick Comparison: Blue Lagoon vs. Sky Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is Iceland’s most famous geothermal spa and feels iconic, expansive, and social, making it especially appealing to first-time visitors and families. It offers a larger bathing area, includes signature silica mud masks, and features extensive amenities such as restaurants and even on-site luxury accommodation. Its setting in a dramatic lava field creates a surreal, otherworldly atmosphere that many travelers associate instantly with Iceland.
In contrast, Sky Lagoon delivers a more modern and intimate experience with a strong focus on relaxation and wellness. It is best known for its immersive wellness experience, which combines hot and cold therapy. Located closer to Reykjavik, Sky Lagoon offers an infinity-edge pool and sauna overlooking the North Atlantic—an especially memorable setting at sunset.
Piscina infinita junto al océano en Sky Lagoon
Aerial view of the Blue Lagoon
Experience & Atmosphere
Blue Lagoon
Steeped in history and instantly recognizable, this destination feels otherworldly. Surrounded by rugged lava fields and wide open skies, the lagoon’s milky blue waters are warm year-round and perfect for a long, soothing soak.
Signature features:
- Silica mud mask included with all tickets.
- Larger overall pool area (about 8,700 m²) with plenty of space to spread out.
- On-site luxury lodging options for an exclusive wellness retreat.
- Multiple restaurants and dining experiences with views over the lagoon.
Sky Lagoon
Sky Lagoon prioritizes immersion and reflection. The experience centers around the 7-Step Sky Ritual, a structured sequence of warm dips, cold plunges, saunas, steam rooms, and more. The lagoon’s oceanfront infinity design gives the impression that you’re bathing at the edge of the North Atlantic, especially spectacular at sunset.
Signature features:
- The 7-Step Ritual, a wellness journey with alternating heat and cold experiences.
- Epic ocean views from the infinity edge pool and ocean-facing sauna.
- Modern Nordic design that emphasizes serenity and connection to nature.
- Slightly smaller but intimate pool layout with varied spaces to explore.
Silica face masks at the Blue Lagoon
Pricing & Value: Blue Lagoon
Ticket packages include perks like silica masks, towels, drinks, etc. Premium packages can stretch into a full wellness day with extras.
Why choose Blue Lagoon:
✔ Classic, iconic Iceland experience
✔ Great for first-time visitors and families
✔ Larger area with more dining and accommodation options
Pricing & Value: Sky Lagoon
This lagoon often offers slightly more flexible pricing tiers (including the signature 7-Step Ritual)
Why choose Sky Lagoon:
✔ More immersive wellness focus
✔ Closer to Reykjavik
✔ Stunning ocean views and sunset potential
Expert’s Tip: Advance booking is strongly recommended for both, especially during peak travel months, as spaces can fill up quickly.
Choose admission to Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon with transportation from Reykjavík included for a hassle free experience.
Huésped disfrutando de un baño en Sky Lagoon
Why not choose both?
If your trip allows, doing both can give you two uniquely Icelandic spa experiences: one rooted in history and geothermal mystique, and the other built around modern luxury and ritual.
Join a combo tour, including a day tour + spa experience, and get the best out of your Iceland stay.
Our recommended Blue Lagoon Combo Tours
- Visit Iceland’s top natural landmarks in one convenient, time-saving tour.
- Relax in the Blue Lagoon’s warm geothermal waters after a full day of sightseeing.
- Enjoy stress-free travel with transport, planning, and entry all included.
Blue Lagoon + Auroras Boreales
- Soak in the Blue Lagoon’s warm geothermal waters surrounded by Icelandic scenery.
- Chase the stunning Northern Lights with expert guides on a night tour.
- Enjoy a seamless experience with transport and planning included.
Our recommended Sky Lagoon Combo Tours
- See Iceland’s iconic Golden Circle sights in one efficient, guided day trip.
- Relax with stunning ocean views at Sky Lagoon’s signature infinity edge.
- Enjoy a seamless experience with transport and planning included.
- Explore Iceland’s dramatic South Coast waterfalls, black sand beaches, and glaciers in one tour.
- Unwind with sea views at Sky Lagoon’s relaxing infinity-edge geothermal spa.
- Enjoy a hassle-free experience with transport and planning taken care of.
Expert’s Tip: Planning a short weekend stay? Check out our perfect two-day itinerary, inclusive of a visit to our favourite geothermal lagoons.
Plan your visit wisely: each lagoon offers something special, and both show Iceland’s geothermal magic in very different lights!
Northern lights over the Blue Lagoon
Únete a un tour guiado para ver Auroras Boreales
Skip the stress of winter driving in the dark and join a group of like-minded adventurers on a guided Northern Lights hunt.
Preguntas frecuentes sobre la Aurora Boreal
¿Cuándo puedo ver las Auroras Boreales en Islandia?
During this long period, Iceland experiences sufficient darkness for the Aurora to be visible at night.
However, chances of experiencing the northern lights vary depending on the time of year. Find out which months are the best for seeing the Aurora here.
¿Por qué no puedo ver la aurora boreal en verano?
Want to know more about light conditions in Iceland? Check the sun graph and learn about twilight and dusk in Iceland.
¿A qué hora aparecen las auroras boreales?
Durante los meses de invierno, cuando las horas de luz son limitadas, las auroras boreales suelen aparecer incluso a las 7:00 pm.
Como no se puede predecir la hora exacta de una aurora , mantén, manten la vista en el cielo. ¡Y recuerda , la paciencia es clave!
¿Cuánto duran las auroras boreales?
Cada aurora boreal es diferente y su duración varía. Además, no siempre son visibles durante todo el episodio auroral: Usualmente, su intensidad suele cambiar a lo largo de un mismo espectáculo y pueden pasar de muy brillantes a increíblemente tenues, hasta el punto de ser prácticamente invisibles.
Descubre más sobre el comportamiento de las auroras boreales en términos de duración aquí.
¿Puedo ver la aurora boreal cuando está nublado?
Mientras podamos encontrar algunos huecos en la capa de nubes, algunas ventanas de cielo despejado , hay esperanza.
E incluso cuando esté nublado, tenga en cuenta que no todas las nubes son iguales. Por ejemplo, las nubes altas suelen ser transparentes y no necesariamente interfieren con nuestra visión. Como regla general: si se ven las estrellas, potencialmente puede ver la aurora boreal también.
Una vez más, manten la vista en el cielo y consulta el pronóstico regularmente para obtener la predicción más fiable.
¿Las auroras boreales sólo aparecen cuando hace frío?
Como puedes imaginar, esto significa que no necesitas temperaturas frías para ver una aurora (aunque no deberías esperar un clima de camiseta por la noche en Islandia, ni siquiera en agosto).
Las auroras boreales ocurren muy por encima de los sistemas meteorológicosy no se ven afectadas por ellos ni por las fluctuaciones de temperatura en la atmósfera inferior.
Descubre más aquí.
¿Se ven las auroras boreales en toda Islandia?
En la región ártica, este cinturón se extiende entre los 60°N y los 70°N de latitud. Dado que Islandia Islandia en su totalidad se encuentra entre los 63°N y los 67°N, y por lo tanto dentro del cinturón de auroras, las probabilidades de ver las auroras boreales son prácticamente las mismas en toda la isla, si el clima lo permite.
Dicho esto, la probabilidad de verlas es mayor lejos de las luces de las ciudades, y algunas zonas del país son especialmente pintorescas. Aquí tienes nuestros lugares favoritos para avistar auroras boreales en Islandia.
¿Son realmente coloridas las auroras boreales?
Las auroras boreales se presentan en una variedad de colores. El verde es, con mucho , el más común, pero también pueden aparecer en vibrantes tonos de rosa, morado, rojo, violeta y azul.
Sin embargo, a simple vista , las auroras boreales pueden verse bastante tenuesy, en ocasiones, percibirse como blancas o grisáceas. Esto se debe a las limitaciones de nuestra visión nocturna..
Las cámaras , en cambio, pueden capturar una versión más fiel de los colores, ya que, en la mayoría de los casos, es posible ajustar la configuración del dispositivo para adaptarse mejor a las condiciones nocturnas.
Descubre más sobre cómo mejorar tu visión nocturna y aprender a tomar excelentes fotografías de auroras aquí.
¿Desaparecerán las auroras boreales en el futuro?
No, las auroras boreales no van a desaparecer!
La aurora boreal ha sido visible en el Ártico durante siglos, y eso no va a cambiar pronto.
Lo cierto es que la actividad solar, responsable de la aparición de las auroras boreales en nuestro planeta , cambia con el tiempo, siguiendo un ciclo de once años.
Durante cada ciclo solar, el Sol pasa de un pico a un mínimo de actividad. Durante el pico, el llamado"máximo solar", podemos esperar una mayor actividad y, potencialmente, auroras boreales más intensas visibles desde latitudes inusuales (en el hemisferio norte, esto significa que las auroras se avistan más al sur de lo habitual). Mientras que, durante el mínimo solar, estos fenómenos inusualmente intensos se vuelven más raros.
Aun así, en latitudes árticas , las auroras boreales se pueden ver con claridad durante todo el ciclo. E Islandia, al estar dentro del "cinturón de auroras", es y seguirá siendo el destino perfecto para la búsqueda de auroras boreales.!
¿Qué es el valor BZ?
El Bz value is part of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF), which is the magnetic field carried by the solar wind coming from the Sun.
Why does it matter for the Northern Lights? Earth’s magnetic field points north. If the solar wind’s magnetic field (Bz) points south (a negative Bz), it connects with Earth’s field and lets charged solar particles into the atmosphere. This interaction helps create the northern lights. If instead, Bz is positive (northward), the fields don’t connect well, and fewer particles get in — meaning weaker or no aurora.
Think of Bz like an ON/OFF switch: negative Bz (south) = ON, good chance of Aurora soon. Positive Bz (north) = OFF, Aurora less likely.
Learn more about Bz and how the forecast works aquí.
Which are the best forecast apps and websites for Northern Lights hunting?
Chasing the Northern Lights is all about timing, clear skies, and up-to-date aurora forecasts. These tools help you know when and where there’s a good chance of seeing the aurora — so you can plan your night the smart way. For the best results, we recommend using more than one source, as different forecasts interpret data differently.
WEB FORECASTS
- Official AURORA REYKJAVÍK Aurora Forecast 👉 https://aurorareykjavik.is/aurora-forecast/
Our 6-step expert forecast combines geomagnetic activity, cloud cover, and viewing tips — designed for real-time Northern Lights planning. - SpaceWeatherLive
A detailed global space weather site with auroral activity maps and solar parameters. - NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC)
The official US space weather forecast model that many aurora apps base their data on.
TOP MOBILE APPS
- My Aurora Forecast – Offers real-time KP index, global aurora maps, push alerts and multi-day forecasts — great for travelers and serious aurora watchers alike.
And don’t forget to unable notifications, so you’ll get alerts when aurora activity spikes.
📍App Store
📍 Google Play
By following this guide, you’ll be well-prepared to experience one of nature’s most magical displays. Whether you’re planning your trip or already in Iceland, the Aurora awaits!