Varmaland Pool: The Village Geothermal Swim Near Borgarnes

Most visitors on the West Iceland circuit drive straight past Varmaland on their way to a big-name spa. That is a mistake. This small geothermal hamlet in Stafholtstungur, off road 50 in Borgarfjörður, has a warm outdoor pool that costs a fraction of the destination lagoons and shows you how Icelanders actually spend a summer evening. It sits roughly 15 minutes from The Hvítá Inn.

A village built on hot water

Varmaland grew up around its geothermal springs. Three of them, Veggjalaug, Minnihver and Kvennaskólahver, are tapped to heat the swimming pool, the community centre, the old college and the local greenhouses. The village was once a women’s college teaching cookery and domestic skills, and the same free heat still runs the glasshouses where vegetables are grown year-round. There is a mushroom farm nearby, said to be the first founded in Iceland. It is a working rural community rather than a tourist attraction, which is exactly the point.

The pool itself

The pool is a 25 by 12.5 metre outdoor pool with a hot tub and a sunbathing area, plus a sauna and a gym. It is a summer-only operation, generally opening from early June to mid-August and running afternoons into the evening rather than all day, so treat it as an after-driving stop rather than a morning one. Check current hours before you set out, as a small municipal pool can change its season. Entry is standard municipal-pool pricing, well under what you would pay at a purpose-built lagoon, and children are cheap or free. This is where local kids splash while parents soak in the hot tub and watch steam drift off the greenhouses.

Icelandic pool etiquette for first-timers

Iceland keeps its pools clean with very little chlorine, and the rule that makes that work is simple: everyone showers thoroughly without a swimsuit before entering the water. Signs in the changing rooms show which areas to wash. It feels unfamiliar for a minute and then it is completely normal. Bring your own towel, as small pools may not rent them, and go with the flow.

• Getting there: from The Hvítá Inn at Hvítárbakki, head to road 50 and follow signs to Varmaland, about 7 km and roughly a 15-minute drive. It is about 25 km from Borgarnes town.
• How long to allow: an hour or two is plenty for a soak and a few lengths.
• What to bring: swimwear, a towel, and small change or a card for entry. Flip-flops are handy.
• When to go: summer only, afternoons and evenings; a warm-up after a day of waterfalls and lava caves.
• Nearby in season: a small campsite with shower facilities and a little shop for supplies.

Where to Stay

Base yourself at The Hvítá Inn, the countryside inn on the bank of the Hvítá river at Hvítárbakki, about 75 minutes from Reykjavík. Its position in the heart of Borgarfjörður puts Varmaland barely 15 minutes up the road, so an evening swim among the greenhouses is an easy add-on to your day rather than a detour. Rooms have private bathrooms, ideal for a warm rinse after the pool. Book direct on Ourhotels.is for the best rate.

Photo: Helgi Halldórsson via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.