Iceland's Laugarvatn Fontana Geothermal Baths

After an awe inspiring morning exploring The Golden Circle while bundled up against the frigid cold,
what could be better than stripping off all of those layers and lowering your cold limbs into a warm, steamy bath?

Doing just that in the open air with these magical views of Iceland.

Throw in a glass of wine delivered poolside and I'm in heaven! 

This is exactly how we ended our day on The Golden Circle at the

Laugarvatn Fontana Geothermal Baths.

Located on Lake Laugarvatn, only about 50 minutes from Rekyjavik,

Laugarvatn Fontana is one of three natural springs located in this hot zone.

Dating from the 1920's, it was the site of historical spa facility.

These new facilities were built in 2011 and use all of this natural geothermal activity

to provide visitors with a relaxing, healing spa experience.

Our visit started with a great lunch of grilled ham and cheese sandwiches.

They have a lovely little cafe offering healthy salads and soups,

as well as scrumptious cakes and coffee.

Then it was time to select our experience. Basic admission is 2.800 ISK, or about £15.

A big towel and a fluffy, white robe are an additional £10.

We each went to our changing areas to put on our swimsuits.

The changing facilities are roomy and nice.  We were each given a key for our own private lockers.

Sinks, mirrors, blowdryers and toilets, everything you need.

When you visit a spa in Iceland, you'll be asked to shower in the nude before putting on your swimsuit.

Most facilities don't have private showers, so leave your modesty at home.

That was a bit of a challenge for this prudish American, but luckily, I happened to have the place to myself.

Quickly, it was time to head outside which is where that big, fluffy robe came in handy.

It was freezing cold outside, but as soon as our feet hit the warm, mineral bath

we didn't feel the cold again.  There are several pools at varying temperatures.

We went straight for Viska, the hottest one, built up on a higher level with great views.

When the heat of Viska made us a little light-headed, we moved over to another pool,

which was big and deep enough to do a few laps.

It felt so good to just move around in the warm water after so much driving.

There are three natural steam rooms that are built directly over the hot springs.

When you step in you can hear the water bubbling away below the slatted wood flooring.

They also have a sauna with a big window and views of the lake.

I can't even tell you how relaxing this was.  We could just feel the stress leaving our bodies.

And those views!  Our time at this spa was one of the highlights of our trip.

We had a chance to just relax and breathe, to warm our bones after a long, cold winter.

It was quite romantic, too and a chance to reconnect.  Everything a weekend getaway should include.

Most of the baths are treated, but they have one that is just natural spring water.

The water is so warm and soft.  We lowered ourselves so that only our heads were out of the water.  It was heavenly.

With the natural lava rocks surrounding the pool and the steam rising off the water,

Matt kept joking about expecting to see the Japanese Snow Monkeys.

After plenty of time enjoying the views and the warm water, we reluctantly changed back into our streetclothes.

Warmed from the inside, we didn't need nearly as many layers as before.

But, we had one more more experience to enjoy before we left.

The energy from the geothermal spas is used for many things, including baking.

Our guide grabbed a shovel and took us over to an area on the banks of the lake.

As she started digging, boiling water started filling in the small pit she dug.

Each day they bake a batch of bread by burying it in this dirt overnight.

Someone else from the neighborhood had buried their own batch nearby.

Oh my goodness, it was dee-lish!  Slathered with some creamy butter.  Yum!

The Rye Bread Experience is daily at 2:30pm and is about £8.

It was the perfect way to end our time at the Spa.

We had an fabulous time at the Laugarvatn Fontana Geothermal Baths.

This is a great addition to your tour of The Golden Circle.

Here's a tip: The tour buses show up just in time for the Rye Bread Experience.

We got there about lunch time and had the place almost to ourselves until then.

As we were getting out of the water, the tour group was just getting in.

It's open daily from 11am to 9pm.

 Even if you don't want to get wet, the Laugarvatn Fontana Cafe is a great place to stop for lunch.

It's also a stop on several excursions and tours of The Golden Circle.

Wouldn't this be perfect to visit in the evening as the sun was going down?

Have you luxuriated in a geothermal hot spot?  What did you think?

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 *We were guests of Laugarvatn Fontana for the purposes of review.
 All photos, writing and opinions are my own.
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.