Reykjavík’s City Pools: Rules, Prices and What to Bring

Part of our Iceland pools and lagoons series, built from the venues’ published rules rather than a personal visit: shower rules · age limits · Blue Lagoon vs Sky Lagoon · Reykjavík city pools.

The lagoons get the photographs, but the everyday Icelandic bathing culture happens at the municipal pools: outdoor lanes and hot tubs heated with geothermal water, open from early morning, costing a fraction of a lagoon ticket. They also have the strictest rules of any bathing venue in Iceland, and visitors who do not know them get stopped at the shower.

This guide sticks to what the City of Reykjavík publishes: which pools it runs, what they cost, and the conduct rules posted under Iceland’s national regulation on swimming facilities.

The pools the city runs

The City of Reykjavík lists these municipal pools: Árbæjarlaug, Breiðholtslaug, Dalslaug, Grafarvogslaug, Klébergslaug, Laugardalslaug, Sundhöll Reykjavíkur and Vesturbæjarlaug. Laugardalslaug is the largest and the one most visitors start with; its published hours are Monday to Friday 6:30am–10pm, Saturday and Sunday 8am–10pm. Hours differ per pool and change on public holidays, so check the city’s page for the one you pick.

What it costs

Item	Price (ISK)
Adult single entry	1,500
Towel rental	860
Swimwear rental	1,270

From the city’s fee schedule, which “took effect May 5, 2026”. Compare that with a lagoon ticket on our Blue Lagoon vs Sky Lagoon page.

What to bring

The city’s own advice: “Bring your own towel and swimwear. You can also rent towels and swimwear at the front desk.” Your swimwear must be “clean, approved swimwear”. There is nothing else you need; soap is used in the shower before you go in.

The rules, as the city publishes them

• Shower first, without swimwear: “All swimmers are required to shower thoroughly without swimwear before entering the pool.” Details on our shower rules page.
• No phones or cameras: “Cameras, phones and other smart devices are strictly prohibited in changing rooms and pool areas.”
• No glass: “Glass containers are not permitted in the pool area or changing rooms.”
• No alcohol, tobacco or nicotine: alcohol and other intoxicants, tobacco, e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches are all prohibited.
• Saunas and steam rooms: “You must sit on a towel,” and children under 16 only with an adult.
• Children: under-10s “must be accompanied by a swimmer aged 15 or older”; a non-parent may supervise at most two; non-swimmers need approved arm floats or a swim jacket, because “inflatable rings are toys, not safety devices.”
• Behaviour: “All visitors are expected to treat staff and fellow swimmers with consideration and respect.”

The hot tubs

The city pools have hot tubs (heitir pottar); Laugardalslaug lists them among its facilities. The city does not publish separate hot-tub rules; the general ones apply, including the phone ban. We are not going to invent etiquette the city does not write down. The practical point is the one above: phones stay in the locker, which is why you will not see many photos of these pools from the inside.

City pool or lagoon?

A city pool is cheap, local, open early and late, and child-friendly, but strict and without a bar. A lagoon is a timed, paid experience with in-water drinks (three per adult) and phones allowed. Many visitors do both: a morning at Laugardalslaug, a lagoon on another day — and the bag is different for each, which what to bring to the Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon sets out. The whole set of Iceland pages is indexed in the Iceland lagoons and pools guide. Age rules for all of them are compared on our Iceland lagoon age limits page, and the rest of the trip is in our Iceland active wellness travel guide.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Reykjavík swimming pool cost?
Adult single entry is 1,500 ISK under the fee schedule that took effect on 5 May 2026. Towel rental is 860 ISK and swimwear rental 1,270 ISK.

Can I use my phone at Reykjavík pools?
No. “Cameras, phones and other smart devices are strictly prohibited in changing rooms and pool areas.”

Do I need to bring a towel?
The city advises bringing your own towel and swimwear, but both can be rented at the front desk. In the sauna you must sit on a towel.

What time does Laugardalslaug open?
Monday to Friday 6:30am–10pm, and Saturday and Sunday 8am–10pm, as published by the City of Reykjavík. Hours change on holidays.

Can children swim alone?
From 1 June of the year they turn 10. Younger children must be accompanied by a swimmer aged 15 or older.

Sources and verification

• City of Reykjavík — Rules on safety and conduct
• City of Reykjavík — Swimming pools
• City of Reykjavík — Swimming pool fees
• City of Reykjavík — Laugardalslaug
• City of Reykjavík — How do I go swimming

Last verified: 27 September 2026.

We have not visited these venues for this article. Every rule above is quoted from the venue’s own published guest information, rules or terms, checked on 27 September 2026; rules and prices change, so check the venue’s page before you go.