Are the Vök Baths Iceland’s Best Geothermal Spa?

The Vök Baths are perhaps the best hot springs in Iceland — and my personal favorite. I don’t say that lightly; I’ve been to about a dozen of Iceland’s pools!

A spectacularly designed geothermal spa on the banks of beautiful Lake Urriðavatn, the Vök Baths somehow manage to do everything right — plus a lot of surprises.

For starters, this part of the country isn’t known for its geothermal activity. Eastern Iceland could not be more different from the Golden Circle, a major geothermal destination with spas in every direction.

But locals in the East always knew there were patches on Lake Urriðavatn that didn’t freeze during the long Arctic winters. Vök (plural vakir) is the Icelandic word for ice-free patches of water. Surprise! There was always geothermal power here!

The Vök Baths opened in July 2019 with geothermal floating pools above these vakir, bright turquoise hexagons in the inky-blue lake, each boasting an infinity view. In fact, they’re the first and only floating pools in Iceland!

You get the same benefits as many of the other famous hot springs in Iceland. An in-pool bar? Check. Sauna? Check. Cold tunnels with a chilly mist, like the Sky Lagoon? Check.

But what makes the Vök Baths unique? The fact that you can jump into the lake from the floating pools! That, and you can put together a custom tisane at the tea bar, order some fabulous pork belly bao, or sip a neon red and blue slushy like you’re a kid again.

What I loved about this place is that they get everything right.

Let’s take a look at what makes the Vök Baths so awesome. You can book your ticket here.

Visiting the Vök Baths, Iceland

What first struck me about the Vök Baths was how striking the building is. Designed by Reykjavik-based Basalt Architects and Design Group Italia, it’s a modern masterpiece that blends seamlessly into the untouched landscape.

Begin by descending into the building. Yes, you walk downhill into the ground here, a luxurious hobbit-like hideaway topped with a grass roof.

The setting is Nordic design at its best: warm wooden walls, large glass windows, plants and quiet calmness.

To your left, the infusion bar — a bar where you can put together your own custom tea. Hot or iced, choose from local herbs like birch or angelica, black current…