Hofsós Swimming Pool
The Hofsos swimming pool is a 25-metre geothermal pool built into a hillside above Skagafjördur fjord in North Iceland, with uninterrupted views across the water to the volcanic island of Drangey. It has the feel of an infinity pool merging with the sea, and is consistently rated one of the most beautifully situated pools in the country.
A Geothermal Pool Overlooking a Fjord in North Iceland
The Hofsos pool opened in 2010 as a gift to the local community from two benefactors with roots in the area. It was designed by Basalt Architects to sit as low to the cliff edge as possible, creating the impression that the water meets the fjord directly below. The result is a 25-metre geothermal pool with views across Skagafjördur to Drangey island, a dramatic volcanic outcrop rising from the water roughly 10 kilometres to the north. Drangey is a 700,000-year-old volcanic remnant that now serves as a seabird colony and is featured in the Njáls Saga, one of the most celebrated works of Icelandic medieval literature. The mountains across the fjord complete a panorama that, on a clear day, is genuinely extraordinary.
The pool itself is filled with naturally heated geothermal water at around 30 to 31 degrees Celsius, warm enough for lane swimming and relaxing. A hot tub sits adjacent, running at 38 to 39 degrees. The facilities are clean and well maintained, with changing rooms on site. Just below the pool, a wooden path leads down to the shoreline at Stadarbjargavik, where a stretch of basalt columns lines the coast and makes for a short but worthwhile detour before or after a swim. The pool is a genuine local facility, not a tourist spa, which gives it a different atmosphere from Iceland's more commercial geothermal experiences.
Hofsos village is on the eastern shore of Skagafjördur, on Route 76 on the Trollaskagi Peninsula in North Iceland. It is about 90 minutes from Akureyri and around four hours from Reykjavik. The pool is not a practical standalone destination from the capital, but it sits naturally on a route around the Trollaskagi Peninsula that also passes through Saudarkrokur and the Icelandic Emigration Centre, which is also located in Hofsos and tells the story of Icelandic emigration to North America in the 19th century. Summer opening hours run approximately 7am to 9pm, with reduced hours in winter.
