Guðlaug Baths

Guðlaug is a hot outdoor pool by the sea at Langisandur in Akranes. The pool is built into the stone seawall on the beach and connects the walking path along the bank with the beach itself. In Guðlaug you can enjoy views over Faxaflói bay and combine sea swimming, relaxation, and a walk in the same place. The facilities are divided into three levels. On the top level there is a viewing platform. On the second level there are showers and a sitting pool with hot water (39°C), and on the lowest level there is a shallow wading pool. Stairs connect the levels and form a route down to the sea. There are also changing rooms and outdoor showers on site. Guðlaug is somewhere between being a natural pool and a traditional hot tub, and is enjoying growing popularity among tourists and locals who want to combine sea swimming with relaxation in hot water. Construction of Guðlaug began in 2017, based on an idea that can be traced to the Memorial Fund of Jón Gunnlaugsson and Guðlaug Gunnlaugsdóttir. The fund, which was established in 1969 to support young people in Akranes, was dissolved and its assets allocated, among other things, to this project. The design was in the hands of Basalt Architects and Mannvit, and construction was completed in December 2018. The aim of the project was to strengthen community and recreational life in Akranes with facilities that would serve both residents and visitors to the town.