If you spend any time around Icelandic bathing you will soon hear the word hot pot, or heitur pottur in Icelandic. It simply means a small, hot pool, and it sits right at the heart of how Icelanders relax. Knowing what a hot pot is, and how to use one, unlocks the most sociable and soothing part of any soak.
So what is a hot pot?
A hot pot is a compact pool of hot geothermal water, usually big enough for a handful of people sitting close together. You find them in three forms: the tidy hot pots beside a town swimming pool, the polished pools of a spa, and the wild hot pots out in nature, a simple stone or earth basin where a hot spring meets cooler water. All three share the same idea, a warm place to sit, soak and talk.
A tradition with deep roots
Icelanders have gathered in hot water since the saga age. The most famous early example is the reconstructed Guðrúnarlaug in the Dales, a pool tied to the medieval sagas. Out in nature, simple wild pots like Landbrotalaug on Snæfellsnes or the free pots at Drangsnes on the Strandir coast carry the same centuries old habit into the present.
How hot is a hot pot?
Most hot pots sit at a comfortable soaking heat, with town pools offering several pots across a gentle range so you can find your favourite. Wild pots vary more, since nature sets the temperature, so it is wise to test the water with a hand before stepping in. For the full picture, see our guide to how hot Iceland's hot springs really are.
The hot pot is small on purpose; closeness is the whole point.
How to enjoy one
- Shower first at any serviced pool, as Icelandic custom asks.
- Ease in slowly and start with a cooler pot before the hottest one.
- Keep your stay gentle, stepping out to cool down whenever you like.
- Test wild pots by hand first, and never enter water that feels too hot.
- Leave a wild pot as you found it, so it stays welcoming for the next bather.
Find your pot
Plan a soak around the hot pots of Iceland, town pools, spas and wild springs alike. Checkout is handled securely through Bókun.
Explore the hot springsRead more in Icelandic swimming pool culture, learn the customs in your first Icelandic bath, or find the wild ones in our guide to hot springs you hike to.