Three cheers for our Icelandic Swimming Pool Culture!
Icelandic swimming pool culture has been inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Since the age of settlement, shared bathing and swimming spaces have been central to everyday life in Iceland. Abundant geothermal water rises naturally through cracks and wells across the country, offering warmth and practical benefits. From the earliest days, these waters provided places for hygiene, washing clothes — and even boiling an egg.
Watery meeting spaces
Beyond their practical use, hot pools have long served as important social spaces. They were places of comfort and cleanliness, but also of conversation and conflict resolution.Natural hot pools were ideal settings for negotiations — after all, it is difficult to bring a concealed weapon to a naked meeting in a hot tub.
In modern Iceland, swimming pools still play an important social role, perhaps with less emphasis on mitigation. They are places to meet in comfort, whatever the weather or season — to sit outdoors in warm water and discuss life. Pools are where people gather early in the morning, year-round. In many ways, Icelandic swimming pools are our pubs.
When safety skills are needed
As an island in the North Atlantic, Iceland borders the frigid waters of the northern seas. Fishing, a vital livelihood in many coastal regions, was historically perilous. Until the late 19th century, fishermen ventured out in open boats, risking their lives in heavy seas. Many drowned close to shore, sometimes within sight of their families. As awareness of public safety grew, geothermal hot water along the coastline was recognised as an ideal resource for heated swimming pools. These pools became essential training grounds where sailors learned to swim — a national priority that endures to this day. Iceland now takes pride in ensuring that everyone learns to swim, recognising it as a fundamental life skill.
Our own local pool
Here in Fljótin, shark fishing was a major industry for centuries. Icelanders exported shark liver oil to Denmark where it was used to illuminate the streets of Copenhagen. The work was extremely dangerous: the open Arctic Ocean is unforgiving, with powerful swells that can persist for days after storms.
Like so many regions in Iceland, Fljótin has its own geothermal water source. In 1895, the first teaching pool was dammed just beside where Sóti Lodge now stands, built specifically to teach sailors to swim. This reflected a nationwide movement at the turn of the 20th century to ensure swimming education for all Icelanders. For over 130 years, a swimming pool has been part of daily life here. The current pool, Barðslaug, was constructed in 1973.
Barðslaug welcomes you
Barðslaug, the pool next door to Sóti Lodge, remains an important part of Fljót’s social fabric. We manage it on behalf of the municipality. In summer it is a popular stop for locals and visitors alike; in winter, children gather to play while parents relax in the hot tub and sauna. Our guests are welcome to enjoy the pool, and for active groups we offer aquatic stretching and flotation sessions — a perfect way to relax and recharge after a full day of adventure.
In this way, Barðslaug is not just a pool beside Sóti Lodge — it is part of a living tradition recognised far beyond Iceland’s shores, connecting landscape and community, past and present.