If you’re a fan of fantasy on TV, you’re going to recognize this warm hole in the ground. Even though there are many hot springs around Iceland, Grjótagjá is one of the few that have made it to an internationally known TV show. On top of that, it has an interesting back story and is easy to reach.
In this article, we go through the ins and outs of the Grjótagjá cave in Iceland. Stay tuned!
Grjótagjá in Short
Iceland is practically filled to the brim with natural hot springs in all shapes and sizes. After all, it is an island on top of one of the most geologically active zones in the world, so a couple of bubbly pools are to be expected. One of our absolute favorites is Grjótagjá – a hot spring and a cave all in one.
This hot spring cave used to be a popular place for locals to swim up unit the 70s when a nearby volcanic eruption raised the temperatures to literally boiling the water. When this was discovered, the local authorities fenced off the Grjótagjá cave to prevent anyone from being harmed by the incredibly warm water. Luckily, there are many other hot springs in Iceland to dip your feet in.
Today, the temperature in Grjótagjá lies around 50 degrees Celsius and is slowly going down. Even though the temperatures are low enough not to be harmful to swimmers, there is still a risk that the water will rapidly increase and hurt someone, so the cave will be off-limits for the foreseeable future.
In the 1700s, a well-known outlaw named Jón Markússon lived there and used to soak up in the warm hot spring after a long day of alleged crime. When he eventually passed on, the locals started using the cave for bathing and kept using it until its closure in the 1970s.
Where is Grjótagjá?
You will find Grjótagjá in the northern part of Iceland, very close to Lake Mývatn’s eastern shore. It’s along the route of the Diamond Circle and a must-stop on your North Icelandic Road Trip.
How to Get to Grjótagjá
Since Grjótagjá in Iceland is just a short 471 kilometers from the capital, getting here is as easy as pie! Honestly, though, the road here only takes time and not much effort or navigational skills.
From Reykjavik, go north on the Ring Road and continue for about 470 kilometers until you get a kilometer or two after Reykjahlid. After that, you turn right on Road 860 (also known as Grjótagjávegur = Grjótagjá Road) for about 2 kilometers until you reach the turnoff to your right that leads straight to the Grjótagjá parking lot. This trip will take almost 6 hours if you don’t make any stops.
Even though you can make this trip in one go, we recommend making this a multiple-day trip with many stops along the way. Iceland is too great of a country not to take full advantage of a long road trip!
How Grjótagjá was Formed
How Iceland was formed is a story of violent volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and massive glaciers. These forces of nature have been clashing with each other for millions of years and created amazing areas for us to discover, and Grjótagjá lava cave is one of them.
Sometimes, when lava covers the land, the top layer will get hard faster than the layers underneath, which then have time to drain away and create a hollow under the hardened lava. This happens in different shapes, and in the case of Grjótagjá, it created a nice little cave that just happened to have a hot spring pop up in it after a while.
Grjótagjá on Screen
There are multiple Game of Thrones filming locations in Iceland, and it is believed that Grjótagjá is one of them. In season 3 of the series, Jon Snow and the Wildling Ygritte have a steamy moment in Grjótagjá in Game of Thrones. That is, however, not the case since the famous scene has been confirmed to have been filmed in a studio.
The scene itself might have been filmed in a studio, but since a movie set is not as romantic as one might think, the creative team recreated the environment digitally. As the world has a serious shortage of dragons, much of Game of Thrones is a good blend of real-world and digital effects. So, technically, you could call it the Game of Thrones Cave, just as long as you know how the scene was made.
What to Do Around Grjótagjá
The Mývatn area has a lot of activities and attractions on offer. Below are some of the things you can do near Grjótagjá:
- Swim in Storagjá – the cousin of Grjótagjá, where swimming is allowed.
- Visit the Hverfjall Crater – a strikingly symmetrical result of a violent eruption.
- Test the waters in Lake Mývatn – if you would like to try a cold dip for a change.
- Visit the Namafjall Geothermal Area – it might be a little stinky, but it is incredibly cool!
- Stroll through Dimmuborgir – the misty castle in Northern Iceland.
- Drive the Diamond Circle –get to know the area in Northern Iceland.
Where to Stay Around Grjótagjá
As we said earlier, we strongly recommend making this a multi-day trip and seeing as much of Iceland as possible, so why not stay here for a night? Below are some accommodation options:
- Mývatn Accommodation – This is the one-stop-shop for all types of accommodation. The area sports apartments, guesthouses, cottages, mini cottages, a hostel, and campgrounds. All services can be found on the grounds, and you can pretty much choose whichever type of accommodation you want.
- Vogar Travel Services – A budget alternative with a guesthouse and camping area. There is a pizzeria on the grounds too, so you don’t have to worry about dinner!
- Berjaya Mývatn Hotel – a pricier option if you want to spoil yourself a little. This is a classy hotel with a bar, accessible rooms, and a high-class restaurant.
Plan Your Trip to Grjótagjá
There are too many hot springs in Iceland to fit into a single holiday, so why should you come and see the one hot spring you can’t swim in? Well, Grjótagjá has an amazing history, and despite the lack of soaking capabilities, the cave is well worth a visit, if only to enter it and understand what the fuss is about.
When you go on a trip to this magical country, there is no better way to do it than to rent a camper in Iceland that allows you to take charge of your time and trip itinerary. With Grjótagjá being located so conveniently close to the Ring Road, a motorhome also makes perfect (and the most affordable!) sense when it comes to road-tripping the popular route and all its attractions. So, what are you waiting for? Whether you’re a Game of Thrones fan or a history buff – Grjótagjá is sure to impress!
