The 10 Best Cities in Europe for Sauna Lovers
From Helsinki's legendary public saunas to London's new wave sauna clubs, Europe's sauna city scene has never been richer. Here is where to go if you are serious about the experience.
Europe's cities have always had a complex relationship with public bathing. Roman thermae gave way to medieval bathhouses, which gave way to industrialisation and private hygiene, which gave way — in recent decades — to a remarkable renaissance of communal wellness culture. Today, the continent's best cities for sauna offer experiences ranging from centuries-old traditions to architecturally stunning new venues that would not look out of place in a design magazine.
Here are the ten cities that any serious sauna traveller should put on their list.
1. Helsinki, Finland
No list of sauna cities begins anywhere other than Helsinki. The Finnish capital has approximately 300 public saunas — from the recently restored historic Kotiharju Sauna (opened in 1928, still wood-fired) to the award-winning Löyly, a contemporary sauna and restaurant on the waterfront designed by Avanto Architects.
The Allas Sea Pool combines outdoor swimming pools, hot tubs, and saunas on a pier extending into the harbour — with the sea itself as the cold plunge. Kulttuurisauna (Culture Sauna) in the Kallio neighbourhood is beloved for its black-tarred interior and direct access to the sea.
Helsinki is also the city where sauna culture is most deeply embedded in daily life. Local Helsinkians go to sauna weekly as a matter of course. Saunas are in apartment buildings, office buildings, and sports centres. The city lives by heat.
2. Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn is arguably the most underrated sauna destination in Europe. The Estonian sauna tradition is closely related to but distinct from the Finnish — quieter, more contemplative, with a stronger smoke sauna tradition.
The old town's sauna venues combine medieval atmosphere with authentic heat. Kalma Saun, one of the oldest public saunas in Tallinn, offers a genuine slice of Estonian working-class sauna culture. For a more contemporary experience, Viru Saun and the hotel saunas in the design district provide sophisticated settings.
Tallinn's prices are among the lowest in Europe. A full sauna session that might cost €40 in Helsinki runs €12–€18 in Tallinn.
3. Oslo, Norway
Oslo has reinvented itself as a sauna city in spectacular fashion. The floating sauna format — pioneered here — has given the Norwegian capital a sauna scene unlike any other in the world.
SALT on the Tjuvholmen waterfront is the most famous, combining sauna with a programme of music, art, and events. Langkaia Bad near the Opera House offers a more intimate alternative. The fjord itself — icy even in summer — provides the cold plunge.
Oslo also has The Well in Kolbotn, one of the largest spa and sauna complexes in northern Europe, with eleven themed saunas, multiple pools, and a full wellness programme.
4. Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm's sauna scene is less theatrical than Oslo's but deeply rooted. The Centralbadet, opened in 1904, is a national monument to the art of public bathing — an extraordinary Jugendstil building with a 25-metre pool, steam rooms, and a range of saunas in an atmosphere of relaxed grandeur.
The archipelago surrounding Stockholm provides a natural complement: summer sauna experiences on the island cottages of the Stockholm archipelago, with direct access to the Baltic, are among the finest in Scandinavia.
5. Berlin, Germany
Berlin's sauna culture is shaped by the German Aufguss tradition — ceremonial steam infusions performed by trained Aufguss masters with towels, essential oils, and music. The city has dozens of FKK (nudist) sauna facilities where the Aufguss is taken seriously as a craft.
Vabali Spa in the Tiergarten district is Berlin's finest sauna destination: an Indonesian-inspired complex spread across 20,000 square metres of gardens and pools, with multiple saunas, steam rooms, and outdoor relaxation areas. Weekday visits are manageable; weekends require advance booking.
6. Vienna, Austria
Austria's sauna culture is sophisticated and serious. The country's Aufguss tradition rivals Germany's, and Vienna has a number of excellent sauna facilities that blend Central European elegance with Nordic-influenced programming.
Therme Wien in the Oberlaa district is one of the largest thermal spa complexes in Central Europe, combining natural thermal spring water with an extensive sauna world (Saunapark) that hosts regular Aufguss events and special theme nights.
7. Tampere, Finland
Tampere calls itself the sauna capital of the world — a bold claim that is difficult to dispute. The former industrial city on the banks of two lakes has a higher concentration of public saunas than any other city on earth.
Rajaportin Sauna — the oldest public sauna in Finland, still in operation since 1906 — is a pilgrimage site for sauna enthusiasts. The city's public saunas are genuinely communal spaces where Tampere residents of all ages and backgrounds mix. There are no tourist-oriented performances here. This is sauna as it has always been.
8. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam's sauna culture has a distinctive Dutch character: relaxed about nudity, design-conscious, and integrated into the broader fabric of the city's wellness scene.
Sauna Deco in the Jordaan district — housed in a converted 1930s department store interior with extraordinary Art Deco tiles and fittings — is one of the most beautiful sauna venues in Europe. The combination of architectural heritage and genuine sauna expertise makes it essential.
9. Zurich, Switzerland
Zurich's sauna scene blends German-Austrian Aufguss culture with Swiss precision. The Thermalbad & Spa Zürich — built into a former brewery in the heart of the city — combines Roman-Irish bathing rituals with a roof terrace that overlooks the old town.
The city's lakeside outdoor baths (Seebäder) combine cold lake swimming with sauna access in a setting that is quintessentially Swiss.
10. London, United Kingdom
London's sauna scene is the newest on this list — but it is growing faster than anywhere else in Europe. See our dedicated article on the London sauna revolution for the full story. In brief: venues in Hackney, Bermondsey, Peckham, and the City are building a sauna culture that combines Nordic authenticity with London's characteristic diversity and energy.
Peckham Lido's sauna, Hackney Sauna Club, and Battersea Power Station Spa represent different points on the spectrum from grassroots to luxury. The scene is young, exciting, and evolving rapidly.
