Stockholm is built on water, which makes it one of the best cities in the world for a sauna: heat up on a wooden bench, plunge into a lake or the Baltic Sea, and repeat. This guide covers our favorite public saunas and spas that are easy to reach as a visitor, from wood-fired saunas on lakeside jetties to modern spas in the city center. Most are open all year round. In summer, combine your visit with a swim at one of our favorite spots for outdoor swimming. In autumn and winter, when the water is properly cold, the contrast between heat and plunge is at its sharpest. For more ways to unwind outside, from city parks to scenic walks, start with our guide to outdoors and wellness in Stockholm.
Our picks
- Closest to the center, with a swim: Hornstull Sauna, 150 SEK for 90 minutes
- City views from a floating sauna: Djurgårdsbastun, 325 SEK for 2 hours
- A sauna for just your group: Lilla Sauna, from 680 SEK for up to six people
- A guided aufguss session: The Sacred Sauna at MOOD, 349 SEK
- A lake swim in a nature reserve: Hellasgården, from 110 SEK
- Ice bathing in winter: Hellasgården or Isbjörnarna, which keep a hole in the ice open
- A full spa day: Yasuragi, from 690 SEK
Sauna etiquette in Sweden
The Swedish tradition is to bathe nude, and there is nothing strange or sexual about it: it’s simply considered the most practical way to enjoy a sauna. In Stockholm today, though, the rule depends on where you go. In the older, gender-separated bathhouses and association saunas, such as Hellasgården and Saltsjöbaden’s single-sex baths, nudity is normal and swimwear optional, and Isbjörnarna doesn’t allow swimwear in the sauna at all. In the newer city saunas, such as Hornstull, Sthlm Sauna Vinterviken and Sacred Sauna, swimwear is required, and spas like Yasuragi ask you to wear swimwear in the shared areas. Wherever you go, shower before you go in, sit on a towel to protect the wooden benches, and check the sauna’s own rules before your visit.
All saunas at a glance
The table lists every sauna in this guide in the same order as below: outdoor saunas in central Stockholm first, then outdoor saunas outside the center, then spas.
| Sauna | Type | Area | Price | Dress code | Card OK | Season |
| Hornstull Sauna | Lakeside sauna | Södermalm | 150 SEK | Swimwear | Yes | Year-round |
| Djurgårdsbastun | Seaside sauna | Djurgården | 325 SEK | Swimwear | Yes | Year-round |
| Tanto bastu | Lakeside sauna | Södermalm | 60 SEK | Optional | Yes | Year-round |
| Lilla Sauna | Lakeside sauna | Södermalm | 680–1,050 SEK (whole sauna) | Swimwear | Yes | Year-round |
| The Sacred Sauna at MOOD | Urban sauna | Norrmalm | 349 SEK | Swimwear | Yes | Year-round |
| Sthlm Sauna Vinterviken | Lakeside sauna | Aspudden (suburbs) | 105–135 SEK | Swimwear | Yes | Year-round |
| Hellasgården bastu | Lakeside sauna | Nacka (suburbs) | 110–190 SEK | Optional | Yes | Year-round |
| Sacred Sauna Slakthuset | Urban sauna | Slakthusområdet (suburbs) | 250–349 SEK | Swimwear | Yes | Year-round |
| Isbjörnarnas bastuförening | Lakeside sauna | Bromma (suburbs) | 125 SEK | No swimwear | No | August–May |
| Saltsjöbadens friluftsbad | Lakeside sauna | Saltsjöbaden (suburbs) | 90 SEK (40 after 4.30 pm) | Optional (single-sex baths) | Yes | May–September |
| Sätrabastun | Lakeside sauna | Skärholmen (suburbs) | 40 SEK | Swimwear | No (Swish only) | August–May |
| The Nest Wellness | Spa sauna | Norrmalm | 445–595 SEK | Swimwear | Yes | Year-round |
| Sturebadet | Spa sauna | Östermalm | 945–1,595 SEK | Swimwear | Yes | Year-round |
| Yasuragi | Spa sauna | Nacka (suburbs) | 690–1,290 SEK | Provided swimwear | Yes | Year-round |
| Ellery Beach House | Spa sauna | Lidingö (suburbs) | 295–745 SEK | Swimwear | Yes | Year-round |
| Centralbadet | Spa sauna | Norrmalm | 500–700 SEK | Swimwear | Yes | Closed until spring 2027 |
Outdoor saunas in central Stockholm
These five are within about 20 minutes of T-Centralen. All except the MOOD terrace sit right on the water, so you can swim between rounds.
Hornstull Sauna
Stockholm’s first city-run sauna, on the southern shore of Södermalm
Hornstull Sauna opened in June 2026 as Stockholm’s first city-run sauna, by Hornstulls strand on the southern shore of Södermalm. Visitors can book a 90-minute session, and swim in the bay between the sauna rounds. The facility hosts 16 guests at a time, featuring a public sun deck with open access.
The sauna is electrically heated and has one changing room shared by all visitors, outdoor showers, cold-water buckets, direct water access and a toilet next to the sun deck. Small lockers hold valuables only; clothes and bags can’t be locked away. Operating daily from 6:30 am to 9:30 pm, the sauna rotates between ladies’, men’s and mixed sessions, with a host present most of the day. Swimwear must be worn throughout the visit, and you shower with soap before going in. Sessions are released 30 days ahead, you can book for up to two people, and the 90 minutes include changing time. The sauna, the toilet and the ramp down to the building are wheelchair accessible.
The sauna is a pilot project, and the city hopes it will be the first of several membership-free public saunas.
Address: Bergsunds strand 26See on map
Getting there: 15 min from T-Centralen. Take the red metro line from T-Centralen towards Fruängen or Norsborg and get off at Hornstull (8 minutes, 5 stops). From Hornstull it’s a 7 minute walk towards the water.
Price: 150 SEK for 90 minutes.
Website: https://parker.stockholm/en/Find-a-bathing-site/hornstull-sauna/
Season: Year-round.
Djurgårdsbastun
Floating sauna on the channel between Djurgården and the city
Djurgårdsbastun is a floating sauna on a raft by the Djurgårdsbron bridge, overlooking the bay that separates Djurgården from the mainland. It is run by Djurgårdsbastun, a separate operator from the neighbouring restaurant Stockholm 1897, so you book the sauna on its own, with no meal needed.
The sauna looks like a floating gazebo, anchored right by the dock that serves as the restaurant’s outdoor seating area, with a bathing ladder dropping into the channel. It has two separate changing rooms, with showers, a sauna that fits 10 people and a strip of outdoor seating area that surrounds the whole building. It’s enough space to relax after the sauna and enjoy the views of Strandvägen boulevard.
You book a two-hour shared session online with Djurgårdsbastun, which runs the sauna, and check in at the Stockholm 1897 restaurant right next to the bridge. This is a communal sauna, so other people may have booked the same time. It fits around 10 guests, so expect a tight squeeze at full capacity. The sauna is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm, and you can also hire the whole sauna privately for up to 10 people (2,995 SEK for 2 hours).
Swimwear is the only thing you need to bring. Towels, soap and showers are all provided. There are no toilets on the raft itself, but the restaurant right next door has restrooms.
We visited in mid-May and it was a relaxing experience. Although the location is central, the raft itself gives you some privacy and the wooden deck stretches all the way round the sauna building in the middle. Although you cannot swim far in this part of the bay, the feeling of taking a cold dip right at the edge of Djurgården is refreshing.
Address: Galärvarvsvägen 2See on map
Getting there: 12 min from T-Centralen. Take tram 7 towards Waldemarsudde. Get off at Djurgårdsbron after 4 stops (about 9 min). The restaurant and the sauna dock are directly at the bridge on your right.
Price: 325 SEK per person (for 2 hours, towel included).
Website: https://djurgardsbastun.se
Season: Year-round.
Tanto bastu
Popular lakeside sauna at Södermalm
The Tanto bastu is a cozy sauna in the southern part of central Stockholm. It has a wood heated sauna stove and large windows overlooking the bay and the skyline of southern Stockholm.
This popular sauna opened in June 2016, following a citizen proposal to the Stockholm municipal council in 2015. It is located just by the water, in the bay Årstaviken, in the eastern part of Lake Mälaren.
There are time slots for members, and a few public sessions each week: men on Tuesday evenings; mixed on Wednesday evenings and Friday and Sunday mornings; women on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. Tickets go on sale on Billetto exactly three days before each session, one ticket per person, and they can sell out fast. A public session only runs if a member volunteers to host it. Swimwear is fine in the sauna, the sauna is alcohol-free, and there is no drinking water on the raft, so bring your own.
Address: ÅrstavikenSee on map
Getting there: 15 min from Slussen. Take the red subway line from Slussen towards Norsborg or Fruängen. Get off at Hornstull, 3 stops and approximately 5 min. Walk down towards the waterfront, about 10 min and you will see the sauna on a bathing jetty just by the beach.
Price: 60 SEK (tickets on Billetto)
Website: https://www.tantobastuforening.se/
Season: Year-round.
Lilla Sauna
Private wood-fired sauna on the Södermalm waterfront
Lilla Sauna is a small wood-fired sauna on Söder Mälarstrand, on the northern shore of Södermalm, looking out over Riddarfjärden. Mirrored windows let you take in the water views without anyone outside seeing in.
Unlike most saunas in this guide, it is booked privately: you rent the whole sauna for your own group of up to six people, for two or three hours, and get a door code by email once you have booked. A small platform with a ladder takes you straight down into Lake Mälaren for a cold dip between rounds.
Birch firewood and sauna oils are included. If the group before you has just left, the sauna will already be warm; otherwise it takes about half an hour to heat up. There are no showers, so shower before you come, and bring your own towel, swimwear, slippers and a water bottle.
Address: Söder Mälarstrand 24See on map
Getting there: 13 min from T-Centralen. Take the red or green metro line one stop to Gamla stan, then walk about 10 min across Slussen and west along the water on Söder Mälarstrand.
Price: 680 SEK (2 hours) or 870 SEK (3 hours) for the whole sauna Monday to Thursday; 780 SEK or 1,050 SEK Friday to Sunday. Up to 6 people.
Website: https://lillasauna.se/bastu-stockholm
Season: Year-round, open every day.
The Sacred Sauna at MOOD
Terrace sauna with aufguss rituals in the heart of the city
The Sacred Sauna’s second Stockholm location sits on an outdoor terrace on the third floor of the MOOD Stockholm shopping arcade in Norrmalm, a few minutes’ walk from Hötorget. It follows the same concept as the Slakthuset venue, just right in the city centre: guided sessions that combine aufguss, breathwork, scents and music, and open sessions where you move between the heat and the cold baths at your own pace.
The terrace is set up with plants, string lights and lounge furniture, and there are small changing cabins. Bring swimwear, or buy swimwear, slippers and a sauna hat on site. The minimum age is 18, and the sauna is open from 8 am to 8 pm every day, which makes it an easy stop after shopping or work.
Address: Regeringsgatan 48See on map
Getting there: 7 min from T-Centralen. Take the green metro line one stop to Hötorget, then walk about 4 min to the MOOD arcade.
Price: 349 SEK for a 60-minute guided session.
Website: https://thesacredsauna.se/en
Season: Year-round.
Outdoor saunas outside the city center
These saunas are in the suburbs, 20–45 minutes from the center by metro or bus. Most sit by a lake or the sea; Sacred Sauna Slakthuset has plunge pools instead. Check the season before you go: Saltsjöbaden is a summer bath, and Isbjörnarna and Sätrabastun close in summer.
Sthlm Sauna Vinterviken
Wood-heated sauna with a great view
This is one of our favourite saunas in Stockholm and it’s located by a lake in the southern Stockholm. It’s open all year round and fits 10 people at a time. You book your slot and share the space with other visitors. The sauna is a membership sauna, but they have time slots open to the public three days a week. This is a wood heated sauna, by the nature area Vinterviken in southern Stockholm.
The sauna opened in 2022 and is located on a pontoon bridge in Vinterviken, which is a bay in Lake Mälaren.
The facilities include the sauna by the lake. One changing room outdoors and a changing room indoors, in the sauna building, outdoor shower, no toilets available. Public sessions are mixed and swimwear is required. The sauna is alcohol-free. Public sessions only open for booking once two member hosts have booked them, so if you don’t see a time yet, check back later. You pay by card when you book online.
Address: Instrumentvägen 30
Getting there: Take the subway to Örnsberg metro station (red line towards Norsborg), then a 7 min walk (approximately 600 m).
Price: 105–135 SEK (depending on day of the week)
Website: https://www.sthlmsauna.se/
Season: Year-round.
Hellasgården bastu
Large sauna in the Hellasgården nature reserve
The area Hellasgården is located just south of central Stockholm and is a large nature resort. At the center of the area is the lake Källtorpssjön and its surrounding forest.
There are several activities available in the area, and one of our favorite activities is taking a hike or a run around the lake and finishing off with a sauna bath.
The saunas for women and for men are separate, each with its own changing room and showers. On Mondays and Wednesdays, women are also welcome in the men’s sauna, but not in the men’s showers, changing rooms or toilets. You still book on your own side as usual, and the women’s sauna stays women-only. Clean swimwear is fine in the sauna if you want to cover up, but if you’ve been swimming in the lake in it, take it off and use a towel instead. There is a passage to the lake from the back of the saunas, and you must wear swimwear (or cover up) on the terrace and jetty. Bring flip-flops, as the jetty can be very slippery.
Address: Ältavägen 101
Getting there: 20 min from Slussen. Take bus 401 from Slussen towards Älta. The bus ride is 9 stops and about 15 min. After that there is a short walk towards the lake, where you will find the sauna entrance right by the café.
Price: 110 SEK on weekday daytimes, 140 SEK on weekdays from 13:45, 180 SEK at weekends and 190 SEK on public holidays. You book a 90-minute slot online; drop-in is possible on weekday mornings until 13:00 if there’s space. Towels can be rented for 80 SEK, and a padlock costs 110 SEK.
Website: https://hellasgarden.se/aktiviteter/bastu/
Season: Year-round.
Sacred Sauna Slakthuset
Urban city retreat with aufguss rituals and cold plunge pool
Sacred Sauna combines sauna sessions with aufguss and breathwork. It is in Slakthusområdet, a new district just south of Södermalm that is still being built and is expected to be finished by 2030. There is a large sauna for guided sessions, smaller saunas for open sessions, an outdoor lounge, showers and cold plunge pools.
Choose between a guided and an unguided sauna session. The guided session is a mix of aufguss and breathwork sessions with three, ten minute sessions, each with a five minute break. The outdoor lounge area has plenty of seating, three cold plunge pools and a choice of warm and cold showers. Bring a towel and swimwear.
Arrive 10 minutes before the session starts to get changed. You will hear the gong once it is time to enter the sauna. The large sauna holds up to 30 people and it’s recommended to book in advance since some of the sessions will be fully booked.
Sacred Sauna opened here in 2025. The district is still under construction, but it already has restaurants such as Solen and Afrika if you want to stay for dinner.
Aufguss is a sauna ritual where a sauna master pours water infused with essential oils over hot stones while circulating the air with towels and fans.
Address: Hallvägen 7A
Getting there: 15 min from Slussen. Take the green metro line towards Hagsätra and get off at the station Globen. From there head south towards the construction area, this is where the new district is being built. It’s a 6 minutes walk from the metro station.
Price: 349 SEK for a 60-minute guided session, or 250 SEK for 2 hours of open (unguided) sauna.
Website: https://thesacredsauna.se/en
Season: Year-round.
Isbjörnarnas bastuförening
Sauna for experiencing winter swimming
This is a great place all year round, and especially for trying out winter swimming. During winter when the lake is frozen a hole in the ice is kept open for the sauna visitors to indulge in cold baths combined with the sauna heat. The sauna is open for the public on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. It is recommended to book your time slot in advance on their website (slots open 14 days ahead), but there are also always drop-in slots for the more spontaneous visitors. Swimwear isn’t allowed in the sauna in any session, but you can cover up with a towel. Cards aren’t accepted: they take Swish, and cash as an exception if you don’t have Swish.
The sauna, run by Isbjörnarnas bastuförening (meaning “the polar bears”), is open from August to May and closes for a summer break in June and July. In the regular sauna building, the large sauna is always mixed and the small one is for women.
Note: The regular sauna has been closed for repairs since May 2026 and is expected to reopen in mid-2027. In the meantime, a temporary tent sauna is open on the usual days. It fits 10 people per 90-minute session, and you need to book ahead, though a couple of drop-in spots are kept free. Tent sessions are paid when you book.
Address: Kanaans väg 73
Getting there: 35 min from the Central Station. Take the green subway line from T-Centralen towards Hässelby. Get off at Blackeberg (or Råcksta), which is 15 stops and approximately 25 min. From there it’s about a 10 min walk towards the lake.
Price: 125 SEK (for a 90-minute session in the temporary tent sauna)
Website: https://www.isbjornarnabromma.se/
Season: August–May (closed for the summer in June and July).
Saltsjöbadens friluftsbad
Traditional bath house by the ocean
This is a great place in Stockholm for having a relaxing sauna and swimming in the ocean. The bathhouse has a long tradition and was constructed already in 1913. It consists of two separate baths, one for men and one for women, as well as a beach, which is a mixed area.
This being right on the Baltic Sea expect the water temperature to be colder than in the lakes. There is a sauna in the men’s area and one in the women’s area. Both of these areas are clothing optional as the traditional way to take a sauna bath was in the nude. Nowadays it’s perfectly okay to bring your swimming wear as well, and you will see a variety of people both in and without swimwear.
The Saltsjöbadens friluftsbad is operated by an association and is open to the public from late spring to early autumn, May to September. During July the men’s area turns into a family area during the weekends. During those times swimwear is mandatory.
Address: Torbjörn Gruts väg 8
Getting there: 45 min from Slussen. Take the bus 25M from Slussen towards Saltsjöbaden station. The ride is 9 stops and takes approximately 35 minutes. From the station, take a short walk towards the water and you will reach the bathhouse in about 7 min.
Price: 90 SEK (40 SEK after 4.30 pm). The bath is cash-free: pay by card or Swish.
Website: https://www.saltisbadet.se/
Season: May–September (in September open only during Saturdays and Sundays)
Sätrabastun
Public sauna for the weekend visitors
The Sätrabastun is a beautiful sauna, which opened in 2022, and is available to the public. This is a drop-in sauna, meaning you cannot book a timeslot, instead just drop by and if the sauna is currently full you will have to stand and wait for some time until you can enter and enjoy the heat. There is room for 10 visitors at a time, so you usually do not have to wait for long.
We love the large windows overlooking the charming lake outside, and the wood burning sauna stove. The atmosphere here is relaxing and gives you access to the lake for swimming and cooling in between the sauna sessions.
The sauna is open Friday to Sunday, with mixed sessions on Fridays, womens’ sauna on Saturdays and mens’ on Sundays.
Address: Sätrastrandsbadet, Alsätravägen
Getting there: 40 min from Slussen. Take the red subway line form Slussen towards Norsborg, and get off at Skärholmen. The ride is 11 stops and takes 20 min. From there you have a 20 min walk towards the lake, where you will find the sauna by the beach Sätrabadet.
Price: 40 SEK (for 1 hour of sauna), paid on site with Swish only. Swish requires a Swedish bank account, so most visitors won’t be able to pay.
Website: https://xn--strabastun-q5a.se/
Season: August–May (They are closed for the summer in mid-June to mid-August).
Spas with saunas
Spa day passes include several saunas, pools and lounges, from 295 SEK at Ellery Beach House to 1,595 SEK at Sturebadet. Centralbadet is closed for renovation until spring 2027.
The Nest Wellness
Sauna at a serene spa in central Stockholm
The spa is located at the top of Downtown Camper hotel, just a few minutes walk from the Central Station. This is a serene place to relax for a few hours in the middle of Stockholm. The number of simultaneous guests is limited so it never feels crowded. The view from the outdoor pool is magnificent and you can see several of the tall buildings surrounding the inner city.
The sauna looks like a bird’s nest from the outside, with twigs covering the entire sauna. Inside it is a fairly large sized sauna with electrical heating and a cozy and relaxing wooden interior. Usually there are cold towels by the entrance to the sauna, which is a great way to cool down afterwards. The outdoor pool is also a great place for soaking after the sauna.
This is a relaxing place to spend a few hours in central Stockholm. There is tea and dried fruits for you to enjoy, and you can also buy a drink at the bar just next to the spa.
After having spent a few relaxing hours in the spa you can continue to wind down at the bar just next to the spa. We love that they also offer several mocktails as an alternative to alcoholic beverages.
Address: Brunkebergstorg 9See on map
Getting there: 5 min walk from the Central station.
Price: 445–595 SEK (depending on day of the week)
Website: https://www.scandichotels.com/en/hotels/downtown-camper-by-scandic/wellness
Season: Year-round.
Sturebadet
Historic bathhouse in central Stockholm
Sturebadet is a historic bathhouse inside the Sturegallerian mall at Stureplan in Östermalm. Its saunas are in the Turkish bath, where you move between dry and steam saunas and cold plunge pools. A day visit also gives you the pool hall, with its large pool and a whirlpool.
Sturebadet opened in 1885 to give Stockholmers access to baths and exercise. The original bathhouse burned down in 1985 and reopened in 1989 after being rebuilt.
Address: Sturegallerian 36See on map
Getting there: 10 min from the Central Station. Take the red subway line from T-Centralen towards Mörby or Ropsten, just 1 stop and a 2 min ride. Get off at Östermalmstorg and walk towards the mall Sturegallerian. The entrance to the spa is inside the Sturegallerian mall.
Price: 945–1,595 SEK (depending on day of the week).
Website: https://www.sturebadet.se/
Season: Year-round.
Yasuragi
Japanese themed spa with a large amount of Japanese styled saunas
Just as Sweden and Japan have many common elements in their interior design, there are also similarities in their bathing traditions. Yasuragi is a great experience, which combines Japanese bathing traditions with Swedish nature. Both the saunas and the baths are blended with the Nordic forest and serene nature.
Two of our favorite saunas here are the wooden dry sauna with a huge window overlooking the archipelago outside, as well as the outdoor sauna with the cold water pool just outside. Other saunas here are the steam-salt sauna, where you scrub your skin with salt inside a steam bath, the sleeping sauna and also the outdoors pools with a view of the archipelago just outside. We love the great shower area, where you can experience Japanese showers and separate saunas and soaking pools inside the womens and mens shower rooms. This is a great way to wind down, relax and get into the calming mood before getting out into the huge bathhouse.
The Yasuragi spa is the largest bathhouse in Stockholm. The buildings were repurposed during the 1990s and opened their bathhouse in 1997. The buildings were originally built as a conference center, and were designed by the Japanese architect Yoji Kasajima. During 2017 the entire bathhouse was rebuilt into specifically a Japanese bathhouse.
At check-in you get a yukata, slippers and swimwear, and you wear the swimwear in the main bathhouse (you keep it afterwards). Nudity is only for the gender-separated washing rooms, which have their own hot baths and a dry sauna. The age limit is 16 with a guardian, otherwise 18, and Yasuragi is completely cash-free.
Address: Hamndalsvägen 8
Getting there: 1 hour by bus from Slussen. Take bus 471 from Slussen towards Västra Orminge. Get off at Korset, and change bus to bus 417 towards Hasseludden. Get off at the bus stop Hamndalsvägen. From here there is a short walk, approximately 7 min to Yasuragi.
Price: 690–1,290 SEK (there are several different day packages to choose from)
Website: https://www.yasuragi.se/en/
Season: Year-round
Ellery Beach House
Spa resort with seaside access at the end of the island Lidingö
The hotel is designed inspired by mid-century modern architecture, and the whole hotel gives you the vibes of the aesthetics of the 1960s Palm Springs. The resort opened in 2020 and has several saunas, both indoor and outdoor. Our favorite sauna is the waterfront sauna giving you access to take a cold plunge in the ocean.
The spa area is located in a serene and remote area at the far end of Lidingö Island. Though being close to the city center it feels more like staying at a countryside getaway in the archipelago. Between sauna visits make sure to take a nature walk around the island, or enjoy one of the pools. The pool area and nearby bar often gets a party vibe in the evening with music, drinks and food.
Address: Elfviks udde
Getting there: 50 min from T-centralen by subway and bus. Take the red subway line from T-Centralen towards the end stop Ropsten, which is 4 stops and about 7 min. In Ropsten change to bus 211 towards Bosön Fågelöuddebadet, which is 20 stops and about 25 min. From there take a hike for about 25 min (2.1 km) to the very tip of the island.
Price: 295–745 SEK (depending on day of the week)
Website: https://www.ellerybeachhouse.com/en/
Season: Year-round.
Centralbadet
Several saunas in a historic bathhouse in central Stockholm
There are several different saunas, with the traditional dry sauna only being one of many. There are also a steam sauna, infrared sauna, a salt sauna and a crystal sauna which is a form of lighter steam sauna.
The building opened in 1904 and has kept its original Art Nouveau (Jugend) architecture, where the architect wanted to connect the bathhouse with the surrounding nature. The whole spa was renovated in 2022.
Note: Centralbadet closed for a major renovation on March 2, 2026, and is expected to reopen in spring 2027. The pools and saunas are closed until then.
Address: Drottninggatan 88See on map
Getting there: 10 min walk from the Central Station.
Price: 500–700 SEK (depending on day of the week)
Website: https://centralbadet.se/
Season: Closed for renovation until spring 2027.
A short guide to Swedish sauna culture
The Swedish word for sauna is bastu, short for badstuga, meaning bathhouse. Saunas have been part of Swedish life since the Middle Ages and became common in the early 20th century, when public health and hygiene got more attention. Most saunas in Stockholm are dry saunas, heated by electricity or a wood-fired stove. Because the city is built on water, many sit right on a lake or the sea, so you can cool off between rounds.
Viking wellness is a newer name for the same heat-and-cold ritual: time in a hot sauna, a dip in cold water, and repeat. What is marketed as a travel trend elsewhere is simply how many Stockholmers unwind, and every sauna in this guide lets you try it.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on the sauna. Most lakeside saunas and spa facilities let you book online, and it’s worth doing so. Popular time slots, especially on weekends, can fill up quickly. Booking a day or two ahead is usually enough. A few saunas, like Sätrabastun, are drop-in only, so no booking is possible or needed.
Both exist. Smaller standalone saunas typically run separate time slots for women, men, and mixed sessions on different days. Larger spa facilities like Yasuragi and Sturebadet have multiple saunas, some gender-separated and some mixed. Check the specific sauna’s schedule before you visit, as the rules vary and change by day of the week.
For a lakeside sauna, bring two towels (one to sit on, one to dry off with), swimwear for the swim between sessions, and a bottle of water. For spa saunas, swimwear is usually sufficient. Towels and other amenities are typically provided, though it’s worth checking the specific spa’s website in advance.
Not usually, and at many saunas it isn’t even allowed. Bathing nude is traditional in Sweden and has nothing to do with sexuality, and it’s still the norm in gender-separated bathhouses like Hellasgården and Saltsjöbaden’s single-sex baths. Isbjörnarna doesn’t allow swimwear in the sauna at all. Most newer city saunas, like Hornstull, Sthlm Sauna Vinterviken and Sacred Sauna, require swimwear, and Yasuragi asks you to wear the swimwear it provides in the bathhouse. Check each sauna’s rules in this guide before you go.
Yes, at several of them. Tanto, Sthlm Sauna Vinterviken and Isbjörnarna are run by member associations (bastuföreningar) but open public sessions every week. At Tanto and Vinterviken a public session only runs when member hosts sign up, and Tanto’s tickets go on sale on Billetto exactly three days ahead, so check back if nothing is bookable yet.
Mostly, yes. Swish needs a Swedish bank account, so it isn’t an option for most visitors, but nearly all saunas in this guide take cards, often when you book online. The exceptions are Sätrabastun, which only takes Swish, and Isbjörnarna, which takes Swish or, as an exception, cash, but not cards.
Yes. Shower with soap before you go into the sauna. It keeps the benches and the shared water clean, and many saunas, like Hornstull, ask for it explicitly.
Quiet conversation is usually fine, but many people come for peace and quiet, so take your cue from those around you. Some saunas run silent sessions, which the booking page will say. Ask the others before you pour water on the stones, and only use a little at a time: too much at once cools the sauna down and can damage the heater.
There’s no fixed rule. Stay as long as it feels good, often somewhere between 5 and 15 minutes, then cool off in the water or a shower and rest before the next round. Two or three rounds is common. Leave the heat straight away if you feel dizzy or unwell, and drink plenty of water.
For most healthy adults a short, careful dip is fine, but it’s a real strain on the body. Avoid it if you have heart or circulation problems or high blood pressure, or if you’re pregnant, and ask a doctor if you’re unsure. Never swim alone, enter the water slowly, keep it short, and wear flip-flops on icy jetties. Hellasgården and Isbjörnarna both keep a hole in the ice open all winter.
At many saunas, yes, but the rules vary. At Hornstull every child needs their own booking, and a child over seven visiting with a parent of the opposite sex must use a mixed session. Yasuragi’s age limit is 16 with a guardian, otherwise 18. Check the sauna’s own rules before you bring children.
Generally not. Saunas run by associations, such as Tanto and Sthlm Sauna Vinterviken, are alcohol-free. At Djurgårdsbastun, the Stockholm 1897 restaurant next to the sauna serves drinks, so you can have one afterwards.
