Serenity.#naturephotography#pure_visual#mobilephotography#alone_in_nature#evergreen#hot_spring#model#forest#europe#pyrenees#eurotrip#spring#amazing_places#freedom#
Really, really little info on hot springs, are photo's the only thing on offer?
Then again, all the more info on Europe's sauna sector.
The natural soaks, I haven't any info. Or do I?
Nature et Source Chaude updated (Dec. 28) the entry on Toscan soaks, unsure what exactly, but this French language website is always a good source of info.
Enhanced then.
Blog23b visits Switzerland's Baden (Jan. 28) and is impressed by the free baths established:
'Heisser Brunnen, Baden, Switzerland: Usually spa towns tend to be greedy when it comes to their main natural asset: thermal water. I must lower my hat in respect of the people of Bagni Popolari and the City of Baden for breaking this awful trend. This is an exemplary case of making hot springs safe and accessible for everybody. – bert'
An 8.5, no less.
Examples of making baths accessible:
A concert in the (pop-up)baths (insta, Jan. 12)
bagno_popolare
Rückblick aufs Konzert von @seesignals im Bad zum Raben! Danke an @dianitamargarita_ @lbhonne & @ben__kaczor für ihr Live Set! ❤️ Bilder und Clips von @nicolaspetitThe last day on the exhibition (insta, 29 Jan.)
bagno_popolare
Ihr Lieben! Letzten Samstag war die Finissage und damit die letzte Veranstaltung in der Zwischennutzung des Bad zum Rabens ❤️ Danke an alle die gekommen sind! 🥰 Bilder von @nicolaspetit 🔥
A short vdo from Rai Cultura (Dec. 4) on San Casciano dei Bagni (Siena) archeological finds.
Bulgaria's Thermal Association has produced a map of thermal soaks to be had.
Trance
The short version: it's quite complicated. For instance, Belgium depends very much on the language and associated culture (Flemish speaking naked, Wallons not, Brussels possibly / probably).
'I’m planning on going to the sauna with my girlfriend for the first time and am hesitating between nude or not. While thinking about it I had so many questions come to mind. As sauna culture is different from country to country I am asking here'.
Other experiences from sauna culture around Europe, which has somehow popped up.
Norway, Reddit on The Wells Oslo (Jan. 3):
'I went last June and loved it! The attendants really enforce the requirement to be nude in the saunas a steam rooms. Saw them make more than one person strip or leave the room. My favorite was the “Friday Night Special” which was a group of about 20 people in a hot sauna with the sauna master heating up the sauna playing trance music. Made us take a bring and run jump in on of the cold pools. So freeing to be naked with both sexes, we have nothing like the well in the US where I’m from'.
An Austrian experience, at the Paracelsus baths of Salzburg where Reddit posters shared a google review. From probably mid-2024. The Reddit comments (in German) mostly surprised by the original post which condemns management for a naked only regulation. Especially because they were not informed they are quoted.
But from the Paracelsus website:
'The sauna including the infinity pool at Paracelsus Bad & Kurhaus are nude areas'.
Still, the German Reddit contri's amount to more than 250 comments.
A slightly older article (Sep. 27 2024), from Furthermag, on Finns, Finland, Finnish culture and saunas:
“It can be argued that taking a sauna defines Finnishness,” says Dr. Laura Seesmeri, a researcher at the University of Turku in southwestern Finland and a leading sauna expert. (Yes, there is such a thing.) “But we might also say that Finnishness defines sauna bathing.” As fundamental to a Finn’s everyday as licorice and sarcasm, the notion of “sauna” — both as a verb, to sauna, and a noun, the heated room itself — has been around as long as Finns themselves. The ritual dates back to at least 7000 B.C., though some accounts suggest the timeline goes to the Stone Age. Indeed, the very word “sauna” is Finnish'.
Swiss publication Blick has an article (Dec. 9) on what they believe is the upcoming sauna trend: with swimmers. Excerpt (in German):
'In die Schweizer Saunen breitet sich aus, was man im gleichen Kontext sonst nur im Ausland antrifft: die Badehose, der Badeanzug. Seit einigen Jahren setzen grosse Wellnessanlagen neben der klassischen Nacktsauna auf Textilsaunen. Beispiele gibt es genug: Aquabasilea in Basel, Therme Zurzach und Fortyseven im Kanton Aargau. Auch viele gehobene Hotels schreiben in ihren Saunen mitunter eine Badehose vor, darunter: The Chedi in Andermatt UR, Waldhotel Arosa, Grand Resort Bad Ragaz und Bad Horn Hotel & Spa im Thurgau. Agica Hrncic, Präsident des Schweizer Sauna-Bunds, Saunameister und seit einem Jahrzehnt im Geschäft, bestätigt den Trend: «Meine Erfahrung zeigt, dass die Tendenz steigend ist.»...Der Fortyseven-Geschäftsführer Franc Morshuis, der aus den Niederlanden stammt, erklärt es sich so: «Die Gesellschaft in der Schweiz ist internationaler geworden. Das spüren wir auch bei uns.» In den letzten zwanzig Jahren wanderten laut Bundesamt für Statistik über drei Millionen Menschen aus dem Ausland zu. Mit ganz eigenen Vorstellungen von Nacktheit'.
Is this really the reality? Or is it a purely commercial step: the more (consumers) the merrier (investors).
Sauna therapy is more than just relaxation — it's science-backed self-care! 🔬🔥Studies on over 2,000 Finnish sauna users across 20 years reveal astonishing health benefits:✨ 24% lower risk of death for those who enjoy 2-3 sessions per week.✨ 40% reduction for dedicated users with 4-7 sessions weekly.✨ Spending 20 minutes instead of 10 cuts cardiac death risk by 52%!How does it work?💪 Boosts cardiovascular fitness & heart rate variability🍭 Supports insulin sensitivity & regulates blood sugar❤️ Improves blood pressure & reduces cardiac risks😌 Increases endorphins, decreases stress hormones, and enhances sleep.Sauna bathing is a natural way to elevate your health, supported by rigorous research. I incorporate it into my routine not just for the physical perks, but for the mental clarity and stress relief it brings. 🧖♀️✨Have you tried sauna therapy? Let me know your experience below! 🫶Source: Laukkanen et al., JAMA Intern Med, 2015."💞Remember: If you have heart disease or unregulated blood pressure heat therapy is not recommended. To get the most benefits, learn the science-backed method of cold & heat therapy in the 3,5 hour "Thermalist Method at Home" online course at https://ow.ly/svFo50UtWuc 💞#SaunaTherapy#HealthBenefits#CardiovascularHealth#Longevity#StressRelief#SaunaLife#Biohacking#WellnessJourney#BetterSleep
Uproar
Specifics then. And possible surprises.
The second Schaffhausen (Switzerland) sauna marathon garnered quite some interest on the internet.
Radio Munot (Jan. 1) announcing the upcoming event.
A report (Jan. 22) on the marathon by Saunamarathon.ch:
'The second sauna marathon is already history again. Around 1,100 enthusiastic participants took part in the Saunamarathon Schaffhausen on January 17 and 18, 2025. We are overwhelmed by the great feedback!A date for the 2026 edition has not yet been set. We will inform you on this page as soon as the date is fixed'.
Newsreport SRF (Jan. 17) has a reportage on the Saunamarathon as does TeleZuri (Jan. 18).
Sauna Channel then.
Their newest vdo offering (Jan. 14), an experience of the Latvian sauna tradition of Pirts. In Switzerland.
Also a vdo on a Saunafloss Erlach (Dec. 23):
'Experience the tranquility of a traditional Finnish sauna as you've never seen it before, gently bobbing on the crystal-clear waters with breathtaking views of the Swiss landscape. Learn about the owners/builders who went into creating this haven of relaxation. Saunafloss Erlach is a testament to friendship, entrepreneurship, and the restorative power of sweat bathing in a beautiful natural setting'.
In the Dutch province of Frysia, politicians are coming round to the Scandinavian idea of Kallbad, basically hoping initiatives will commence around shoreside sauna's and accesible places to cool off.
Leeuwarder Courant (Jan. 21) notes the pro's, though it seems the initiatiors are more interested in commercial facilities rather than community led. Skinnydipping is also just a commercial slogan, the reality would be the total opposite.
Community initiatives? Scottish Daily Express (Jan. 26) notes how locals in the village seem to be bewildered by the local sauna initiative.
'An idyllic Scottish village [Luss, 400 inhabitants] is in uproar after the opening of a popular outdoor sauna, with complaints flooding in over naked people in the streets, parking chaos, and even 'poison pen' letters in the tranquil community.The sauna, known as Hot Tottie, has quickly become a hotspot for visitors from nearby towns like Balloch and Dumbarton, but not all locals are pleased....Hot Tottie co-owner Kieran Izzett said: "We started up as a chance to bring our dream to reality for everyone, and our customers love the sauna. People love getting back to nature, and that's all we want to promote without causing issues or fuss."A spokesman for Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority said: "A retrospective planning application for the change of use of land for the siting of a mobile sauna cabin and storage shed at Luss is under review. At this stage, we are unable to provide specific details regarding the timeline for a decision."
More from the British Isles. The Girl Outdoors has an overview (Feb. 3) of the best outdoor saunas in the UK.
'Is there anything nicer than warming yourself back up after a chilly a wild swimming plunge than popping into a proper wooden sauna? Scandinavian-style saunas are having a moment worldwide – they are proven to have health benefits including decreased blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease while boosting the immune system, and reduce stress levels, and are even better for you when combined with an icy cold plunge (not hard to find along the UK’s coastline or at hidden lake shores). These are 40 of the best outdoor saunas in the United Kingdom to try out – I’ve gone for public saunas that anyone can book for this list, but you’d like somewhere you can also stay the night, try my favourite places for a sauna and a stay. Now please excuse me, I’m off to buy a pointy sauna hat'.
Sauna Times (Jan.2) has a report on 24 hours of European sauna's obviously from the viewpoint of the USA. It starts off in Amsterdam (Kuuma.nl) and basically that's it.
Finally, another vdo, this one from BBC (Dec. 24) on a restored hamam in Istanbul.
