Honours

The small German border town of Epe has the honour of having a higher than average rated public sauna complexes. Though the size would curtail the thinking in terms of complex. It's not really big, more compact.

Higher rated?

Google notes 4.5 stars (1142 reviews), most reviews in German with just a few exceptions, those from the Netherlands. There are some negative comments concerning temperature of both inside and outside pools.

Tripadvisor reviewers (50) are less enthusiastic: 4.3 stars, though not that many recent reviews.

Facebook doles out 4.6 stars, with the page having 6000 followers; cant actually read what this means.

Yelp's 2 reviewers meet midway between 4 and 5.

Elsewhere the Dutch language website Blootgewoon rates it 9.8 out of 10, but only based on 3 reviews. Likewise Dutch naturismegids, dishes out a perfect but singular reviewed 10. 

Odd though that there's otherwise precious little info available. Is the internet shifting from content to just dishing out a couple of handles to make life less complicated?

Offically called Saunapark Epe, it's located 5 km from the Dutch border in a retail / services area.

Entrance is €34,90 or €29,50 for 4 hours. Note on weekends there's a €3 surcharge. The owners themselves note there's no need to make a reservation for entrance only. In practice, it wasn't that busy (weekday, first week of September). 

The sauna park has 2 pools (unheated outdoor, heated indoor), a steam room a variety of sauna's, even up to 120 degrees (too hot to handle). 

Every hour there was an Aufguss, the ritual not so special, though the technique was excellent, only just bearable combination of heat and humidity.

The restaurant starts from 13:00, good choice (for vegetarians), service excellent, huge portions of cake.

My marks would be 8.75, a nice place.

Mushrooms

blende_eins_zwei_photography

#model#picture#photographer#photoshoot#fotoshooting#fotografie#fujifilm#fujifilm50r#Iceland#availablelight#icelandtravel#nude#bwphotography

Over to Iceland. What's hot? Or what not / too hot even.

Anyway the Reykjavik Grapevine (Aug. 7) gets us on the way. Supposedly bathing culture on Iceland is changing:

'The new generation of sleek, luxurious spas that have mushroomed around Iceland are something else again. A product of opportunism — both in taking advantage of the tourist boom, and putting Iceland’s plentiful geothermal water to use — they offer a different, fancier kind of bathing. They have warm rainfall showers with the herbaceous scent of Sóley toiletries hanging in the air, coal-fired saunas with widescreen windows, and powerful shoulder-massaging torrents to work out muscle knots. They’re quieter, and pricier — more like going for a tasting menu than popping into your local diner.

“For a town of 2,000 people to suddenly have a luxury spa on their doorstep is surely a good thing.”

These spas are a lurch away from the down-to-earth nature of Iceland’s pool culture — but they aren’t enjoyed by tourists exclusively. At the lush, wooded Forest Lagoon in Akureyri, I heard more Icelandic voices than English, or Chinese, or German. By the same measure, GeoSea in Húsavík — with its saline water and undulating infinity edge looking out over the ever-changing weather of the Skjálfandi bay — seems as much of a hit with locals as visitors. For a town of 2,000 people to suddenly have a luxury spa on their doorstep is surely a good thing — and it’s not like the town pool is going anywhere.

...

The wave of new spas — and particularly those with a more rustic edge, like Flúðir’s Gamla Lauginn — also come after a period of increased interest in wild bathing. That is, the classic experience of following questionable directions to an obscure, barely-there parking spot, and hiking towards a promising plume of steam a kilometre or two away; testing the water with a toe, hanging your clothes on a tree branch, and just hopping in.

Natural hot pots have a very special kind of charm, but the vast increase in tourist traffic over the last decade has kinda killed the vibe. The last thing you wanna see when you get to a prospective hot pot is a row of five gleaming rental cars'.

A Facebook follower of Reykjavik, Iceland Travel & Vacation asks (Jun. 17) if there are any hot springs where you can go au naturel, which I'll regard as question to local bathing culture. 

Seventy six responses, anything worthwhile between them? 

• Topless is allowed everywhere
• Maybe
• Used to
• Why?
• You need to shower naked? (31 answers ...)
• Not in public facilities?
• Japan

This fits in neatly here. 

MBL.is (Aug. 20) draws attention to the fact that sauna visitors in the town Gufunes walk around the villages pier naked. Some translation:

'According to her [Hafdís Hrundur Gísladóttir owner of Rjúkandi gufu] people try to be careful when it comes to the situation and do not intentionally show their nudity, even though they do wander naked outside the steam room.
"These are just adults trying to be polite if others are there and covering up when necessary. This is not sexual and there is no dogmatism involved," says Hafdís'.

Ohm

magda.moerli

natural spa day - Iceland edition

#hotsprings #iceland #coldweather #steamyviews #toohottohandle #toogoodtobetrue #natureiceland #naturaljacuzzi #icelandtravel #icelandroadtrip #visiticeland #hotandcold #souljourney #bodymindsoul #wellness #ohhmvibes #holisticheaven #recharging #beautifuldestinations #spaday #hiddengemsiceland #hiddengems

We over to the section, list your favourites or not.

Rachandlaurexplore posts (Aug. 8) a reel on instagram with the following info:

'✨ Rapid ranking all the hot springs I went to in Iceland ✨

There are SO many hot springs to choose from in Iceland. We definitely recommend visiting a few on your visit there! Here’s how they stacked up. We mostly drove around the south so these are all from the south!

disclaimer* this is just our opinion, if you felt differently about one of these that’s okay!

Hrunalaug: SO peaceful!! Situated in a cool secluded spot. You do have to pay an entry fee.

Reykjadalur: a hot spring in a stream??! Iconic. It’s an hour hike to get here but that doesn’t stop crowds from coming. Still, it’s worth a visit! There’s a few for parking in the lot below.

Seljavallalaug: favorite hot spring in Iceland! A short hike from the parking lot, it’s secluded and surrounded by beautiful mountains…. And it’s donation based!

Sky lagoon: the “alternative” to blue lagoon. In our opinion, it’s almost the same price and lacks the iconic blue color so we’d opt to just do blue lagoon. It’s a more luxury experience so it’s $$$

Secret lagoon: the oldest hot spring in Iceland! It is a stop on a lot of tours so it can be very crowded. It was around $34 usd for our visit

Blue lagoon: it’s famous for a reason and you should go, but just know it’s going to be touristy and that’s okay! Definitely the most expensive spot on this list'.

UK' s Express (Jun. 22) notes how enjoying a soak or two, need not to cost you much / anything?

'If you're willing to go off the beaten path a bit or to places that are maybe not as glamorous as some of the more luxurious options available, you can have a great experience while still saving your hard-earned. Not only is there the prospect of saving money but you will also go through something that many other tourists miss as they travel with the herd and sacrifice their cash for convenience'.

Icelandia (Aug. 19) on other secret hot springs; other than the Blue Lagoon that is. Of the 12 mentioned, only one or two are non-commercial; so much for secretive. Important:

'Lastly, either within a complex or out in the countryside, it’s important to conserve the surrounding nature. Be careful to stick to marked paths or trails where applicable, and always take any rubbish with you when it’s time to go'.

E(n)dge 

lorncache

At the edge of the world, there's a pretty epic geothermal swimming pool. Few people make the crazy drive out here which means we got it all to ourselves. .

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#iceland #wanderlust #westfjords #strandir #strandircoast #krossneslaug #nordurfjördur #edgeoftheworld

Some visit reports. 

The Reykjavik Grapevine (Aug. 4) reports on a visit to the Westfjords and enjoying the Krossnes soak.

'Driving through this beautiful, untouched landscape, it’s hard to imagine what could make the day better. But there’s one thing that can: a visit to a pool. And not just any pool — this one has been on my list since 2022, when I interviewed Jón Karl Helgason, director of Sundlaugasögur (Swimming Pool Stories), a documentary about Iceland’s bathing culture.

For the film, Jón travelled around the country multiple times, visiting every single pool. When I asked him which one stood out, he didn’t hesitate: “Krossnes is beautiful. When you’re in there, you can see the horizon, the ocean — and feel like you’re alone in the world.”

Krossneslaug lies at the very end of the road. If you want to continue north from here, you’ll need to either walk, drive a jeep, which will only take you a couple of fjords more north, or go back and take a boat from Norðurfjörður — the last place nearby where you can stock up on food or grab a bite at the small restaurant, now run by Hotel Djúpavík. Last year, I almost reached the goal of visiting this pool — only to find that the pool was drained when I arrived. (A quick note: there’s a mud football championship in the area every Verslunarmannahelgi (always the first weekend of August), and after the matches, muddy footballers head straight to the pool to relax. This usually means a day or two of closure for cleaning and maintenance.)

This time, luck is on my side. The pool is open, and a friendly Kristín greets me at the cash register. She spent the last few winters in Austria, but Strandir somehow pulled her back. “I heard there are young farmers who recently moved to the area. Do you happen to know them?” I ask. Kristín laughs, “Oh yeah, those are my parents.”

Krossneslaug turned 70 years old last year. For decades, it has been a vital part of the region — a place where local children learned to swim. These days, two hot tubs warmer than the pool have been added. But it’s really the view that steals the show: a dramatic cliff on one side, and an endless stretch of ocean on the other.

There are a few people in the pool, and we exchange some small talk. One of them teases another, saying that only crazy people live here. I’m not sure about that. But if “crazy” means soaking in the pool with this view every day, they’re not mad at all'.

Tophotsprings on Hrunalaug (Jul. 7):

'A hidden gem in the Icelandic countryside – Hrunalaug

A private little hot spring tucked away in a charming rural setting. Quiet, peaceful, and full of character.

The water? A couple of degrees too cool for our taste, but still a magical experience.

Perfect for a short soak surrounded by nature'.

Finally in related affairs, the Reykjavik's Grapevine (Apr. 28) reports:

'Icelanders’ love for hot tubs shows no signs of cooling, with sales seeing a significant jump this year. According to RÚV, sales have risen by 10% year over year, while some manufacturers report even sharper increases.

At Heitirpottar.is, managing director Ari Steinn Kristjánsson says the company experienced a record-breaking Easter Sunday. “We sold nearly 200 hot tubs in one day. There was incredible traffic, the most high-energy day I’ve ever experienced — total rush,” he said.

Trefjar, another major hot tub producer, reports a 35% year-on-year increase. A company sales manager notes that, “We Icelanders are big hot tub lovers, and we feel great in our hot water. But I think the recent increase might also be due to the good weather and our optimism for a great summer.”

hovor.jirka

West Iceland

Upcoming

quellachesifasoloselfie

••Un weekend alla ricerca di neve fresca e acqua calda••

#quellachesifasoloselfie

#myfavoriteseasoniscoming

#bagnidipetriolo

#toscana

#pontedellimmacolata#termenaturali

You would expect that in the summer with everybody out and about, that there would an enormous amount of soaking related news to share. 

But not so the case, so it seems.

Most impressive newsbit, is this from viterbonews24.it which reports (Aug. 2) on the reopening of the Bagnaccio therme, after 3 years of the apparent (?) renovation. Translated:

'After more than three years of closure, the Terme del Bagnaccio , one of the iconic outdoor wellness destinations in Tuscia, is officially back open . This morning, Saturday, August 2nd, the renovated thermal park on the outskirts of Viterbo was inaugurated with the traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony and the return of bathers to the four steaming natural pools, surrounded by lush greenery'.

Not much renovation it seems, more a time-out to get the legal side of the business accordingly.

Whatsupmedia also reported (Aug. 4):

'The spa closed its doors in May 2022 due to issues related to the revocation of the mining concession. The reopening was possible after a long and fraught process, after a new company, Rise Srl, was awarded the sub-concession and the necessary inspections were carried out by the Local Health Authority to verify the sanitary conditions and the functionality of the facilities'.

A week later (Aug. 9), the same source reflects on the commencement of operations:

'To assess the situation, Viterbonews24 visited the site. Since morning, the parking lot was full, and there were about ten people waiting in line at the ticket counter: clear signs of appreciation for the spa, which continues to offer a one-of-a-kind experience, combining the rustic charm of natural hot springs with a welcoming atmosphere'.

_antonio_angri

#sorgeto #ischia #baiadisorgeto #sorgentetermale #termenaturali #campania #regnodelleduesicilie #suditalia #southitaly

Pearl

Usually French website, Nature et sourcechaude, has compiled his soaking experiences on Pantelleria, in English (Aug. 21):

'In fact, the island of Pantelleria, which has no shortage of elegance, is a spa with a wide range of natural thermal treatments. During my stay of a few days, I invite you to discover the thermal wealth of this island of volcanic origin, nicknamed ‘the Black Pearl of the Mediterranean’.

The Guardian (Aug. 20) on some of the hot springs on Ikaria (Greece), simultaneously letting out the secret:

'There are no signs to the hot spring, but I locate it on the map and we drive to the end of the paved road. Overlooking the sea is a stone bench someone has dedicated to her parents, “with gratitude and love as deep as the Aegean”. My dad died recently and the words strike home. I’m glad my mum has joined me on this little adventure.

We walk down to the deserted cove at Agia Kyriaki thermal springs. There are old fishing shacks with stone-slab roofs, and shuttered cottages. Down an unmarked path, we find a rock pool where hot waters bubble gently from the sand, blending with the sea to a perfect temperature. Immersed in the healing mineral bath, I look up at juniper trees and blue sky, lulled by lapping waves and cicadas'.

borras_family on Ikaria

sources d'eaux chaudes naturelles dans la mer.

In Hungary plans are underway to renovate Hèviz. Hungary Today (Jul. 10):

'Lake Hévíz and the high-quality health facility built on its shores welcome around one million guests from all over the world every year. This is an institution and piece of infrastructure that is extremely important not only for the region but also for the country as a whole, and one of its lake structures had to be closed in the spring for structural reasons'.

Μαρια Κολτσακιδου (Jun. 5):

Εδώ στον καταπράσινο κάμπο των Φιλίππων ανάμεσα σε λεύκες, πλατάνια, καλαμποκιές και ηλιοτρόπια με θέα το Παγγαίο όρος και το αρχαίο θέατρο Φιλίππων, εδώ ακριβώς που έγινε η μάχη των Φιλίππων το 42 πχ μπορείς να βουτήξεις μέσα σε ιαματικό πηλό να γειάνουν οι πόνοι σου και να ομορφαίνεις.

Think Geoenergy (Jul. 3) on new geothermal plans in Croatia, including enjoying a hot spring:

'With a geothermal resource in the city of Bjelovar, Croatia now confirmed, the city is investing on a thermal spa facility that is expected to boost spa and wellness tourism in the region. Through the use of geothermal water and heat, as well as a photovoltaic power plant, the future Terme Bjelovar facility will be the first energy-independent thermal facility in Croatia.

...

The thermal spa complex will have a gross area of 13,000 square meters. It will have seven pools, including an Olympic-sized pool. The spa will draw water from a shallow geothermal spring, and will use heating and cooling from the deeper geothermal source. Terme Bjelovar is expected to be completed by March 2026 and will open by June of the same year'.

World Thermal Springs (22 Aug.), translated:

Bosnia and Herzegovina and thermal baths. To the south of Banja Luka there is Banja Vručica or Srpski toplice, where warm waters flow out along the river's edge. You can swim in natural caves among the rocks or in small artificial pools on the shore. Free.

There is also a modern building with a thermal pool, but the photos are only from the outside.

Locals even arrange thermal pools in their homes. I photographed one such pool. Mineralization 550-580 mg/l, pH 6.4-7.2. Temperature about 30 degrees. #bosniaandherzegovina #thermalspringsoftheworld #wordthermalsprings

Sceptics

Once more, the Guardian (Jun. 19), this on urban swimming:

'When the sun is shining in Norway’s capital (and even when it’s not), swimmers plunge into the salty fjord from packed floating saunas and the city beaches are full of paddling toddlers. It is difficult to believe that the waters around Oslo were not always like this.

Until an enormous cleanup process that began in 2006, decades of industry mistreatment, runoff from the city and waste dumping had left the inner Oslofjord heavily polluted.

But after multiple remediations of the seabed, the removal of contaminated material from the harbour basin and the introduction of a huge water and wastewater project, completed in 2015, today it is an urban swimming paradise.

...

The radical turnaround is perhaps best exemplified by Oslo Sauna Association’s 26 floating saunas across seven sites in the city.

Formed in 2016 by diplomats from the ministry of foreign affairs’ ice swimming club, it now has a membership of 18,000 and is pretty much fully booked from 7am until 11pm from October to April. Last year 260,000 people visited their saunas, which are accessible for both locals and tourists who swim-sauna-swim-sauna on repeat for as long as they can.

The turnaround has transformed the city, said Ragna Marie Fjeld, the association’s secretary general.

In the beginning, she said, entrepreneurs and politicians were sceptical, fearing properties near the saunas might lose value as a result.

“But now they all beg us to come to their new building projects because this is something they want,” she said. “You could say the tables have turned.”

Currently the water temperature is about 14C but in the winter it dips to zero and in the summer it gets up to 20C. “A lot of people I talk to say the saunas have made Oslo much cooler and made it the city they want to live in. Part of what makes Oslo great.”

nik_by_the_sea

Valentines Day Beach Sauna & Sea Dip 💖🥰💘❤️💗

More Anglo Saxon views on European sauna and bathing culture. The Daily Telegraph (Jul. 19):

'As a Briton, I feel I have much in common with my Scandinavian cousins: an endurance of long, cold, grey winters; a love of thrillers; a passion for wild swimming and saunas. In the course of researching two books on sauna culture, I’ve spent years sweating it out around Estonian lakes, and in hotboxes on windswept Norwegian archipelagos. Generally, when enjoying these activities I’ve been wearing a swimsuit – and this is where any similarities to our Nordic neighbours end.

...

Through my work, on research trips around Northern European cultures where nude bathing is the norm, I have had to confront my body issues; I have been in situations where being the only swim-suited one feels out of place. I have had to dig deep not to be the stereotypical British prude. I’ve been told to remove my sarong in a 200-person naked sauna event in the Netherlands, and come a cropper in a smoke sauna in southern Estonia where no-one ever wears clothes.

...

Sauna culture is playing into it too, as quirky horseboxes, pop-up tents and cosy barrel saunas provide places to sweat on beaches, lakes and rivers everywhere from Crieff to Cardiff. In the nine months I spent travelling around the country, researching these new hotspots and sharing the bench with athletes and recovering addicts, builders, barristers, mums and teens and pensioners, I came up close to the complex relationship the British have with our own – and other peoples’ – bodies. I met bathers who wear wetsuits, leggings and sweatshirts in the sauna – anything rather than nothing – and I’ve been to “clothing optional” sessions where everyone is naked. Often these are started by the community and evolve organically'.

juliawyshenka

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#pyrenees #pyreneesorientales #sourcechaude #sourcechaudenaturelle #naturelovers #mountains

#rivieremontagne #photography #photosouvenir

Activated

jespionne_avec_mon_petit_oeil

Dotted around the Pyrénées-Orientales you'll find these natural hot springs. Top of my list was to find one. This one was beautiful, only a handful of people there and I spent a couple of hours bathing in the natural hot springs. Pure bliss!

[...]

#pyreneesorientales #naturalsource #hotsprings #pleinnature #france #travelblog #travelblogger #traveladdicts #weekendbreaks #naturalhotsprings #innature #nature #bbctravel #woofermagazine #your_travelshotz #visit_europe #visiteurope #banalmag #europevacations #frenchtourisime #raw_europe #france_vacations #igersfrance #visitlafrance #thermes #thermeschaud #canigou #languedocRoussillon #mountainlovers #naturehub

Europe's one and only blog site on hot springs, soaking and sauna culture. Similarities and dissimilarities.

Hot springs-wise, there's little to mention. Eye-candy: yes; content not so much.

An entry (May 8) on the hot springs of Sao Miguel (Azores, Portugal):

'Though the water temperature in the outdoor thermal pools is always warm, it depends on what type of experience you want. In the winter, it rains often and in my opinion only enhances the experience and natural beauty of the place. There is nothing like sitting in a thermal spring of warm waters when it is raining out.

There are 3 main locations on the island to experience natural thermal pools, each very different from the other'.

Restoring Swiss thermal springs of Baden, as well as enhancing a soaking culture. The Bagni Populari association has been awarded two accolades (Ihre Region Online, May 15) for persuing this:

'Der erste Werkbundpreis für den öffentlichen Raum geht an den Verein Bagni Popolari, der für seine Thermalwasser­projekte gewürdigt wird.

...

Der Verein Bagni Popolari wurde bei der ersten Verleihung für seine heissen Brunnen in Baden und Ennetbaden sowie für seine Bemühungen im Zusammenhang mit dem Bad zum Raben gleich doppelt bedacht: Sowohl der Werkpreis als auch der Publikumspreis gehen an den Badener Verein, dem es mit seinen Projekten laut der Jury gelungen sei, Menschen aus unterschiedlichsten sozialen und kulturellen Hintergründen zusammenzubringen. Die niederschwellige Zugänglichkeit und Offenheit machten die heissen Brunnen zu inklusiven Begegnungsorten. Besonders gewürdigt wurde der Umstand, dass die Badegäste nicht nur eingeladen wurden, im heissen Wasser zu entspannen, sondern das Projekt aktiv mitzugestalten – als Vereinsmitglieder, als Gäste der künstlerischen Interventionen, die der Verein veranstaltet, oder als Genossenschafterin oder Genossenschafter des künftigen Bades zum Raben'.

An example of the connecting("Bemühungen"). 

750mineralsprings.gr

Bath Curtain installed @bagno_popolare featuring maps reproduced from the 1938 book “The 750 Mineral Springs of Greece” by Nikolas Lekkas.

Curtain by @orestismavroudis and @lydiaxynogala

Lighting @mehrsehen_

Photo @nicolaspetit

Thinkgeoenergy hails (Apr. 22) Italy's geothermal tourism:

'Italian renewable energy company Enel Green Power reports that there have been over 60,000 visits to the geothermal territories in Tuscany, indicating that geothermal tourism is a growing industry in the country'.

Perspective. Vesuvius racks up 1 million annually (source), Pompei has recently capped daily visitors to 20,000 (source)!

hotspringshotties

Activate mermaid mode 🧜🏻‍♀️

Italy’s hot springs were just as dreamy as the rest of the country, che bella 🇮🇹

I went to 6 different hot springs —aka termes— in Italy, but this one, Petriolo, in Tuscany was my favorite. 🫶

Since this page is allll about healing, I’d like to share a bit about how moving it was to experience this hot spring with my grandmother (she took this picture 🔥👵🏼).

Nonna moved to Tuscany to be with her new hubby (goals) and I finally got to visit her this spring — my first time leaving the US. 🤩

We both were pretty worn down from traveling, and while I was there my nonna learned she had an ovarian cyst.

Many of the hot springs there encourage soaking in AND drinking hot spring water to help with so many ailments, including cysts.

I’m so grateful this spring exists so close to her home, it’s free, and you can enjoy it with or without a 🩱.

If you go… Don’t leave any trash or food behind, and give the healing waters a big ✨ thank you ✨ from me. 💜 Taylor

#healingishot #italy #italytravel #healthylifestyle

On r/nudism (a month ago), a review of what it claims are three thermal baths in the Netherlands / Germany. However it's actually only two and a wellness complex:

'Overall I enjoyed the visits to all three baths. All the facilities were clean, had a number of different experiences, and were easy to use'.

Drowsy

Finland, the nation of happiness? New York Times (May 2) needs to find out why. and report back.

'For eight years running, Finland has been rated the happiest country in the world by a peculiar United Nations-backed project called the World Happiness Report'.

The author fails to pinpoint what exactly makes Finland happy, but considerable effort is put into reporting on it's (albeit Helsinki's) sauna culture:

'All government buildings in Finland have a sauna on-site. Nationwide, there is more than one sauna for every two Finns. For obvious reasons, the sauna is somewhat overindexed in “happiness tourism” literature. There is a specific phrase for the blissful drowsiness associated with time spent in a heated box (saunanjälkeinen raukeus) and a specific elf (Saunatonttu) thought to live between a sauna’s wall and heating apparatus. The elf becomes angry if a sauna door is slammed.

...

What we [US] lack is a sauna culture or perhaps any culture that unites us so fully.

....

In Finland, sauna is not a means to an end. It will not make a person richer or more attractive or more focused. The point is not to sweat out “toxins,” though that may occur — I’m not a scientist. The point seems to be the act itself: sitting in nude serenity among family, friends and strangers, safe in the bone-deep sense of trust that such an idyll both requires and reinforces'.

SOS Sense of Self has a blog (May 15) on enjoying sauna's in Helsinki:

'As home to the most saunas per capita anywhere in the world, here, the use of saunas is embedded into the fabric of the city itself.

...

In recent years, Helsinki has enjoyed a sauna renaissance with new seaside venues adding a touch of architectural flair and sweeping views to the experience. Though the design may have evolved over the centuries, the essence of the sauna – quiet contemplation, communal connection, and physical rejuvenation – remains unchanged.

Today, as Helsinki grows and modernises, the sauna continues to serve as a bridge between the city’s history and its future, providing a space where tradition and modernity meet, and where the culture of bathing is celebrated in its purest form.

After which a description of some of the experiences to be had unfolds'.

Sauna-Helsinki-naked? The answer (May 16) from Travel Magazine:

'Sanna Forsström, Head of Brand & Events, City of Helsinki. say “It’s time to forget the rules and rituals you might have heard. In Helsinki, the sauna is a reflection of freedom, self-expression, and social connection. Once inside, most visitors are surprised to learn how relaxed, diverse, and personal the experience really is. And for many visitors, the sauna ultimately becomes one of the most memorable parts of their stay.”

...

Check if there is a dress code in the sauna you’re entering – in public mixed saunas you often wear a swimsuit, meanwhile in a swimming pool you usually don’t. Wearing a towel is always ok.

And to show just how many ways there are to sauna, locals from the city shared their own styles for the world in a sauna-themed shoot, and now those same Helsinkians can be spotted in multiple surfaces around Helsinki and on the streets of Basel, showing up on digital posters reminding Eurovision fans that when it comes to sauna, there really are so many ways'.​

Sauna-Sweden-naked? The local.se (May 13):

'If you're a sauna newbie, you're probably wondering: Is it OK to cover up in a Swedish sauna (bastu) or do you have to let it all hang out?

Traditionally you would be naked in the sauna, but don't worry, it's not obligatory.

"Sauna is individual. If you have a towel or your swimsuit or if you are naked, it's up to you," Svante Spolander, co-founder of Sweden's Bastuakademien sauna club, told The Local.

"Younger people in Sweden are really shy – I think it's this thing with mobile phones and filming. They are, like, scared of it, but we say that it's up to you."

...

For Spolander, the way this forces you to drop your physical boundaries is part of the appeal.

"Sometimes it's quite funny when there are a lot of people. It's like in a football game, it's little crowded, but you have fun together. In the sauna museum that I look after, we have what we call a village sauna, and you can be 60 people when we pack it."

emmaugusta.healingarts

I’m laying down on my back, on the living room floor, sending energy to my own healing, to my creativity and motivation. And to my happiness. Seabird starts singing in my ears and I feel like I get picked up by something, maybe it’s joy? I remember a morning a couple of weeks ago with my colleagues. We had some extra time so we decided to sit down for a breakfast together. Coffee, grilled bread with cheese and jam. A favorite. The music that was playing was perfect for the moment and we all agreed that it felt like we were in a movie. Seabird was one of the tunes playing that morning.

There's a road I know I must go

Even though I tell myself

That road is closed

Listen, lonely seabird

You've been away from land too long

Seabird, seabird

Fly home

And I have been away for some time, from teaching, working and from my own practice. There just haven’t been any energy. But this morning there was some. Some energy to fly back home. Or at least start to fly back home. I don’t really know what I am writing right now or why, I just had a moment this morning. A moment of happiness, ease, creativity, a moment of energy, energy in motion. Just like that moment with my colleagues in our own little movie. And it felt good. I got up and danced. Or moved my body. I allowed the joy to flourish and flow through me. And sometimes the road to this, is rest. A road I’ve told myself was closed, but it is The Road. The road of rest, restoring, rejuvenate, slowing down, being, sensing, feeling, loving, caring. And for the self, for me! A road that’s been even more closed, all this for me?? Yes!!! It’s a road I knew I must go and it’s open for all. Try it. Do not forget to wonder the slow and beautiful road of stillness and rest.

See you soon, seabirds. Until then give yourself some loving rejuvenating and restoring slow moments.

🤍

some photos from moments of stillness and joy.

England's Daily Mail (May 2) on the kingdom's sauna trend:

'Saunas have become a huge trend in the UK in recent years – with more and more opening all the time.

In 2023, there were 45 public saunas around the country - in the Finnish style, with wooden walls, hot stones and cold plunge pools.

But, by the time journalist and sauna enthusiast Emma O’Kelly had finished writing her new book, Wild Sauna [Britain], in February 2025, there were 189 dotted around the country'.

The author also has a dedicated article (May 2) with Womens Health in which she shares her first naked sauna:

'Verdict

I understand why naked saunas are such a big deal in Scandinavia as they really do seem to have a positive impact on your mental and physical health. The women I met love their weekly session and have become friends, sharing intimacies they wouldn’t even chat about with old friends; divorce, pain, grief, spouses, kids, money worries, work stress are chewed over and spat out and evaporate in the steam. I’m reminded of the award-winning documentary Smoke Sauna Sisterhood, in which women in Estonia cry, laugh and sweat together, and I feel privileged to have been invited into their treasured safe space. “There's always something, isn’t there? We share all sorts here. The fact that you are literally sweating it out, going in the water and washing away all those things that cause worry and pain; it’s a catharsis, isn't it?”

An influencer publishes (Apr. 24, 2024) and republishes (Mar. 15) her experience on sauna-ing in Germany. Huge amounts of likes, many (I mean really many) comments. But actually, in Germany, not an unusual experience.

Defaulted

Finally, NakedWanderings have a blog entry (May 7) on wellness and their love nakedness. Excerpts:

'Wellness, as we know it in many parts of Europe, has exactly the same basis. It’s about stepping away from everyday life with the goal of returning healthier, fitter, more energetic, and more relaxed. Even the nudity part is often there, think of the Northern European sauna culture or the spa centers in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium where naked is the default dress code.

...

Because of its popularity, wellness is increasingly falling victim to commercialisation. Ultimate relaxation is no longer the primary goal, but instead, you’re being gently nudged toward buying Himalayan salt that promises to make your skin glow, mud sourced from a puddle near Machu Picchu supposedly used by the Incas to live longer, and mushroom lattes because… well, they just sound fancy.

We can’t predict the future, maybe naturism will head down a similar path someday. But what we can say is that this day hasn’t come yet. If you’re looking for a more honest and grounded wellness experience, you’re probably better off at a naturist resort today than at a wellness centre.

The best case though would be that the two begin to grow closer again. Because at their core, they’re not so different. Naturism and wellness are just two faces of the same coin: practices that help us feel better, inside and out. No filters. No judgments. No clothes. Just be'.

My favourite way to unwind: soaking and reading in nature. 

activedayjob

Our spot the last 2 days 🛀🏼🩱Hot Springs are the best, especially when we can park our camper next to it and its winter 👌🏼

.

#greece #greecemainland #hotspring #thermalbath #travelphotographer #travelphotography #travelgreece #visitgreece #travelcouple #vanlife

Londerzeel

Centrally located in Belgium, between the cities of Antwerp and Brussels, the Thermen of Londerzeel are located in a quiet and green area. 

Owners have also manged to enhance the spaciuos domain with quite a bit of greenery, enhancing the attractive setting. 

Having been to quite a few wellness centers in western Europe, this is not always a sinecure. Cement and steel are always more apparent.

One minor point is that the way there follows quite a few smaller and quieter lanes, maybe a good thing, getting into the right frame of mind, etc.. 

The entrance and parking to Thermen Londerzeel could always be better / more obvious.

Probably at a more busier time, the entrance formalities might have taken more time. Now then we breezed past the entrance deesk.

The locker rooms have seen better times, not the best intro. 

However, the facilities themselves are quite overwhelming. Not really helpfulk, there's no overview / map. 

Two steam rooms, 8 sauna's, an indoor pool and jacuzzi, an outdoor pool and jacuzzi. 

Infusion sessions take place every hour, as usual there's quite some demand (ours saw nearly 50 clients), though there might have been space for more.

The entrance fee (May, 2025) was a hefty €44,50, making it one of the most expensive wellness destinations in Belgium. Burt was it worth this?

Well let's first look at what others say.

Foremost, google 4.5 stars (2000+ reviews), an English excerpt

Jackie Giusti

5/5

Beautiful space, but discreet from the outside-Never would know it's a thermen spa passing by. Friendly staff, no English though or signage. Fully nude, no clothing option anywhere. Very scenic or themed areas. Decent variety in types of rooms which include: TWO hammams, two large jacuzzis, 8 sauna-panorama/4 outdoor/aquarium/gorgeous forest scene/plain indoor, infrared, 4 cold plunges, cold indoor pool and somewhat warm outdoor pool, hot/cold"Roman walks" (don't know proper name). It's a great wealth of offerings. Several of the sessions are very nice. Intensity of sessions not as hot as spas in Germany, but at least still a good variety of hot and cold. The dark outdoor cabin sauna was generally good to just go to, but for the heat session, think there was too much firewood because I definitely got a heat rash from the sitting on the bottom steps. The indoor hammam is WELL steamed with spots both for sitting and laying! Don't have to wait for 15min before a session to get in line, which felt much more relaxed. Incredible spa products to sample as well. Picturesque dining experience for those that want to eat for longer stays!

Tripadvisor  notches 4.6 stars (50+ reviews), Facebook ranks it positive (1100 reviews) while booking.com (which includes hotel/overnight stay) 9.0 (800 + reviews).

More specialist. Dutch language site Blootkompas rates it with 9.4, while naturismegids comes to 4,5 stars. 

So th gis it's not too bad.

My marks are 8.75, leaving it with scope for improvements.

Worrisome

anskupo

Ehkä yksi maailman upeimmista paikoista. Näin talvella ei ketään muita missään.🤍

Lilluttiin kuumassa kuopassa, erämaassa keskellä ei mitään, vuorien ympäröimänä.

L O V E L O V E!

Islanti vaan on.🇮🇸🤍

An Icelandic special. To rid oneself of a number of saved links.

Wellandgoodtravel (Apr. 1) has some assistance in searching for the possible elusive hot spring:

'TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH HOT SPRINGS TO GO TO IN ICELAND?

You’re in luck—I love hot springs and saunas, and when I went to Iceland, I sought out the best. I visited 12 of its geothermal bathing locations in 12 days.Now, there are 60+ hot springs in Iceland. Some are organized spas, some are VERY rustic natural springs, and some are hard to get to'.

The Reykjavík Grapevine (Apr. 13) on the history of Iceland's (swimming) pool culture:

'Having opened to the public in 1937, Sundhöll Reykjavíkur is Reykjavík’s oldest swimming pool. Like so many of Iceland’s iconic buildings from the first half of the 20th century, it was designed by state architect Guðjón Samúelsson, but the project was initiated by Progressive Party MP Jónas frá Hriflu. If anything or any place can be pointed to as the origins of Iceland’s swimming pool culture — something that finally got Iceland on the UNESCO heritage list last year — it is this particular pool.

In the early 20th century, Icelanders built swimming pools all over the country — at least, anywhere that ample supplies of hot water could be procured. And then they built swimming pools where supplies of naturally hot water were not to be found. The result of this is that almost every single suburb of Reykjavík and every single small town outside of Reykjavík, has a swimming pool. This begs the question: why?

Well, as may now be obvious, the fact that Iceland has incredible amounts of hot water is not the exclusive reason for the pools, though that is helpful. The real reason is that very few Icelanders knew how to swim in the 1920s. That’s not a good thing for a country that counts fishing among its major industries. This meant that every year, very many people drowned, often in situations where simply knowing the basics of swimming would have been life-saving.

Hence, in 1927 the Icelandic parliament passed a law making swimming lessons mandatory for all schoolchildren. Given the climate in Iceland, it thus became urgent to build warm water pools in which to hold lessons, lest every Icelandic kid would catch pneumonia.

The sudden abundance of soothingly warm swimming pools in an otherwise harsh climate resulted in the only places falling within the scholarly definition of “The Public Sphere” in Iceland being the pools. It is there that people debate politics, where they meet, catch up, whatever you call it. It was also in the pools — or the change areas before entering the pools — that they got clean, which was something we had a far more difficult time doing prior to the 1930s. Out of this emerged our distinct pool culture'.

icelandic.naturist 

A wonderful hike led up to this hot spring, which was very refreshing. It's always nice to be naked in nature. It makes you feel connected to mother nature and all stress and worries go away.

#naturism #befree #skinnydipping #secretplace #hotspringsiceland #bodyfreedom #nakedinnature #nudeisnotlewd #naked #freespirit #enjoyinglife #hotsprings #lovetheskinyourin #befree #gonaked #feelthefreedom #daretobare #friendship #enjoythemoment #enjoylife #capturethemoment #freedom #freethebody #friends #soakingspirit #soaking #soak #hotspringsiceland #hotspring #iceland #icelandicnature

Stomping

TheCoolDown (Feb. 3) looks at touristy problems. In Iceland:

'Some popular tourist attractions, like geysers in Iceland, are best enjoyed from afar, especially as they can prove highly dangerous for visitors and wildlife.

One Redditor discovered that the "leave it as you found it" message can often go ignored, as they witnessed a group of tourists stomping around geyser land'.

More tourists = more problems? 

The Reykjavík Grapevine (Apr. 16) reports on the link between tourists / tourism and bacteria in (hot spring fed) pools:

'In a conversation with Vísir, CEO of the South Iceland Health Inspection Authority Sigrún Guðmundsdóttir claimed that unchlorinated pools and lagoons could contain unhealthy bacteria brought in by tourists. She described the proliferation of unchlorinated lagoons as worrisome.

The single most polluting factor in pools is unbathed visitors, with no way of knowing what people bring in when entering the pools in dirty underwear or activewear, she went on to say.

“I think businesses should implement harsher rules regarding the swimwear. People enter the pool in dirty clothes and some of these pools are unchlorinated. Therefore, all the bacteria brought in by tourists contaminate the pool,” she said.

According to Sigrún, pathogenic bacteria could contaminate the pools, but infections could also arise in chlorinated pools. There are 11 new unchlorinated lagoons in the process of construction around the country.

Furthermore, Sigrún said that the regulations concerning Iceland’s pools were muddy and ambivalent. However, the Environmental Ministry is in the process of making necessary changes, Sigrún claimed'.

The Facebook message on this article garners 50+ comments.

It's pretty much the main theme concerning soaking on Iceland: shower naked? OMG. 

A recent (Apr. 14) post on Reddit just shows what's at stake, though for peace of mind no need to scroll through then nearly 200 comments:

'For the millionth time because we are tired!!!!! Had to yell at a group of British teenagers this morning and it’s happening more and more often I feel like.

Get naked like the rest of us, wash your privates, wear a clean swimsuit (no gymshorts and t-shirts)

Nobody cares about your “modesty” nobody cares that it’s “not your culture”. If you’re scared or shy somebody will look at you then you’re not doing yourself any favour by trying to sneak around without stripping. In fact that’s when we are going to be staring at you because now you are considered disgusting.

As a woman I’ve seen björk naked countless of times, and my male friends seen our ex presidents dick n balls countless of times. Nobody cares. Stop being a f***ing crybaby about it. Nobody wants to swim in your poop particles.

You. Are. Not. Welcome. In. The. Pool'.

A similar discussion, likewise from Reddit, from the same day (Apr. 14), after a extensive posting on the subject. It seems that this is the perpetual motion that keeps Reditt (r/visitingIceland) moving around (in circles?):

'NoLemon5426

I try to re-hash this every few months in the hopes people will find a solution that works for them. Ultimately some people need to choose to just skip it if they are unwilling to comply. Icelanders are tired of disrespectful people so I can't blame the person who made that other post, it doesn't help when in the comment section tourists tell people they can do what they want'.

tanjastony

Adventure cats and adventure dogs

Ich werd ne firma gründen und die heißt "Ja, mann!". Wir produzieren Abenteuer für jede Altersklasse und wir sagen ja zu allem, das das Herz lachen lässt. Und we are hiring!!! Jeder darf mitmachen und aus jedem Tag ein Abenteuer machen.

#adventureisoutthere

Adventure cats and adventure dogs

Ich werd ne firma gründen und die heißt "Ja, mann!". Wir produzieren Abenteuer für jede Altersklasse und wir sagen ja zu allem, das das Herz lachen lässt. Und we are hiring!!! Jeder darf mitmachen und aus jedem Tag ein Abenteuer machen.
#adventureisoutthere

tanjastony

Adventure cats and adventure dogs

Ich werd ne firma gründen und die heißt "Ja, mann!". Wir produzieren Abenteuer für jede Altersklasse und wir sagen ja zu allem, das das Herz lachen lässt. Und we are hiring!!! Jeder darf mitmachen und aus jedem Tag ein Abenteuer machen.
#adventureisoutthere