Instead of retreating indoors to escape the winter chill, why not embrace it? Across Europe, thermal baths and outdoor saunas offer the perfect opportunity for wellness and to warm up.
Centuries-old bathing traditions and complexes remain a popular way to unwind across the continent.
So, if you’re looking to enjoy Europe’s colder months in a different way, here are some warming places worth adding to your winter travel bucket list.
Thermal baths
Bathing beneath the aurora, Iceland
For Northern Lights chasers, Iceland’s Laugarás Lagoon combines geothermal bathing with the spectacular sights of the natural phenomenon.
The two-level lagoon on the banks of the Hvítá river is open well into the evening during winter and sits just over an hour’s drive from Reykjavík. Visitors can enjoy aurora viewing at the backdrop of darker skies, when conditions allow.
The geothermal waters hover between temperatures of 37C and 39C, and, for a true Icelandic experience afterwards, visitors can brave the cold with a plunge in the pool, which is fed fresh river water.
Széchenyi Thermal Bath in Budapest, Hungary
Hungary’s capital Budapest is home to Széchenyi Thermal Bath, which is one of the largest spa complexes on the continent.
Its thermal section comprises three indoor pools, with the thermal water pool’s temperature ranging from 28C to 40C. Meanwhile, the outdoor thermal pool’s temperature is anywhere from 36C to 38C.
The water supply comes from the Saint Stephen Well Nr. II, which is made up of calcium, magnesium, and sodium, among other minerals. The mineral-rich waters are thought to be beneficial for supporting degenerative joint diseases as well as chronic and subacute arthritis.
Emser Therme in Bad Ems, Germany
Emser Therme offers an array of indoor and outdoor pools with temperatures between 18C and 38C. The indoor thermal pool hovers at 33C and features a small seating area with bubble jets. There is also a hot bubble pool and warmer indoor thermal pool at 36C.
At its Sidroga herbal steam bath, visitors are recommended to stay for no more than 15 minutes in the high humidity experience. It is set at 47C and has scents of camomile, sage, peppermint and thyme.
Its thermal water contains more than 30 minerals and trace elements. Emser Therme recommends no longer than a 20-minute stay in thermal water, accompanied by 20 to 30 minutes’ rest afterwards.
Bains Romains de Dorres in the French Pyrenees
At an altitude of 1,450 metres in the French Pyrenees, and offering sweeping views of the valleys, Bains Romains de Dorres has two outdoor pools where visitors can soak in waters heated to between 37C and 40C.
For those with muscle aches or pains, it recommends an hour’s soak in the baths for a soothing effect.
Thermae Bath Spa in Bath, England
One of the city’s most popular attractions, Thermae Bath Spa has four baths on offer at 35.3C, including an open-air rooftop pool with views of the skyline.
This spa is also home to the UK’s only day spa that features Bath’s natural thermal waters made of 42 minerals and trace elements – which were once enjoyed by the Celts and Romans more than 2,000 years ago.
Scenic outdoor saunas
Lakeside sauna at Alpenhotel Kitzbühel in Kitzbühel, Austria
For a view of Austria’s Lake Schwarzsee while you unwind, check into Alpenhotel Kitzbühel and make a beeline for its lakeside sauna.
Located outside the hotel’s wellness area, the sauna is open year-round and temperatures can reach up to 90C.
Beyond the lake, visitors can also see the Wilder Kaiser mountain range and the Kitzbühel mountains.
Floating saunas in Aurland and Flåm, Norway
On the Aurlandsfjord in Norway, a sauna sits atop a floating dock surrounded by mountain views. Open three times a week during the winter season, FjordSauna offers a space that can accommodate up to 12 people. Visitors can book shared or private experiences, with a guided ritual available for the latter.
Sessions are no longer than one and a half hours, and alternate between steamy and cold fjord plunges.
In Flåm, evening “aufguss” rituals are a winter speciality. This is where a sauna master pours water mixed with essential oils onto the hot sauna stones alongside curated music. The guided session lasts 60 minutes for groups of up to eight people.
Archipelago sauna at Skärgårdens Kanotcenter, Sweden
In Resarö, Sweden, the crackle of firewood and hiss of steam comes with a sea view. The Skärgårdens Kanotcenter offers visitors one-and-a-half-hour sessions, where the sauna temperature ranges between 60C and 80C. Wood is provided on-site, for visitors to tend to the fire as they please.