Saunas tend to be a Nordic phenomenon, and the best saunas in Oslo are some of the best in the country. The capital is also the place where outdoor saunas have begun to attract new followers in recent years.
Floating saunas on the fjord have become more and more common, and attract both bathing locals and visitors. You can also find more traditional establishments here, where the sauna is part of a larger treatment programme and wellness package. Some places are also specifically geared towards LGBT people, with safe rooms for anyone who identifies with this group.
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GreenBoats
Hot Sauna and Cold Dip by Aker Brygge
- Couples
GreenBoats is located on perhaps Oslo's most recognisable and most easily navigated harbour promenade. You can literally go straight from the city's best shops to diving into the fjord.
A sauna by the water is one of the city's recent additions. One of the many lovely aspects of this experience is that you can take a refreshing dip in the sea when you feel the heat take hold. You're also guaranteed fresh water to swim in, since Aker Brygge offers an open year-round harbour with water purification. And GreenBoats is also environmentally friendly as the sauna is powered by an electric motor.
Location: Stranden, 0250 Oslo, Norway
Open: Mondays: closed. Tuesday-Sunday: 07.00-21.00
Phone: +47 485 00 725
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Artesia Spa Grand Hotel
Luxury Experiences at One of the City's Finest Hotels
- Luxury
For many people, spending a few hours at a spa is the height of luxury, and in Oslo it doesn't get more luxurious than at the Grand Hotel's Artesia Spa. The hotel is centrally located in Karl Johans Gate, so it's easy to find, and life is always easier after a session of pampering.
Grand Hotel is the place where celebrities, Nobel Prize winners and heads of state choose to stay when they visit Oslo, and the spa department lives up to its expectations. The spa offers a wide choice of treatments, from the simplest to the most comprehensive, or just indulge in some quiet meditation in a hot pool.
Location: Karl Johans gate 31, 0159 Oslo, Norway
Open: 10.00-18.00.
Phone: +47 22 82 50 00
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KOK Oslo
The Original Sauna on the Fjord
- Couples
KOK Oslo's floating sauna was opened by some of Oslo's well-known nightlife founders. And it has only benefited from having the right people and energy behind it.
Because it's all about energy when you want to visit one of the city's more modern saunas. Wellbeing is an all-encompassing concept, which is all about feeling good about yourself. Nothing feels quite as refreshing and relaxing as a dip in cold salt water followed by a warm and cosy sauna with friends.
Location: Langkaia 1, 1050 Oslo, Norway
Phone: +47 934 00 522
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Bristol Spa
Magnificent Hotel and Spa
- Luxury
Bristol Spa is located at the beautiful and historic Bristol Hotel, and for those who appreciate the finer things in life, there is no better alternative. The spa offers a sauna, couple's packages, massage and beauty treatments, including make-up for special occasions.
The therapists who work here are all highly experienced and use only natural products. Expect gorgeous scents and a sense of getting back to nature - away from nasty chemicals and additives. Whatever treatments you choose, you're guaranteed a fulfilling and relaxing experience.
Location: Rosenkrantz' gate 3, 0159 Oslo, Norway
Open: Tuesday-Friday: 12.00-19.00. Saturdays: 12.00-18.00. Sunday-Monday: closed.
Phone: +47 22 33 55 55
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Bislet Bad & Trening
Right by the City's Most Famous Sights
- Luxury
One of the city's oldest swimming baths, Bislet Bad & Trening, is right next to one of the city's most magnificent sports arenas. Bislet is the place where world records have been set for running, high-jump and skating. Meanwhile, inside Bislet Bad, unofficial records have been set for relaxation and wellbeing.
The place offers a pleasant pool and several comfortable saunas that will give you both warmth and plenty of steam. And you can also fit in a training session in the well-equipped gym. Bislet Bad & Trening is generally for members only, but does offer drop-in sessions on certain days.
Location: Bislet Bad, Pilestredet 60, 0167 Oslo, Norway
Phone: +47 21 04 27 33
Mapphoto by Kjetil Ree (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified
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DaiKai Norway AS
Central Pitstop on a Busy Day
- Luxury
Just below Slottparken is what may look like a small secluded spa, but DaiKai is on a par with the more famous establishments in the city. Here, highly skilled therapists provide relaxing treatments that are guaranteed to bring you into a state of deep relaxation.
DaiKai specialises in the art of massage inspired by the Far East, but also offers a whole range of other treatments. Beauty treatments, pedicures and scalp massages are just as popular here as hot stones and chi treatments. The spa's central location means that you can indulge in some wellbeing just before setting off for the many cultural or nightlife options on the city's western side.
Location: Arbins gate 11, 0253 Oslo, Norge
Open: Monday-Friday: 10.00-22.00. Saturday-Sunday: 10.00-21.00.
Phone: +47 23 08 38 88
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Oslo Floating
Free Yourself from the Tyranny of the Senses
Oslo Floating was the first to offer sensory deprivation tanks in Oslo, but will definitely not be the last. An extraordinary experience awaits you here.
The experience involves lying in dark compartments in water that maintains your body temperature and has enough salt to keep you afloat without any significant effort. The silence and the darkness remove you from all external impressions, leaving you to lose yourself in a world filled only by your own consciousness. A quite unique feeling that everyone should try!
Location: Uranienborgveien 25, 0355 Oslo, Norway
Open: 10.00-20.30.
Phone: +47 469 43 683
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The Well
Wellbeing on Several Zones
When The Well was launched as a wellness centre, it was on a scale that had not previously been seen in the capital. Despite the fact that the facilities are located just outside the city centre, The Well is experiencing great success with its spa concept.
Because there really is no better place to visit if you want to spend a whole day being pampered, either on your own or with a partner. It's best to do it with some company, because a trip to The Well is an experience to remember.
Location: Kongeveien 65, 1412 Sofiemyr, Norway
Phone: +47 480 44 888
Mapphoto by Kjetil Ree (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified
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Saunahuset Hercules
LGBT-friendly Sauna in the City Centre
- Unusual
Saunahuset Hercules is a popular LGBT-friendly sauna in the capital, and for the city's gay population, this has been a safe and exciting meeting place ever since they opened their doors.
Saunahuset Hercules' clientele is mainly gay men, and the somewhat mythical place has managed to keep a regular customer base going since the mid-1980s at various addresses in central Oslo. As well as a sauna, the place also has a steam bath, whirlpool, sunbeds and bar, so a good selection of wellbeing options to choose from.
Location: Storgata 41, 0182 Oslo, Norway
Phone: +47 22 11 11 13
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Salt Sauna
Art, Music and Sauna – All in One Place
SALT is so much more than just a place to go to a concert, and SALT Sauna is so much more than just a place to get hot and cold. It's the last stop before you get to Vippetangen, and the perfect place to stop before you board the boat for Denmark!
Although you really don't have to go anywhere because SALT Sauna takes you to a world of wellbeing, and once you're done, there is plenty here to fill your tummy and entertain the mind. Welcome to SALT!
Location: Langkaia, 0150 Oslo, Norway
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