Guides to the best saunas and spas in Norway

Sauna culture in Norway has exploded in the last decade. Oslo alone now has dozens of floating saunas and even a harbourside sauna bar. What used to be something Norwegians did quietly at the cabin has turned into an urban scene with several operators along the waterfront.

The format is fairly consistent: heat up in a wood-fired sauna, step outside, and get into the sea. In Oslo that means the Oslofjord. In Bergen it's the harbour. In Tromsø and Lofoten it's the Arctic Ocean. The water is cold year-round, though the definition of cold varies by season and latitude. 

Oslo has the widest selection. KOK runs floating saunas at multiple locations along the waterfront. Oslo Badstuforening operates a more traditional setup. SALT is the social option. Beyond Oslo, the sauna scene is smaller but growing, and several hotels in Lofoten have saunas and spa facilities that make serious use of their picturesque waterfront locations.

Hotel spas are a separate category. In terms of comfort they're a step up from the seaside saunas. Norway has some genuinely good ones, and are increasingly standard at higher-end properties.