A New Era for Sauna Access in Stockholm
Stockholm is a city deeply rooted in the tradition of sauna culture. From early mornings to late nights, residents can often be seen stepping out of wooden huts, leaving trails of woodsmoke behind, and immersing themselves in the brackish waters that surround the Swedish capital. However, accessing these saunas has long been a challenge for both locals and visitors. The most popular waterfront venues are often reserved for members, with waiting lists that can stretch for years. When new spots become available, they are quickly snapped up, making it difficult for non-members to gain entry.
To address this issue, the city of Stockholm is set to open its first publicly run sauna in June. This initiative, located in the Hornstull neighborhood of Södermalm, aims to provide “sauna for all” by offering membership-free access. It is part of a broader pilot project that authorities hope will inspire more city-run saunas in the future.
Pia Karlsson, the project manager from the City of Stockholm’s transport office, explained that the 5.5 million Swedish kronor (£436,573) project was designed to shift away from the traditional model of “sauna for the few.” The goal is to create a space that is fully accessible to everyone, including residents and visitors.
Despite having clean water, a favorable geographical layout, and a growing international interest in sauna culture—fueled by Sweden’s Eurovision entry, Bara Bada Bastu (Just Take a Sauna)—Stockholm has been slow to capitalize on this demand. Many saunas remain locked away, privately owned by associations or individuals.
This scarcity is particularly evident when compared to other Nordic cities. In Oslo, for example, it is relatively easy to secure a same-day sauna spot at one of the seven floating saunas managed by the Oslo Sauna Association. Helsinki, where sauna use is considered an essential part of daily life, boasts an abundance of public saunas, including community-run options along the waterfront.
The new Stockholm sauna arrived by tug boat on Tuesday. The site, which features weeping willows and offers swimming opportunities, was previously home to Liljeholmsbadet, a 1930s floating public bathhouse that was removed last year due to disrepair. The city is also constructing a sauna jetty that will be open to non-sauna-goers.
Designed by architect Dinell Johansson and built by Marinbastun, the green-colored building draws inspiration from the city’s historic painted wooden water pavilions. Karlsson emphasized that the project is a public pontoon and space on public land, aiming to reflect the principle of accessibility for all.
Learning from Neighbors and Setting New Standards
While inspired by Finland and Denmark, the vision for Stockholm’s sauna is part of a larger strategy to open up the city’s waterfronts. This includes creating new areas for swimming, walkways, and seating spaces. The city is also planning new guidelines that would require all sauna slots in the city center to be fully publicly available for booking.
However, these changes have faced criticism from some sauna associations, who argue that the new rules could disrupt the existing membership model, which they claim makes saunas more affordable for regular users. Karlsson, however, believes that city-run and private models can coexist. She noted that the city’s pricing structure would not undercut other saunas, although the cost of 150 kronor (£12) for 90 minutes may be high for some.
Initially, everyone will pay the same rate, but the city plans to explore different pricing structures for students and pensioners once it understands demand better.
Mathias Leveborn from Sthlm Sauna, which has a waiting list of 20,000 for membership across its saunas, said that the demand for more sauna spaces is immense. He mentioned that it took over a year to get approval for a new project in Södermalm, set to open in September. “It’s great that Stockholm is finally catching up with other Nordic countries,” he said.
Svante Spolander, operations manager at the Swedish Sauna Academy, highlighted the growing interest in sauna culture in Sweden. He noted that people often face long waits for access to sauna bathhouses, making the expansion of sauna facilities a positive development.
