Instead of island-hopping in the Caribbean this winter, why not polar plunge your way along the southwest coast of Sweden? Here’s a selection of region’s most stunning open-air bath houses.
Summer and winter alike, Swedes and Danes flock to the beautiful open-air bath houses dotting the southern coastline of Sweden. These places are havens of relaxation where swimmers indulge in invigorating open-air dips between sauna sessions.
While you’ll find places that offer cold dipping across Scandinavia, they are often housed in hotel and spa facilities and can be quite costly. It is, however, along the southwestern coast of Sweden where one finds the highest density of kallbadhus, many of which are historic, affordable (around $10 for a day pass), and open year-round to the public.
Usually located on the sea, the first fully-fledged cold bath houses in Sweden began to emerge in the late 1800s. Cold baths had long been thought to have “healing” abilities and these kallbadhus quickly became popular.
There is no need to pack swim wear as nudity is encouraged, and, in some places, mandatory. Kallbadhus have one area dedicated to men and one to women. Most facilities rent out towels for a dollar or two making it easy for visitors to drop in at the spur of the moment. There is often a café or restaurant to accommodate those wishing to spend the whole day. Here are a few towns and cities in the Swedish south particularly well-suited for winter swimming: