Winter swimming and sauna in Stockholm
Updated 12 October 2026 · All facts from each sauna’s own website
Hot sauna, then a quick dip in ice-cold water: in Stockholm, many people do this all winter. Here are the saunas by a lake or the sea that stay open in winter, and the ones that keep a hole in the ice open.
Saunas with a hole in the ice
When the lake freezes, these saunas cut a hole in the ice so you can still swim.
- Isbjörnarnas Bastuförening (Bromma, Stockholm). From 125 kr per person.
- Varma Bastu Vendelsömalm (Haninge). Whole sauna from 800 kr.
- Äventyrsbanans bastu vid Sandasjön (Nacka). Whole sauna from 5,000 kr.
Open all year by a lake or the sea
At these saunas you can swim from the dock or the beach in winter too. Public saunas are listed first.
| Sauna | Area | Water | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basto Hagaparken Albano | Norra Djurgården, Stockholm | Lake | From 219 kr per person · Whole sauna from 1,485 kr |
| Basto Lidingö Gåshaga | Lidingö | Sea | From 219 kr per person · Whole sauna from 1,485 kr |
| Basto Stora Essingen | Kungsholmen, Stockholm | Lake | From 175 kr per person · Whole sauna from 995 kr |
| Djurgårdsbastun | Djurgården, Stockholm | Sea | From 325 kr per person · Whole sauna from 2,995 kr |
| Djurönäset vedbastu & skärgårdsspa | Djurö, Värmdö | Sea | Ask them for a price |
| Hellasgården Bastu | Nacka | Lake | From 110 kr per person · Whole sauna from 3,000 kr |
| Hornstullsbastun | Södermalm, Stockholm | Lake | From 150 kr per person |
| Nicksta Bastuförening | Nynäshamn | Sea | From 175 kr per person · Whole sauna from 2,000 kr |
| Saltsjöbadens Friluftsbad | Saltsjöbaden, Nacka | Sea | Whole sauna from 2,500 kr |
| Saunify Ekerö (Kaggeholm) | Ekerö | Lake | From 149 kr per person · Whole sauna from 490 kr |
| Saunify Hässelby (Riddersvik) | Hässelby, Stockholm | Lake | From 149 kr per person · Whole sauna from 490 kr |
| Saunify Åkersberga (Skåvsjöholm) | Österåker | Sea | From 149 kr per person · Whole sauna from 490 kr |
| STHLM Sauna Vinterviken | Hägersten, Stockholm | Lake | From 105 kr per person |
| Tanto Bastu | Södermalm, Stockholm | Lake | From 60 kr per person |
| Vår Gård kallbad & bastu | Saltsjöbaden, Nacka | Sea | From 295 kr per person |
| Elfsala Gästgård skärgårdsbastu | Värmdö | Sea | Whole sauna from 2,950 kr |
| Gräddö Sjöliv Sjösaunan | Gräddö, Norrtälje | Sea | Whole sauna from 3,500 kr |
| Sjöbastun Drevviken | Sköndal, Stockholm | Lake | Whole sauna from 3,800 kr |
| Vaxholms Bastubåt | Vaxholm | Sea | Whole sauna from 700 kr |
| Vita Grindarnas bastu (Djurö) | Djurö, Värmdö | Sea | Whole sauna from 600 kr |
A classic is Hellasgården in Nacka, where you swim in Källtorpssjön lake from the deck all year. In the city, Tanto Bastu on Södermalm and Basto Hagaparken on Brunnsviken bay are open in winter too.
How to swim in winter safely
- Never swim alone. Go with a friend, or to a sauna with other people.
- Warm up in the sauna first. Then go into the water slowly.
- Stay only a short time. A few seconds is enough the first time.
- Use the ladder or the dock. Never walk out on ice that the sauna has not made safe.
- Wear a hat and bring shoes for the walk to the water. Ice and wet wood are slippery.
- If you have heart problems or high blood pressure, ask a doctor first.
Without a lake: cold pools in the city
Some city saunas have a cold pool inside instead, for example The Sacred Sauna and Sturebadet. See all saunas with cold water.
Questions and answers
Where can I swim in winter after the sauna in Stockholm?
23 saunas by a lake or the sea are open in winter. Some keep a hole in the ice open, for example Isbjörnarnas Bastuförening, Varma Bastu Vendelsömalm and Äventyrsbanans bastu vid Sandasjön.
Is winter swimming safe?
For most healthy people, yes, if you are careful. Go in slowly, stay only a short time and never swim alone. If you have heart problems, ask a doctor first.
How long should I stay in the cold water?
A short time is enough. Many people stay only a few seconds to a minute. Get out before you start to shiver hard, and warm up in the sauna.