As we moved through fjords, in many beautiful spots we saw one common type of construction – slick, modern, wooden containers, often with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the water. Some were built on the bank of a fjord; others were floating on a jetty connected to the shore via a bridge. They looked like tiny homes designed to accommodate no more than a couple of people. If it is your first time in Norway, you might think these are just cabins. But they are not! This is a widely popular attraction among locals and visitors – a Nordic spa.
The idea is simple. It is a hot sauna of the type common in Northern and Eastern Europe. And as you sweat your troubles away, while sprawled out on wooden benches, you can also enjoy unparalleled views of the Norwegian landscape: fjords, mountains, and waterfalls. But the beautiful view is not the only feature. To cool off, you can open the door, take a few steps, and plunge right into the freezing water.
We've already written that if we see a bathhouse in a foreign country, we don't hesitate and immediately join in the fun. In Georgia, Japan, Estonia, and Türkiye, we went to saunas to learn local bathing customs and traditions. But nowhere did we have to dip into the icy water afterward. And jumping into the Norwegian Sea seemed crazy even for us, the thrill-seeking weirdos. Fjords, even in July, experience constant rain, fog, and gusty winds, and the water rarely looks like an inviting place to swim. However, the more we saw these spas sprinkled in picturesque locations and the happy, sweaty people plunging into the water, the more the idea grew on us.
The moment when we decided that we would do it was when we saw someone jumping into the Norwegian Sea without even going to a sauna. In Undredal — a pretty village located on the bank of a UNESCO-recognized Nærøyfjord — we were in a restaurant facing the fjord. Right next to us, two blonde girls were drinking beers and eating fries. We heard them chatting in some Nordic language until one of them got up and walked out of the restaurant. Seconds later, we saw her on the pier, quickly stripping to her swimsuit and then casually diving into the fjord. She didn't jump out of the water immediately, as we expected, but swam for a good two to three minutes. When she returned to the restaurant, she rejoined her friend and continued sipping a lager like nothing had happened.
“Was the water cold?” Julia asked the blonde girl as soon as she made eye contact with us.
“Not really. It's warmer than where we are from. We are from Iceland.”
And so, we decided that if foreigners come here to leap into the cold Norwegian water, then we should too. There was a spa right next to the restaurant where we were sitting. But we figured it made more sense to get pneumonia or bronchitis closer to the end of the trip and not while we still had 10 more days left in the country. Another reason to do it later was that the second leg of our trip was in the Arctic Circle! And if we were to do a plunge, why not do it in the northernmost place? Makes for a cooler story, right?
After a week in the fjords, where the sky was cloudy and it rained a lot, we expected the weather on the Lofoten Islands to be even worse. But to our surprise, that wasn't the case, and we had mostly sunny days. And the craziest thing was that at times, the islands looked like a warm Caribbean destination. Climbing the mountains, it was easy to forget we were in the Arctic Circle as we saw gorgeous moon-crescent white sand beaches with turquoise-blue water below us. Still, despite the heavenly color, the water in the Norwegian Sea was freezing cold, and we wondered if we would have enough courage to jump into it later.
Finally, on the last day, as we were heading to the airport, we stopped in Svolvær to do something that could have become either one of the highlights of the trip or a giant mistake. Because this was our only chance to do a Nordic spa, we chose a facility on the higher end. LYST Lofoten Sauna Svolvær was highly rated and part of a nearby upscale hotel. We booked a 1.5-hour session online and paid around 35$ for each of us.
One concern we had before booking the session was that we didn't pack any swimsuits. After all, we didn't plan to do any swimming in Norway. However, websites for every spa we checked insisted that swimwear was mandatory. We just hoped my boxer shorts and Julia’s sports tunic would suffice and would not get us kicked out.
After picking up towels, bathrobes, and key fobs at the hotel’s reception desk, we headed for our bathing session. The spa was on a floating jetty in a harbor with a view towards the fjord and the mountains. The setting was incredible.
Inside, the spa had two saunas, changing rooms with showers, and a bathroom. Still concerned whether we had the proper attire, we walked to one of the saunas. Julia opened the door, looked inside, and then jumped back, closing the door.
“You know what? I think we'll be fine in our underwear. There is a completely naked woman inside.”
Apparently, it's not uncommon for locals to take everything off, and when spa websites ask for swimsuits, they simply ask to wear something and not to go commando. We chose not to disturb the naked lady and occupied the other sauna.
For the next hour and a half, we sweated profusely while resting on wooden benches and taking in the views of the Norwegian Sea, the harbor, and an elegant three-mast ship moored nearby. And yes! We did it! We jumped into the cold Arctic water! And not once … but three times! Each of us!
The first plunge was the most terrifying as it required taking that first step to throw yourself into the cold water. And as you hit the Arctic water, you immediately experience what feels like thousands of tiny electric shocks running through your body. My first dip lasted only a few seconds as my brain frantically signaled: “Get out of the water immediately!! It's freezing. You are going to die!” The second and third times, after we had a chance to warm up in the sauna, were more enjoyable because we were now aware of how the body reacts to the cold water. I even got cocky and went for an extended swim in the harbor to impress Julia and the formerly naked Norwegian woman who was now wearing a swimsuit and cheering for me from the floating platform.
When our time was up, we left feeling fresh and rejuvenated. Nordic spas are known for their health benefits, such as improved blood circulation, a boost to the immune system, and increased metabolism. But for us, on top of health benefits, the whole experience was also pure fun and a fitting end to our crazy journey through the Lofoten Islands in the Arctic Circle.
