When cold wind and darkness enwrap Oslo in winter gloom, there is one thing that lifts the mood: sauna. And when summer is just around the corner and you want to enjoy colourful sunsets with your friend gang, there is one perfect spot for it: the sauna. You want to feel tough and invincible? There is no better way to achieve that than to jump in the Oslo fjord when ice is floating on the sea surface. Tested. Confirmed! I can easily admit this is my favourite Oslo activity and a “must do” when friends and family are visiting me.
Oslo Badstuforening was voted the Best Association by Oslo folk in 2021, and rightly so. It is a non-profit volunteer-run association with a strong vision to bring sauna to the people. They do a fantastic job and sauna has never been more popular than now – so popular, it is often hard to secure yourself a drop-in spot. They currently have three locations: Sukkerbiten, Langkaia (Bademaschinen) and Svartdalen (Kroloftet) and I suggest you pick the first one, if it is your first time visiting.
Drop-in costs 100 NOK for members and 150 NOK for non-members and you share the sauna with others. You can also book the saunas privately, which is a very popular way to celebrate a birthday or have a fun time with your friends or colleagues. If there is one obligatory experience in Oslo, this is the one.
