Bastu bliss

The perfect way

to end a weekend 

in need of a detox

A visit to the sauna of course.

Bask in sauna at 80º C (176º F)

Plunge into 2ºC water

Repeat

Party Time at the Sauna

Or rather, I should say, on the nude sun-bathing deck perched on the cliffs overlooking the sauna and surrounding docks. This post is late by a couple weeks - the party was August 25 - but I will write it anyway as a tribute to one of Stockholm's few beautiful, warm(ish) evenings this summer.*

For a fee of 200sek (that's about $30US), guests received a fruity welcome drink (or two); a buffet meal of fresh salmon, potatoes, and salad; an incredible, homemade chocolate raspberry pie; and all the chili nuts we could get our hands on. The classic Swedish BYOB applied - and guests certainly took advantage, some toting liters of vodka and whiskey. 

Built over 50 years ago, this partially-covered, wooden sun deck of Fredhällbadet overlooks Lake Mälaren and the islands Störa and Lilla Essingen. Despite it's central location, this corner of the island is tucked away and feels like a semi-escape from the city. 

Our presence at this annual jubilation dropped the average age by about 35 years - but that didn't mean our fellow sauna-ers couldn't party. The nearly full moon lit up the deck as we danced to the gubbrock band - "old-man rock" band - late into the night... or perhaps not so very late for us considering most of the others were still going strong when we bid our goodbyes. 

And the quote of the night: "I didn't recognize her with clothes on," whispered on more than a few occasions. Oh the joys of our naked sauna club.

*I can officially report that the temperature rose above 25°C (77°F) on a total of 5 days over the entire summer in Stockholm. 

Bastu Bliss

bastu = sauna = bliss

see that little building down there by the water's edge? that's my bastu

Tucked away on the far southwest corner of Kungsholmen island in Stockholm is Fredhällsbadet. In the summer months, its grassy slopes and wooden piers are open to the public, and, more often than not, covered in sunbathers and swimmers, soaking up as much sun as possible. 

During the winter, however, I am one of only a couple hundred lucky members who has access to Fredhällsbadet, namely the sauna. Every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday, I am welcome to enter this isolated, water-side sanctuary where bastu-ers plunge into Lake Mälaren, then relax in the 180° F-sauna to warm up. A bubbler keeps the water from freezing so that even in the depths of the winter months when the rest of the Lake is completely frozen, bastu-ers can take a swim. Since bathing suits are not allowed, men and women go on different days.


I've found the perfect place to escape - my smultronställe, as they say in Sweden - in Fredhälls bastu, where from the top bench, I can look out the windows and see only water. And the feeling of going from nearly frozen water to the hotness inside a sauna is unlike any other - exhilarating is an understatement. 


I am lucky to be able to visit Fredhälls bastu and also to live within a 2-minute bike ride from it. Although I don't go as often as I'd like, it's wonderful to know it's there when I want: my own energizing, detoxing spa experience in one of the most beautiful places in Stockholm.