Sauna in Bergen: Floating Saunas by the Sea, Prices and Booking

The best sauna experience in Bergen is a floating sauna by the sea, where you alternate between heat and a cold dip in the fjord. Heit, City Sauna and Laugaren run saunas on piers around the city centre, and an hour costs around NOK 140 to 170. Here are the places, the prices, how to book and what to expect.

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Bergen's seaside saunas at a glance

Saunas have taken off in Bergen in recent years. Most float on piers, they are heated by wood burning stoves, and the cold plunge is the sea right outside the door. These are the main ones:

• Heit Bergen Sauna: four saunas, at Sandviken, Laksevåg, Marineholmen and Paradis

• City Sauna: drop-in and private saunas, plus a sauna boat on the fjord

• Laugaren: a wood fired, volunteer run sauna at USF Verftet

• Nordnes sea bath: sauna and sea swimming at the tip of the Nordnes peninsula

• Kjøkkelvik Sauna: sauna and salt room in Loddefjord, west of the centre

What most have in common: you book ahead, you swim at your own risk, and swimwear is required.

Heit Bergen Sauna: four saunas around the city

Heit has the most saunas in the city, all open every day of the year:

• Sandviken: Måseskjæret 3. Shared sauna NOK 169 per hour.

• Laksevåg: Damsgårdsveien 225. Shared sauna NOK 149 per hour.

• Marineholmen: Thormøhlens gate 53e, behind the VilVite science centre. Shared sauna NOK 169 per hour.

• Kongen: Gamlehaugvegen 20 in Paradis, self service. From NOK 139.

The staffed saunas open Monday to Friday 07:00-22:00 and at weekends from 09:00 or 09:30 to 21:00. A private sauna costs from NOK 600 to 700 per hour, for at least two people.

Everything is booked online in advance. Heit does not offer drop-in. Children and students get discounts, and towels can be rented when the sauna is staffed.

City Sauna: drop-in sessions and a sauna boat

City Sauna has saunas at Solheimsgaten 3, by the Moxy hotel, and at Bystrand Slippen on Marineholmen, next to BI Norwegian Business School.

• Drop-in shared sauna: NOK 160 for one hour. Tuesday and Thursday 15:00-21:00, Sunday 10:00-18:00.

• Private sauna: NOK 770 for two people for one hour, NOK 1,320 for two hours. The price per person drops the more of you there are.

• Sauna boat: two hours on the fjord with a wood fired sauna on board, from NOK 3,300 for two.

• Towels: available to rent for NOK 80.

Boat trips depend on the weather, and City Sauna will let you know a few days ahead if a trip has to move. Book online or by email.

Laugaren at Verftet

Laugaren is a wood fired floating sauna at USF Verftet, the arts centre on the harbour, built and run by volunteers in the Bergen Laugarlag association. It is as much a cultural venue as a sauna, with concerts and events on the water.

Book a shared or private session online [SJEKK: priser og åpningstider for fellesbadstue]. Membership costs NOK 300 a year and gives you discounts.

If you are in town from 13 to 15 November 2026, Laugaren hosts the Bergen Sauna Festival (Bergen Badstufestival). A festival pass costs NOK 300, NOK 250 for members, and a day pass NOK 200.

More saunas: a sea bath and a salt room

Nordnes sea bath (Nordnes Sjøbad) has a sauna, a heated pool and sea swimming at the tip of Nordnes. The winter season began on 8 October. In winter it opens Tuesday 07:00-13:00, Wednesday and Thursday 16:00-21:00 and Saturday 10:00-15:00. Adult tickets cost NOK 130 [SJEKK: pris på nordnessjobad.no]. More in our guide to swimming spots in Bergen.

Kjøkkelvik Sauna in Loddefjord has a sauna, a salt room with a wall of salt blocks and a spot for a cold dip outdoors. A 90 minute session costs NOK 249, and the sauna is already hot when you arrive. Open daily 06:00-23:00. [SJEKK: priser og tider på vestfjordsauna.no]

Getting to the saunas

The saunas are spread around the harbour and the fjord, but most are easy to reach without a car.

• Marineholmen: Heit and City Sauna sit behind VilVite and next to BI, a 5-10 minute walk from the Florida light rail stop, or about 25 minutes on foot from the tourist information by the Fish Market.

• Solheimsgaten: City Sauna by the Moxy hotel is a short way further south.

• Laksevåg: Heit Laksevåg has paid parking on the quay. It is staffed in the afternoon and evening, and self service in the morning.

• Sandviken: Heit Sandviken lies north of Bryggen. Bring your own padlock for the lockers. You can leave luggage with the host on land.

• Verftet: Laugaren is at USF Verftet on Nordnes, a pleasant walk from the centre along the water.

None of the saunas has a reception. The sauna host meets you on the pier, or you get an access code by text or email for self service sessions.

How to do it: sauna and a cold dip

New to floating saunas? It is easy:

1. Book ahead. Most saunas in Bergen do not take walk-ins.

2. Bring swimwear, two towels (one to sit on, one to dry off), a drink and ideally a padlock for the locker.

3. Warm up in the sauna for a few minutes, as long as it feels good.

4. Cool down in the sea or a cold tub. Stay close to the pier.

5. Rest in the fresh air before the next round, and repeat at your own pace.

The sea at Heit Marineholmen is around 3°C in winter and around 18°C in summer. You swim at your own risk, and water quality can vary with the weather. Drink water and skip the alcohol. At Heit, alcohol is only allowed in private sessions, and no more than two units.

Skostredet Spa: for a day indoors

Not every day is right for a sea swim. When a Bergen gale blows the rain sideways, Skostredet Spa in the city centre is a warm alternative.

Here you move between a dry sauna, a steam room, a snow room and hot and cold plunge pools, in a two hour session. Hotel guests pay NOK 495 and other guests NOK 595. The spa is for guests aged 18 and over, and is open Monday 14:00-21:00 and Tuesday to Sunday 08:00-21:00.

The difference from the pier is the calm: bathrobes, a quiet zone and no wind. For spa treatments, massage and packages, see our guide to spa in Bergen.

Sauna in Bergen all year round

The seaside saunas are open all year, and many locals say winter is best. The contrast is strongest when the sea is cold, and sitting in a sauna in the dark with the city lights around you is something special.

In summer, combine the sauna with a day by the sea. Make it part of your weekend: a sauna in the morning, a long lunch and dinner in the centre. More ideas are in our guide to activities in Bergen for adults.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a sauna cost in Bergen?

An hour in a shared sauna in Bergen costs around NOK 140 to 170. Heit charges NOK 149 or 169 per hour, and City Sauna charges NOK 160 for a drop-in session. A private sauna for two costs from around NOK 600 to 770 per hour. For a sauna on the fjord, a sauna boat starts at NOK 3,300 for two people.

Do I need to book a sauna in advance in Bergen?

Yes, most saunas in Bergen need to be booked online in advance. Heit has no drop-in, and every session, shared or private, must be booked ahead. City Sauna has set drop-in hours on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Book a couple of days ahead for weekends, as the popular times fill up.

What should I bring to a sauna in Bergen?

Bring swimwear, two towels and something to drink when you visit a sauna in Bergen. You sit on one towel and dry off with the other. Swimwear is required at most saunas. A padlock for the locker, slippers and a bathrobe are useful extras. Towels can often be rented on site.

Can I rent a private sauna in Bergen?

Yes, Heit, City Sauna and Laugaren all offer private saunas in Bergen. At Heit it costs from NOK 600 to 700 per hour for at least two people, and at City Sauna NOK 770 for two for one hour. A private sauna suits friends, couples and small groups, and the price per person drops the more of you there are.

How cold is the sea by the saunas in Bergen?

The sea by Bergen's saunas is around 3°C in winter and around 18°C in summer, according to Heit at Marineholmen. In winter, a quick dip is plenty. Ease into the water, stay close to the pier and get out if it feels uncomfortable. Swimming is at your own risk.

After the sauna, a bed close by is the best part. Stay at Skostredet Hotel in the heart of the city, with its own spa in the building.

See the rooms at Skostredet Hotel