The Swedes have been into wellness since 1269, when the very first Swedish bathing house is said to have opened. You might think that Swedish massage was born here, but scholars believe it was developed in the late 19th century by Dutchman Johan Georg Mezger. His work was confused with that of the Swede Per Henrik Ling, whose earlier “Medical Gymnastics” system was called “The Swedish Movement Cure” when it came to America.

Nonetheless, you can get excellent massage, Swedish and otherwise, throughout this wellness-oriented land. Spas are hugely popular in Sweden, and the Nordic bathing tradition — several rounds of hot sauna followed by a cold plunge — is alive and well.

While there are many modern and super-luxurious American style spas, there are also rustic spas built around traditional healing springs. Swedes believe in public access to land, so you can roam the countryside freely, and many Swedish spas offer walking, hiking, and other invigorating outdoor activities.

One thing to keep in mind: Swedish spa-goers are way more comfortable with nudity than the typical American, so there may be co-ed saunas where everyone is nude. Wearing a bathing suit in a sauna will mark you as a tourist. People won’t even be wrapped in towels — they sit on them. Nude people will also be jumping into lakes, swimming in pools, and basking on beaches. Just don’t stare — it’s bad manners. But you knew that.

Nordic Spa at Grand Hôt​el, Stockholm

Address

Södra Blasieholmshamnen 4B, 111 48 Stockholm, Sweden

Phone +46 8 679 35 75

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With its regal interiors and superb waterfront location in Stockholm, the Grand Hôt​el has been home to international celebrities since 1874. This five-star hotel features 273 rooms and 70 suites. Grand Hūt​el hosted the very first Nobel banquet in 1901.

It is the ultra-luxe place to stay in Stockholm, with an urban hotel spa graced with granite from Grythyttan and Rauk stones from Gotland. The spa encourages guests to enjoy the Nordic bathing ritual. Guests simply heat up in the sauna, plunge in cold water, or take a cold bucket shower, then repeat several times.

This can be a shock for the uninitiated, but once you’re accustomed to it, the contrast feels surprisingly good, and is beneficial for your circulatory system. Follow it with a soothing Swedish massage with birch oil to relieve sore muscles.

The spa also offers facials by Organic Pharmacy, body treatments with the spa’s own organic line, reflexology, acupuncture, cupping, tui na, and lymphatic massage for those seeking more adventurous treatments.

Sturebadet, Stockholm

Address

Sturegallerian 36, 114 46 Stockholm, Sweden

Phone +46 8 545 015 00

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Sturebadet has been a Stockholm institution since 1885, when Carl Curman opened an establishment to promote “proper bathing” and exercise. This is a day spa/public bath/gym/exercise studio located in the ritzy neighborhood of Stureplan, a public square in central Stockholm. This spa is said to be a favorite of Greta Garbo and features a gorgeous Ottoman-style swimming pool.

A spa day at Sturebadet includes a bath in the 84-degree F (29-degree C) pool, steam, sauna, and hydromassage, but you can add on classes in yoga, Pilates, and qigong, or work out in the gym and fitness room. Enjoy a glass of Champagne with lunch in the Curman Lounge, or relax in the quiet room.

Along with a great Swedish massage, facials, and body treatments, you might want to try Samezen, a signature treatment inspired by the ancient culture of the Sami, designed by Swedish-born esthetician Kerstin Florian. The Samezen treatment includes a mineral bath, body scrub, and a massage with mineral-rich lava rocks under a “starry sky,” complemented by Sami folk music.

The Water Salon at Loka Brunn, Grythyttan

Address

Loka, 712 94 Grythyttan, Sweden

Phone +46 591 631 00

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A traditional countryside spa, Loka Brunn has been attracting visitors since its legendary spring waters were first discovered 300 years ago. It was here that the deaf farmhand from Värstorp had his speech restored after drinking the spring waters; “Weak Anders” fell into the mud and became “Strong Anders,” and King Adolf Fredrik was cured of his migraine in 1761.

Located about 165 miles west of Stockholm, today this traditional countryside spa features 154 rooms across 54 buildings, some dating from the 1700s with each boasting its own special history. The new Water Salon (Vattensalongen) is situated on the shores of Lake Norra Loken, ideal for swims or plunging after your sauna.

Loka Brunn has a long-standing tradition of spa treatments utilizing spring water, mud, and pine needle oil, which is made from local forests. Its therapeutic mud has been famous in Sweden since the 1700s, including popular mud baths. Along with massages, facials, and body treatments, the spa also has a shop and café, plus an indoor golf driving range.

Kallbadhuset (Cold Bathhouse), Varberg

Address

Otto Torells gata 7, 432 44 Varberg, Sweden

Phone +46 70 241 85 00

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Renowned for its iron-rich springs, beautiful beaches, and fresh sea air, Varberg represents health and wellness in Sweden. For more than 200 years, this picturesque spa town has attracted individuals looking to relax and rejuvenate after a cold winter. Located on the western coast, about 310 miles southwest of Stockholm, it boasts the highest concentration of spas in Sweden (and great surfing opportunities). It’s easily reachable with a one-hour flight.

You should definitely visit the stunning waterfront Cold Bathhouse (Kallbadhuset), built in 1903, where you can master the art of Nordic bathing by heating up in a sauna and plunging into the invigorating sea repeatedly. This historic structure grants access to the ocean while providing some privacy from the open sea (although you can swim beyond if desired; men’s and women’s areas are separated).

Varbergs Kusthotel (Coast Hotel), Varberg

Address

Nils Kreugers väg 5, 432 53 Varberg, Sweden

Phone +46 340 62 98 00

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Varbergs Kusthotell (formerly known as Varbergs Kurort) has been a spa destination since the early 20th century and has won awards as Sweden’s best spa. This is an ideal spa hotel for anyone seeking an authentic Swedish experience.

Steps away from the ocean, Varbergs Kusthotell is Sweden’s only genuine thalassospa, featuring warm and cold seawater pools, seaweed treatments, and its own cold bathhouse where you can sauna and then plunge into the sea. There’s also a lovely spa garden with a sundeck for lounging in a hammock.

In addition to massages, facials, and scrubs, many treatments utilize the Phytomer marine product line. One unique treatment involves walking in a wooden bathtub filled with seawater, followed by a massage using hand-picked seaweed from Varberg’s coast. The more adventurous can try a fish massage, where small carp nibble dead skin from your feet.

Rooms with white walls and blue accents offer fresh, modern Swedish design, and the restaurant is celebrated for serving classic Swedish cuisine.

The Healing Water Village at Sät​ra Brunn

Address

Sät​ra Brunn, 733 95 Sala, Sweden

Phone +46 224 546 00

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Dating back to 1700, Sät​ra Brunn is one of the oldest spas in Sweden. Its healing spring waters garnered such a reputation that many nobles built cottages on the property. (Discussing religion, politics, and economics was strictly prohibited, as these topics were believed to upset guests.) Located about 80 miles northwest of Stockholm, today it’s a rustic village with over 100 buildings ranging from 1702 to 1994, surrounded by five parks.

This spa is not luxurious; prices start at $70 per person for a room and $130 for a room with full board. In Sät​ra Brunn’s Pool House, you can relax in a comfortable chair, enjoy a refreshing drink, read a paper, or take a moment to rest. If you feel inclined, ease yourself into the warm water of the pool (93.2 °F) and swim to soothing background music.

In addition to classic massages, facials, and body treatments, guests can enjoy vinotherapy treatments enriched with Amarone and Valpolicella wines.

Salt Creek Spa at Ystad Saltsj​öbad, Saltsj​öbadsvägen

Address

Saltsj​öbadsvägen 15, 271 60 Ystad, Sweden

Phone +46 411 136 30

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Ystad Saltsj​öbad is a luxury hotel located at the southern tip of Sweden, right on the Baltic shoreline, in a region renowned for its stunning scenery. Its spa is considered the finest in this area, situated about 386 miles south of Stockholm.

The Creek Experience is a full-body treatment that includes a trip through a dark, misty “Amazonian lagoon,” featuring a Turkish bath and hammam in the sauna area where your body is soaped down, scrubbed, and rinsed clean. It also offers a detoxifying Rasul cleansing ritual, in which your body is coated with Moroccan clay.

Hagabadet, Gothenburg

Address

Haga Östergata 6, 413 01 Göteborg, Sweden

Phone +46 31 60 06 00

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Hagabadet is a Gothenburg icon. Established in 1876, it offers spa treatments, massages, fitness, yoga, and culinary delights in some of the most beautiful settings in Gothenburg.

At Hagabadet, you will find a spa in an astonishing historical setting. Enjoy baths, relaxation, and spa treatments that enhance your experience. A PureSpa visit at Hagabadet will greatly enhance your time in Gothenburg.

The visit is further complemented by Hagabadet’s unique blend of spa, fitness, yoga, and food. The restaurant Pure Bistro & Wine serves locally sourced, ecological culinary delights for breakfast, lunch, and weekend brunch. A large gym, personal trainers, and a wide variety of fitness and yoga classes are also available.

The Retreat Club at Falkenberg Strandbad, Falkenberg

Address

Havsbadsallén 2A, 311 42 Falkenberg, Sweden

Phone +46 346 71 49 00

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Experience the blend of Miami culture and Swedish charm on the western coast, just about 305 miles southwest of Stockholm, or a convenient one-hour flight away, and located steps from the long, beautiful Skrea beach in Falkenberg. The Retreat Club embraces club culture with sparkling wine, champagne, fruit trays, rosé, drinks, music, and both indoor and outdoor pools, accompanied by relaxation beds, a large pool lounge with a bar and restaurant, and a sauna.

Selma Spa, Sunne

Address

Sundsbergsvägen 3, 686 35 Sunne, Sweden

Phone +46 565 166 00

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Selma Spa is one of the largest spa hotels in the Nordic region, featuring 30 treatment rooms and 40 different treatments. With a holistic approach to health and nutrition, their cuisine is prepared with locally sourced ingredients from Värmland, making it another remarkable spa destination in Sweden. Here, you can unwind in swimming pools, enjoy any of the four different types of sauna, or lounge comfortably in a recliner.

Kosta Boda Art Hotel, Kosta

Address

Stora Vägen 75, 365 43 Kosta, Sweden

Phone +46 478 348 30

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Kosta Boda has been producing Swedish glass since 1742 and opened a stylish luxury hotel next to the Kosta glassworks. Designed by Kosta Boda’s designers, it features glass and stone architecture and serves as a “living gallery” where all art glass is for sale — including the underwater display at the swimming pool.

Copperhill, Åre

Copperhill Mountain Lodge is a year-round open design hotel located atop Förberget in the popular ski resort of Åre-Björnen. Here, guests can enjoy spectacular mountain views, skiing, and hiking right outside their door. The lodge comprises 112 guest rooms and suites, six conference rooms for up to 500 people, and a spa that has been awarded as Europe’s best. Additionally, it features a restaurant, bar, babysitting services, ski rental, fitness center, activities, and even a helipad.

The spa experience emphasizes naturalness and simplicity, drawing inspiration from the site’s nature and history. Low-growing juniper contributes an aromatic massage oil. Treatments have also been modeled after Sami huts. The dining options are inspired by the immediate surroundings, utilizing sustainable and locally sourced materials from the forests, meadows, and waters around Åre, fostering a warm and homely sense of well-being in northern Sweden.