This first thing is a bonus fact: the reason Budapest has so many thermal baths is only in part due to around a hundred atural mineral-rich hot springs. The main reason is that during the 150-ish years Budapest – or rather Buda, the city on the west bank of the Danube – was under occupation… More 8 things you need to know about Budapest thermal baths
I was very excited about this – I was going for a sauna on a beach! There are now hundreds of small semi-rustic saunas on beaches and in woodlands around the country but Studland Sauna Hut was the first one I ever noticed. Back then, you either had to book it for a largeish group… More A sauna on the beach at Studland Sauna Hut
I feel like an elegant, sophisticated lady. This is an unusual sensation for me, someone who was once described as sounding “…populaire” (Swiss French for “urchin”) next to my “Princess Diana” triplet. But there’s something about Monart Spa that feels expensive and graceful and perfect. I had a voucher to celebrate “more than five years”… More Monart Spa, Poundbury: a review
Going to Tbilisi and not taking an hour or so for a sulphur bath is like going to Iceland and avoiding the Blue Lagoon or going to Paris and covering your eyes whenever the Eiffel Tower comes into view. The sulphur baths are a Tbilisi tradition. More than that, they’re the reason the city exists!… More What happens at a private Tbilisi sulphur bath?
Right now, the Blue Lagoon is closed because massive tectonic activity only a couple of miles away is threatening an eruption that could pour lava into its blue waters within minutes of breaking through. Initially, it was just for seven days, and due to reopen on Thursday. Bearing in mind the beyond-massive activity on Friday… More Which is the best geothermal lagoon to visit in Iceland while the Blue Lagoon is closed?
The third of the three geothermal pool reviews! We’re at the tenth pool, east Iceland’s Vök Baths. Vök does have a USP, right up front and centre – Iceland’s only floating infinity pools! It’s a five or ten minute drive from Egilsstaðir, the capital and main town of the region, and it’s set on the… More Relaxing at Vök Baths
Second of three posts on the new-to-me geothermal pools/spas/experiences. Geosea is just north of Husavik, sitting on a clifftop with views across the fjord and out to sea, positioned perfectly to catch sunsets. The building itself is almost hidden from the car park, with the traditional turf roof, cut into the hillside so it doesn’t… More Visiting Geosea
I think I mentioned that part of the reason I went to Iceland this summer was to finish off the geothermal spas? Well, this is the first of those last three: the Forest Lagoon. This is one of the three that has an Icelandic name as well as an English one – Skógarböð really means… More What’s Akureyri’s Forest Lagoon like?
What’s more Finnish than a sauna? I’ve given this question a little consideration and I can’t think of anything more Finnish. I’m a bit of a fan of some spa and wellness and so went I went to test out my newfound language skills, of course I also wanted to try out a proper Finnish… More Löyly: a traditional Finnish sauna experience (for tourists)
I’m back from Iceland and I currently have plans for twelve blog posts on the subject! Given that fitting them into my schedule means I’ll still be posting them in June, I might adjust that number as I go along but this one was in no doubt whatsoever from the moment I arrived, so let me… More A snowy morning at Hvammsvík