You might think Norway would be full-up on visitors, given the appeal of its wild fjords, moody coasts, all-island music festivals and Northern Lights spotting.
Apparently, though, tourism initiatives are still moving forward, and Norway being Norway, they’re betting on architectural projects to draw visitors. And Norway really being Norway, one of the best among them is a sauna perched on the edge of a spectacularly beautiful waterway, inspired by a fairy tale about a golden palace in the mountains.
This is the new Soria Moria Sauna, all hard lines and right angles and blond woods: everything you’d expect from a Scandinavian design. It’s set along the Telemark Canal, about 150 miles west of Oslo. If you can think of a more beautiful place to get your sweat on, tell us.
The sauna is a collaboration between the Telemark Canal Regional Park, the local municipality and the five-star Dalen Hotel, which runs the sauna.
Per Wallpaper, though, the access to the spa is just as Scandinavian-minded — which is to say, egalitarian — as the design sensibility: Anyone’s welcome at the sauna, whether staying at the hotel or touring the country in a camper van.
Image via Architizer
For more travel news, tips and inspo, sign up for InsideHook's weekly travel newsletter, The Journey.