A place for everybody’: Stockholm to open its first publicly run sauna

Stockholm, Sweden, is a city where many people love going to saunas. Throughout the year, locals enjoy relaxing in wooden saunas and then swimming in the cold, brackish water along the city’s shoreline. Saunas are especially popular because Stockholm has many islands, relatively clean water, and a strong sauna culture.

However, getting into a popular waterside sauna can be difficult. Many saunas are privately owned by individuals or membership groups, and some have waiting lists with thousands of people. When new spaces become available, they can be booked within minutes. As a result, ordinary residents and visitors often have limited opportunities to enjoy these saunas.

To make saunas more accessible, the City of Stockholm plans to open its first publicly run sauna in Hornstull, a neighborhood on Södermalm. The project costs about 5.5 million Swedish kronor and is designed to provide “sauna for all.” Unlike private saunas, the new facility will not require membership and will be open to both city residents and visitors.

The new sauna arrived by tugboat and was built near the site of a former public bathhouse called Liljeholmsbadet. The old bathhouse, which opened in the 1930s, was removed because it had fallen into disrepair. The new area will also include a public jetty where people can enjoy the waterfront even if they do not use the sauna. The green building was designed to reflect Stockholm’s historic wooden water pavilions.

City officials hope this pilot project will become the first of many public, membership-free saunas in Stockholm. Project manager Pia Karlsson said the goal is to create a place that is welcoming to everyone. The project represents a move away from “sauna for the few” toward a public space where both locals and visitors can relax, swim, and enjoy Stockholm’s sauna culture.

Edited using generative AI tools. 
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/17/a-place-for-everybody-stockholm-to-open-its-first-publicly-run-sauna

Comprehension

Why are saunas popular in Stockholm?
Why is it difficult for people to use the most popular waterside saunas?
Where will Stockholm’s first publicly run sauna be located?
What is the main goal of the new public sauna?
What other public facility will be built near the new sauna?

Discussion

Would you like to try a traditional Swedish sauna? Why or why not?
Why do you think saunas are so popular in Sweden?
Do you think public facilities should be free or membership-based? Why?
Would you be willing to wait several years to use a popular facility?
What activities do people in your country enjoy near the water?
Do you think swimming in cold water is healthy or enjoyable? Why?
What are the advantages of having public spaces that are accessible to everyone?
If your city built a public sauna, would you use it? Why?
What facilities or activities in your city are difficult to access because they are expensive or have long waiting lists?
What is one public facility you wish your city would build?

Vocabulary

sauna — a hot room for relaxing
shoreline — the land beside the water
waterside — an area beside the water
accessible — easy to use or enter
membership — being a member of a group
quayside — an area beside a dock
disrepair — a bad condition
pilot project — a test project