London in winter has a way of making you appreciate warmth.
You leave the Tube and immediately pull your coat tighter. The wind gets through your scarf. Your hands go numb while you're waiting for the bus. And after spending enough time outside, sometimes a warm café simply isn't enough.
You want somewhere properly hot.
The good news is that London's sauna scene has grown considerably. You can now find traditional Russian banyas, Finnish-style saunas, outdoor wood-fired saunas, community sauna villages, steam baths and thermal-bathing experiences across the city.
Some are social and communal. Some are private. Some are right beside the Thames or a London park. Others are hidden beneath railway arches or inside historic bathhouses.
So if you're looking for somewhere to escape London's cold weather this winter, here are 15 saunas and hot places to visit in London.
1. Banya No.1 - Hoxton
If you want something that feels very different from a standard gym sauna, start with Banya No.1 - Hoxton.
This East London bathhouse is built around the Russian banya tradition, combining a hot, humid steam room with cold-water exposure, relaxation and traditional treatments.
One of the experiences associated with the banya is parenie, a traditional treatment involving bundles of birch, oak or eucalyptus leaves used to create heat and circulation across the body.
The experience is much more ritualistic than simply sitting in a sauna for ten minutes.
You can alternate between heat and cold, relax between rounds and, depending on the session you choose, add traditional treatments.
It's a particularly interesting option if you're looking for something that feels like a genuine cultural experience as well as a wellness session.
Best for: Russian banya, traditional treatments and a serious hot-and-cold experience.
2. Druid Street Saunas – Bermondsey
Tucked into Bermondsey's Beer Mile, Druid Street Saunas offers a modern sauna experience with a distinctly London setting.
The venue currently has four saunas and three cold plunges, with sessions designed around moving between heat and cold at your own pace. It is open seven days a week.
This is a good choice if you want something straightforward rather than a formal spa treatment.
And the location is useful too.
You could visit the sauna and then continue towards Borough Market, London Bridge or the Thames for food and sightseeing.
It works particularly well as part of a winter Saturday in South London.
Best for: Sauna and cold plunge, Bermondsey and a relaxed weekend.
3. Sweheat Sauna – Royal Victoria Dock
This is one of the most interesting options if you want to make the cold weather part of the experience.
Sweheat Sauna is an outdoor wood-fired sauna beside Royal Victoria Dock in East London.
The venue describes itself as an outdoor sauna experience focused on authentic sauna culture, fresh air and cold water. It also has a cold plunge.
The sauna temperature currently varies between 70°C and 100°C, while the outdoor plunge is usually around 0–4°C, depending on the weather.
So yes, you can quite literally go from a very hot sauna to London's winter air and then into cold water.
You can also book private experiences for groups of up to six.
Best for: Outdoor sauna, wood-fired heat, waterfront views and cold plunges.
4. Parliament Hill Lido Sauna
Want a sauna experience that involves one of London's famous open-air swimming pools?
Head to Parliament Hill Lido.
The City of London confirms that the lido's sauna operates during the winter season, while the 60-metre outdoor pool remains open throughout the year. The current 2026–27 winter season runs through April 2027.
There is an important detail to know before you go.
The sauna ticket is purchased in addition to a swimming ticket or season ticket, and sauna tickets cannot be booked in advance. They are sold in person shortly before each one-hour session, with a limited number available.
That makes this one of London's more unusual winter experiences.
You can swim in an unheated outdoor pool and then warm up in the sauna.
Or, if you're not ready for the pool, you can simply enjoy the sauna as part of your visit.
Best for: Winter swimming, sauna enthusiasts and something distinctly London.
5. Lowlu North London Sauna Village
For a more modern Finnish-style sauna experience, visit Lowlu North London Sauna Village in Kentish Town.
The outdoor sauna village combines multiple sauna spaces with cold plunges, creating a communal environment where you can choose your preferred level of heat and cold.
This is a good option if you're new to sauna because you don't necessarily have to treat the experience as an endurance challenge.
You can spend some time in the heat, cool down, rest and repeat at a pace that feels comfortable.
The outdoor setting also makes the contrast particularly noticeable in winter.
You walk into the cold London air between sessions, then head straight back into the heat.
Best for: Finnish-style sauna, cold plunges and North London.
6. Sauna Social Club – Peckham
If the word “sauna” makes you imagine a completely silent room where everyone is staring at the floor, Sauna Social Club in Peckham offers something rather different.
The venue combines sauna culture with music, art, social events and wellbeing sessions.
There are Finnish-style saunas with water buckets for creating steam, alongside cold-plunge facilities. Sauna Social Club
The idea is less about treating sauna as an isolated spa treatment and more about making it part of London's social life.
That makes it particularly interesting if you're going with friends.
You can sweat, cool down, chat and spend time there without the whole experience feeling overly formal.
Best for: Friends, social sauna sessions and South East London.
7. Banya No.1 – Chiswick
If you're based in West London, you don't have to travel across the city for a proper banya.
Banya No.1 - Chiswick brings the same Russian/Eastern European bathing tradition to Chiswick.
The experience revolves around alternating heat, cold exposure and rest, with traditional banya treatments available.
It is a particularly good option if you're already spending time around Chiswick, Hammersmith or West London.
And unlike a simple sauna session, the banya is designed as a complete bathing ritual.
You can take your time rather than simply rushing in, sitting down and leaving.
Best for: Russian banya, West London and a longer thermal experience.
8. The Bath House – Banya London
For something more luxurious, head to Belgravia and The Bath House — Banya London.
Located near Victoria and Buckingham Palace, this bathhouse combines Eastern European banya traditions with a more polished spa setting.
The experience centres on cycles of heat, cold immersion and rest, with traditional treatments such as parenie/venik also available.
The Bath House describes its banya heat as around 70°C with approximately 30% humidity, creating a humid heat that differs from a typical dry Finnish sauna. The Bath House — Banya London
There is also a lounge area, making it possible to turn your visit into more of a social wellness day.
Best for: A premium banya experience, couples and central London.
9. Urban Heat Sauna – Camberwell
Under a railway arch in Camberwell, Urban Heat Sauna offers a neighbourhood-style sauna and cold-plunge experience.
The venue combines high-heat sauna sessions with cold plunges and offers different session styles, including quieter experiences and more social sessions.
It is also designed to be approachable for people who are new to sauna and contrast therapy.
That makes it a useful option if you don't want your first sauna experience to feel intimidating or overly luxurious.
And because it's in Camberwell, you can easily combine it with a wider South London day out.
Best for: Beginners, sauna and cold plunge, and South London.
10. arvo sauna – Walthamstow
East London has become one of the strongest areas for sauna culture, and arvo sauna in Walthamstow is another option worth knowing.
The venue combines Finnish-style dry saunas with cold plunges and a small wellness programme.
It currently has two Finnish-style saunas and three cold plunge pools, alongside activities such as yoga, Pilates, mobility and breathwork. arvo sauna
The saunas are dry rather than steam rooms, so this is worth knowing before booking.
If you prefer a traditional dry sauna and want to combine it with a cold plunge or wellness class, arvo is a good fit.
Best for: Finnish sauna, cold plunges and East London wellness.
11. Community Sauna Baths – Hackney Wick
For a more community-focused experience, visit Community Sauna Baths - Hackney Wick.
The Hackney Wick site is built around multiple sauna cabins and cold-water facilities, with a relaxed, communal atmosphere.
The site currently has several sauna options, including wood-fired and electric saunas, giving you more choice than a single-room sauna. Community Sauna Baths - Hackney Wick
This is a good choice if you want to experience the newer London sauna culture without the feel of a luxury hotel spa.
You are sharing the space with other people, and that community aspect is part of the experience.
Best for: Outdoor sauna culture, multiple sauna options and East London.
12. New Docklands Steam Baths – Canning Town
If you want something that feels more old-school, head to New Docklands Steam Baths in Canning Town.
This is one of the more unusual entries on the list because it is not a polished modern wellness studio.
The bathhouse has been operating since 1977 and describes itself as one of the last remaining traditional bathhouses in London and the UK.
Inside, you'll find four steam rooms at different temperatures, a traditional cedarwood sauna, a banya-style steam experience and a refrigerated plunge pool.
There are also showers and a small bistro.
If you like the idea of experiencing an older, no-frills London bathhouse rather than a trendy wellness studio, this is one of the most interesting choices on the list.
Best for: Steam rooms, traditional bathhouse culture and something different.
13. Reset Sauna – Islington
For something more modern and structured, try Reset Sauna on Upper Street in Islington.
Reset combines a Finnish-style sauna with cold plunges and guided breathwork.
The idea is centred around contrast therapy: moving between heat and cold rather than treating the sauna as a standalone experience.
There are different types of sessions, including self-paced sessions and guided experiences, so you can choose how much structure you want.
It's also conveniently located in a busy part of North London, making it easy to combine with dinner, drinks or a walk around Islington afterwards.
Best for: Contrast therapy, breathwork and modern wellness.
14. Community Sauna Baths – Walthamstow
Another Community Sauna Baths location worth knowing about is Community Sauna Baths - Walthamstow.
This outdoor sauna and cold-plunge venue in Walthamstow gives you another opportunity to experience London's community sauna culture.
The site currently has several sauna cabins, including electric saunas and an octagonal sauna used for group aufguss sessions at programmed times. Community Sauna Baths - Walthamstow
Unlike a hotel spa, the atmosphere is deliberately more communal and informal.
It is the sort of place where the cold air outside becomes part of the experience rather than an inconvenience.
Best for: Outdoor sauna, community atmosphere and East London.
15. Turkish Bath Hamam – Dalston
And if what you really want is heat and steam, rather than specifically a Finnish sauna, consider Turkish Bath Hamam in Dalston.
This traditional Turkish hammam is built around steam, heated surfaces and cleansing rituals rather than the dry heat of a Finnish sauna.
The experience can include traditional kese exfoliation and soap-foam washing, making it closer to a traditional hammam ritual than a conventional sauna visit.
This is a particularly good alternative if you find dry saunas uncomfortable but still want somewhere warm to escape London's winter weather.
Best for: Steam, hammam culture and traditional bathing rituals.
Which One Should You Choose?
London's sauna scene is surprisingly varied, so the best option depends on what you're looking for.
For a traditional Russian banya
Try Banya No.1 in Hoxton or Chiswick, or The Bath House – Banya London.
For a Finnish-style sauna
Look at Lowlu, arvo, Urban Heat or Druid Street Saunas.
For an outdoor sauna
Try Sweheat, Community Sauna Baths – Hackney Wick or Community Sauna Baths – Walthamstow.
For steam rather than dry heat
Go for New Docklands Steam Baths or Turkish Bath Hamam.
For something very different
Try Parliament Hill Lido Sauna.
For a social experience
Look at Sauna Social Club or one of the Community Sauna Baths.
For a more premium experience
The Bath House – Banya London is a strong choice.
What Is the Difference Between a Sauna, Banya and Hammam?
If you've never tried any of these experiences before, the terminology can be confusing.
A Finnish sauna generally uses dry heat and high temperatures, with water sometimes added to sauna stones to create bursts of steam.
A Russian banya is generally more humid and places more emphasis on alternating heat and cold, relaxation and traditional treatments such as venik/parenie.
A hammam is different again. It is based around warm, humid air, heated surfaces and traditional washing and exfoliation rituals.
And then there are modern contrast-therapy studios, which combine sauna heat with cold plunges and sometimes breathwork or guided sessions.
So don't assume every place called a “sauna” will offer the same experience.
Why These Places Are Perfect for London's Cold Weather
There is something particularly satisfying about stepping into a sauna after spending an hour outside in November or winter London.
You arrive wrapped in a coat, scarf and layers.
Then the temperature changes completely.
Instead of worrying about the cold, you're deliberately sitting somewhere hot.
For many people, the appeal isn't simply the heat itself. It's the contrast between the warm sauna, the fresh outdoor air, cold water and the quiet time between sessions.
You also don't have to go straight into an ice bath.
If you're new to sauna or cold exposure, you can simply enjoy the heat, cool down naturally and follow the venue's instructions.
The aim isn't to see how much discomfort you can tolerate.
It's to enjoy the experience.
Things to Know Before Booking
Check the rules before you go. Different venues have different requirements around swimwear, towels, footwear and showering.
Don't assume you need to use a cold plunge. Many venues offer cold plunges, but you can ask staff about the safest way to use them, particularly if you're new to contrast therapy.
Book ahead where required. Popular sauna spaces can have limited session capacity.
Check the current opening hours. Smaller independent saunas can have changing session schedules.
Parliament Hill Lido is different. Its sauna ticket is purchased separately from swimming and cannot be booked in advance; you need a swimming ticket or season ticket as well.
Don't chase the highest temperature. A hotter sauna isn't automatically a better experience. Start gradually and listen to your body.
Final Thoughts
You might not normally think of London as a sauna city.
But spend a little time looking around and you'll find a surprisingly varied scene.
There are traditional Russian banyas, Finnish-style saunas, outdoor wood-fired cabins, community sauna villages, historic steam baths and modern contrast-therapy spaces.
And winter is arguably the perfect time to try them.
You can sit in a hot sauna while it's cold outside, step into the fresh air beside the Thames, relax in a traditional bathhouse or spend an evening moving between heat and cold with friends.
So the next time London's weather drops and you find yourself thinking “I just want to be somewhere warm,” don't automatically head for another café.
There might be a sauna waiting for you.
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