Many tourists dream of sitting in steaming hot springs while the cold snow slows fall down on your head. That definitely sounds amazing, but is this something you can experience in Norway?
There are unfortunately no natural hot springs in Norway, and this is simply the wrong country for taking a bath in a hot spring. This is due to there being no volcanic activity that is needed to form natural hot springs in Norway.
If you dream of soaking in hot springs while the cold winter air chills your head, the best place to actually achieve this dream is on Iceland. This island is located pretty much between Norway and Greenland, and is a volcanic island with plenty of natural hot springs.
It is possible to go to huge public baths in the hot springs in Iceland, that I would recommend that you visit this arctic island if you can. However, you won’t be able to visit any natural hot springs in Norway.
The reason why there are no hot springs in Norway
Natural hot springs are a result from geothermal activity underground. This is typically from water reservoirs that are close to volcanic activity, so you usually find natural hot springs in places where you also find volcanoes – such as on Iceland or in Japan. Both these countries has plenty of both volcanoes and natural hot springs.
And since there are no volcanoes in Norway, there are also no natural hot springs. We have a very different type of geology, shaped by huge amounts of glaciers and ice that has both eroded the ground and shaped the terrain, while also being responsible for the steep rise of mountains and the deep fjords.
Hot spring on Norwegian island territories
The only exception is the island Jan Mayen and Svalbard. Jan Mayen is a small volcanic island owned by Norway, and has an active volcano. Despite this, it does not have any natural hot springs, so you won’t find Norwegian hot springs even on Jan Mayen.
There are in fact hot springs on Svalbard, but you will not be able to go for a swim in them. The two natural hot springs Jotunkildene and Trollkildene are highly saline hot springs that hold a temperature of around 20 C year-round. However, they are filled with algae, and protected as a critically endangered nature type, so you will not be able to interact with the hot springs.
How about some man-made hot springs instead?
Norway clearly don’t have any natural hot springs, but this does not mean that we don’t enjoy sitting in very warm water while it is freezing in the air at the same time. This has made man-made hot springs like big jacuzzis popular, and many people have these in their cabin. It is also possible to rent hot springs as part of a spa treatment at certain spa operators.