Ribersborgs Kallbadhus

Article By: Dan Hill

4 years ago

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Eat & Drink-Restaurant Exercise-Swimming Wellness-Spa

You don't need to spend too long in Scandinavia before you realise that open water swimming is a bit of an institution. All year round, you'll find people outdoors enjoying cold water swimming - even if that means breaking through the ice to get a dip. The physical and mental health benefits of cold water swimming are well documented, even if medical professionals are not yet agreed on why this is so. The analgesic effect of the endorphins released after a winter dip can last between 2 and 4 hours - lifting the mood and soothing ailments. Ribersborg Kallbadhus, 20 minutes walk from central Malmö, and 1km south of Turning Torso, dates back to 1898 - and is set off shore at Ribersborg beach. Access to the facility is via a long pier. There are two outdoor sea pools and 5 saunas - including a wood fired sauna, dry sauna and a unisex wet sauna. Separate areas for men and women, implemented back in the 1930s, mean that skinny dipping is completely fine. A sun deck provides the opportunity to work on your tan. In the common wet-sauna area, there are 8-12 minute Aufguss sessions - a German concept which means that the host adds essential oils to the water that is poured over the hot stones. Mondays and Tuesdays have been designated as oil-free days. See the website (link on this page) for exact timings on infusions. Massages are available but must be booked in advance. Towels are available for rental or purchase - as well as shampoos and soaps. The first Monday of every month is Queer Kallis - open to everyone, but especially the LGBTQ community. There is also a restaurant at the bath house - serving modern Swedish cuisine, with a vegetarian option. Originally, the bath house was privately owned - built by CH Richter - but the baths were bought by the City of Malmö in 1966 - for the benefit of all citizens. In 1993, the city handed over operations to AB Ribersborgs Saltsjöbad, and in 2009 it was taken over by Hekajo AB. Since 1955, the bath house has been declared a historic building. Two severe storms have damaged the baths over the years - one in 1988 and one in 1902 - both requiring extensive renovation. Photo Credits: Image by arniii from Pixabay