Wow, had a hard day demoing for work, but this find right in the center of Stockholm was so relaxing: the Selma City Spa, on the roof of the Clarion Hotel Sign by the main train station was something else. A very nice sauna, relaxation rooms, a small cafeteria, and then the pool outside on the roof. And you could order drinks directly to the pool.
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August 2026, Selma City Spa, Stockholm, Sweden
Sauna (Normal); Swimming (Outdoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool)
Prirovo beach is right next to the city center and port of Vis. It is next to the Hotel Issa beach as well, but the Issa beach is piers and rocks, while Prirovo is nice round pebbles. And the time I happened to be here was at night, with full moon rising from the other side of the Vis bay. Wonderful!
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July 2026, Prirovo beach, Vis, Vis, Croatia
Swimming (Water, Waterbody-Sea, Beach, Outdoor)
On my way back to the airport I saw a beach on the way, just by the road. A quick swim was called for, after a lot of sweaty skiing and bunkering and travel around Copenhagen.
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July 2026, Solgårdsparken strand, Køge, Denmark
Swimming (Water, Waterbody-Sea, Beach)
The Tuusula swimming hall has been in renovations for a long time, a year? Now at the start of the summer 2026 it re-opened. Of course I had to visit!
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July 2026, Tuusulan Uimahalli, Hyrylä, Tuusula, Finland
Swimming (Indoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool); Sauna (Normal)
There's a few beaches around the town of Vis (on the island of Vis) in the Croatian archipelago. Like the one in front of the hotel Issa. Plaža Grandovac is another beach, in the natural environment where you can't really see the city just the sea and the beautiful pine tree forests. It is northeast from the city, at the entrance of the bay. You can walk there from the city, it is about a 2 km walk. A nice walk!
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June 2026, Plaža Grandovac, Vis, Vis, Croatia
Swimming (Outdoor, Water, Waterbody-Sea, Beach)
Valkeakoski. I knew this place mostly for the paper mill, but it is small city. And has a swimming hall! Since I was nearby, I wanted to try it.
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June 2026, Valkeakosken uimahalli, Valkeakoski, Finland
Swimming (Waterbody-Pool, Water, Indoor); Sauna (Normal)
Small but cute. And very sandy. A most of all, near my work place in Kirkkonummi, just a 14 minute drive... good evening exercise.
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June 2026, Pilvijärven uimaranta, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Swimming (Outdoor, Water, Waterbody-Lake, Beach)
I tried to do my trip to Lithuania in a day, but the drives and the caves and skiing took too much time to really do it, so I opted for a 24 hour trip instead. I need a place to stay for the night, and the Vilnius Grand Resort seemed to fit the bill: affordable price (100€) per night, not too far from the airport, had a spa, and most importantly, the spa was open late into the night so I wouldn't miss when coming back from my tour.
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June 2026, Vilnius Grand Resort, Vilnius, Lithuania
Swimming (Indoor, Outdoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool); Sauna (Normal, Steam)
Meiko is a lake and a natural protection area in Kirkkonummi, Finland. There's ample hiking routes, I took the 4.5 kilometer Kotokierros route, very nice across multiple small lakes. When I returned I walked to the Meiko lake itself for a dip in the lake.
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June 2026, Meiko, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Swimming (Outdoor, Water, Waterbody-Lake); Hiking
A pristine beach, likely no one else visiting when you are. Even in the middle of the hottest tourist season. So pristine that marine life -- such as starfish or sea urchins -- like to hang out there. Still, the beach is easily accessible. This is Rogačić beach, a couple of kilometers north from the town of Vis on the island of Vis.
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June 2026, Plaža Rogačić, Rogačić, Vis, Croatia
Swimming (Outdoor, Water, Waterbody-Sea, Beach)
Another after-work evening activity: visiting Aulanko's spa (hosted by the Scandic hotel Aulanko). This is a historic spa location, the old spa building is still there but today's spa visits are in the new fancy building. I had also heard about "bear cave" in the adjoining Aulanko nature park.
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May 2026, Kylpylä Scandic Aulanko, Aulanko, Hämeenlinna, Finland; Karhuluola, Aulanko, Hämeenlinna, Finland
Swimming (Indoor, Outdoor, Waterbody-Pool, Water); Sauna (Normal, Infrared, Steam); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Granite, Man-Made); Urban-Exploration (Other)
Two spas, separated by one block and two thousand years. One you can't swim in because it is dangerous, and one you can swim in. If you are a guest at the hotel, that is.
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May 2026, Roman Baths, Bath, United Kingdom; The Gainsborough Bath Spa, Bath, United Kingdom
Swimming (None); Urban-Exploration (Ruins, Historic); Swimming (Indoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool); Sauna (Normal, Steam, Infrared)
I'm at a health rehab this week, in chose the place so that I could enjoy the nature at the same time. I'm in Hotel Kruunupuisto, on the national landscape of Punkaharju where thin sandy ridges cross lakes. The Finnish "road of the century" runs along the ridges, lined up with pine trees and the water. Wonderful place. I also tested the hotel spa, the hotel beach, and biked around the the area.
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May 2026, Kruunupuisto, Punkaharju, Finland; Kruunupuiston uimaranta, Punkaharju, Finland; Vuosisadan tie, Punkaharju, Finland
Swimming (Indoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool); Sauna (Normal, Infrared); Swimming (Outdoor, Water, Waterbody-Lake); Biking (Bike-Road, Outdoor, Track-Road)
I was returning from my trip to Punkaharju and again wanted to stop by interesting places on this four-hour drive. I picked two interesting caves south of Savonlinna, and a swim at Savonlinna's "PikkuSaimaa" swimming pool. Right by the lake, and where you can see Olavinlinna (Olavi's castle). Overall a very nice tour, even if the caves turned out to be mostly shelter caves not proper tunnels under the rock.
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May 2026, Haukkavuoren Lippaluola, Savonlinna, Finland; Haukkavuoren Halkeamaluola, Savonlinna, Finland; Myllylahden Linnalouhen Iso Lippaluola, Savonlinna, Finland; Myllylahden Linnalouhen Kolmioluola, Savonlinna, Finland; Savonlinnan uimahalli PikkuSaimaa, Savonlinna, Finland
Caving (Basic, Rock, Morphology-Crack, Morphology-Erosion, Surveying); Swimming (Indoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool); Sauna (Normal)
I managed a Mother's Day trip with a visit to see my mom, but also to ski a closed ski hill, hike to see a cave, and swim at a new swimming hall.
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May 2026, Kokonniemen hiihtokeskus, Porvoo, Finland; Kolisevan Pirunpesä, Iitti, Finland; Kuusankosken uimahalli, Kuusankoski, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Unknown, Morphology-Crack, Morphology-Erosion); Swimming (Water, Waterbody-Pool, Indoor); Sauna (Normal)
BiBi BAZENI is a small swimming hall in Belgrade, Serbia. No fancy things, just swimming. Can be rented for your group of four, for private use. The main pool is a bit shallow, however.
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April 2026, BiBi BAZENI, Belgrade, Serbia
Swimming (Indoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool)