She Blows Hot and Cold

The Vikings weren’t exactly known for self-care. Their idea of a spa day involved pine tar, glacial dips, and a healthy distrust of comfort. But somehow the Viking Bath — a therapy alternating between hot and cold environments — has become one of 2025’s biggest travel trends.

To be fair, the Viking Bath, aka contrast therapy, isn’t just a Nordic thing — it’s been around for millennia. The Romans had their baths, the Egyptians their volcanic hydrotherapy, the Japanese their onsens; you can find this ancient practice across the world, still simmering away from Africa to Peru.

So why the resurgence?

We’re over wellness that smells like cucumber water. Contrast therapy pulls you out of your comfort zone. When you cycle between steaming up in balmy temps and gasping in an icy pool (questioning your life choices), you can’t think of anything but the present moment.

It’s raw, ritualistic, it resets your nervous system, and it can even reduce chronic pain. Which is probably why travelers are flying across the world to do it properly, with a backdrop of fjords, volcanoes, and the Northern Lights.

Ready to take the icy plunge? Here are six of the best hot–cold therapy destinations around the world.

Acqui Terme, Piedmont, Italy By Art In Voyage

1. Acqui Terme, Piedmont, Italy

The Romans were big fans of hot–cold bathing, and Acqui Terme is proof that they knew what they were doing. This small town in northern Italy has been bubbling away for over two thousand years, thanks to natural thermal springs that still steam up the cobblestones. The source — called La Bollente — means “the boiling one.” Subtle. The hot spring averages at about 167°F, one of the hottest in Europe.

Today, locals and in-the-know travelers come for long soaks in Roman mineral baths followed by dips in frigidarium (icy) pools — perhaps with a glass of Barbera waiting when they’re done (which the Romans absolutely would’ve approved of) or a meander through the town’s medieval alleys.

If you like your wellness with a wine list and a few ruins, this is the place.

Experience this: Join our Taste Of Piedmont journey.

2. The Blue Lagoon, Iceland

The Blue Lagoon isn’t just a pretty face for Instagram. This milky, mineral-rich pool is fed by geothermal seawater pumped up from deep inside a lava field. The result? Waters rich in skin-softening silica, billowing steam, and temperatures that hover around 100°F — even when there’s snow on your eyelashes.

Pair your soak with the onsite icy plunge pool and a circuit sauna, or even the Northern Lights (which you can occasionally see from the lagoon) for a sensory overhaul with a side of celestial theater.

Experience this: Join our Iceland at a Glance journey.

3. Noboribetsu, Japan

If Iceland is otherworldly, Noboribetsu is straight-up infernal — in the best way. This onsen (hot spring bath) town in Hokkaido is built on volcanic terrain so active they named it Jigokudani, or “Hell Valley.” The ground steams, the air smells faintly of sulfur, and the onsen water is hot enough to cook an egg (it’s a thing — try the onsen tamago, eggs poached in volcanic spring water).

Many ryokans offer mizuburo (cold water baths), allowing guests to practice contrast bathing between the onsen and cold pools. But you won’t find lavender sprigs or spa playlists here. Just minerals, heat, and the quiet dignity of people who take their soaking seriously with Mount Hiyori, an active steaming lava dome, puffing away in the background.

You can also walk the trails through Hell Valley between rounds — the cool mountain air hits differently when your bones are still simmering.

Experience this: Have us design a Japanese onsen adventure just for you. Click here to inquire.

Interested in Japan? You might also like to read about Japan’s secret subtropical island.

4. Trondheim, Norway

Some people travel to Norway for the fjords. Others throw themselves straight into them.

Trondheim has quietly become a cold-plunge capital — the kind of place where locals strip down mid-winter and walk calmly into fjord water that could kill your Wi-Fi signal. For travelers, it’s a chance to test your nerve and join a ritual that’s equal parts terror and amazing fun.

Start with Havet Arena, a floating sauna village moored at Nyhavna. You can alternate between 175°F saunas and the icy fjord below — there’s even a bar in case you need liquid courage. It’s designed for first-timers, so you’ll find steps, ladders, and a very short run between the water and the warmth. Or even join their DJ sauna sessions for a really hot party.

Feeling brave? Head to the Fjordpromenaden (harbor promenade), where stairs drop straight into the sea. No warm-up. Just a set of steel rails, a fjord, and your pride. Or take a detour to Kyvannet lake, where locals carve holes in the ice and treat it like a communal bathtub — shovel sometimes required.

No matter which you choose, we recommend a thermos of varm sjokolade, creamy Scandinavian hot chocolate!

Experience this: Have us design the coolest Nordic Fjord adventure just for you. Click here to inquire.

5. Aguas Calientes Thermal Baths, Peru

You’ve trekked, climbed, and gasped your way through Machu Picchu. Now what? You bathe in volcanically heated water, sipping a Pisco Sour cocktail after your soak.

Tucked into the jungle-lush slopes of Aguas Calientes (aka Machu Picchu Pueblo) and surrounding areas, you can find thermal baths — Peru’s answer to post-hike recovery. You can opt for a soak in Machu Picchu Peublo’s baths, or head to the hot spring baths at Cocalmayo. Both have multiple pools ranging from warm to very warm (about 100°F to 115°F), with cold pools tucked away for those feeling bold, and cool streams and waterfalls nearby for a natural cold plunge.

Experience this: Join our Essence of Peru journey, which features two days in Machu Picchu.

6. andBeyond Phinda Rock Lodge, South Africa

At Phinda Rock Lodge in KwaZulu-Natal, each suite comes with a private plunge pool carved into the cliffs. After a hot day on safari — tracking cheetahs or sipping G&Ts in an open-top Land Cruiser — there’s no better way to cool off than a sudden, silent drop into cold water with nothing but the bushveld watching.

Later, you can soak in your suite’s deep stone tub with panoramic views across the valley and its abundant Big-Five wildlife.

It’s a system reset safari style, where the hydrotherapy is private, right in your suite.

Experience this: Have us design a safari-wellness journey just for you. Click here to inquire.

Curious about adding some contrast to your next adventure? We’ll build it in — heat, ice, and all things nice. Click here to begin your journey to a total system reset!

FAQs

What is hot–cold therapy?

Hot–cold therapy, or contrast therapy, involves alternating between heat (like saunas or hot baths) and cold exposure (like ice baths or plunges) to support circulation, reduce inflammation, and boost mental clarity.

Where can I try hot and cold therapy while traveling?

You’ll find hot–cold therapy in destinations like Iceland, Japan, Italy, Norway, and even on safari in South Africa — often woven into traditional rituals or luxury wellness experiences.

Is contrast therapy available in luxury travel settings?

Yes. Many high-end lodges, spas, and boutique hotels now offer contrast therapy through private plunge pools, geothermal baths, saunas, and cold dips — all with elevated service and stunning surroundings.