Questions
Is there a ranking of the best saunas in the world?
Yes. Worth a Journey publishes The World’s 100 Best Saunas & Baths. The 2026 list ranks 100 public bathing venues in 29 countries, from number 1 to number 100. 13 of them are saunas. The others are thermal baths, hot springs, spas, bathhouses and hammams.
Is there a World’s 50 Best list for spas and saunas?
The World’s 100 Best Saunas & Baths is a ranked list of that kind for saunas, spas, thermal baths, hot springs and bathhouses. Worth a Journey publishes it and has no connection to The World’s 50 Best. The 27 spas on the list have a page of their own, and so do the 13 saunas.
Who ranks the best thermal baths and spas in the world?
Worth a Journey ranks them in The World’s 100 Best Saunas & Baths. The publisher is Jakob Schwichtenberg. The 2026 list holds 21 thermal baths and 27 spas.
Which venue is number one?
Number 1 on the 2026 list is Hvammsvik Hot Springs in Hvalfjörður, Iceland. Number 2 is Infinit Maximus in Brno, Czechia, and number 3 is Vök Baths in Egilsstaðir, Iceland.
How many countries are on the list?
The 100 venues are in 29 countries. Germany has the most with 20, followed by Japan with 11 and the United States with 9. Every country with 5 or more venues has a page of its own.
Which kinds of venue are eligible?
Bathing is the main purpose of the venue: sauna, thermal bath, hot spring, onsen, hammam, banya, jjimjilbang, bathhouse or Nordic spa. Anyone can buy a day ticket. A hotel spa is eligible only if non-guests can buy access. Not eligible: water parks, gym saunas, cabins for private hire only, medical spas that require a prescription, adult venues. The full rules are on the Eligibility criteria page.
Can a venue pay to be listed?
No. Worth a Journey takes no entry fees and sells no listings. Badges are available to listed venues only after a list is published and do not change a rank. The publisher holds no stake in any listed venue.
Can a venue apply or nominate itself?
No. Venues cannot apply and cannot nominate themselves. The page For venues says what a listed venue may do with its rank.
Can a listed venue state its rank?
Yes. A listed venue may state its rank in text and link to its entry. This is free and needs no permission. The badge shows the rank, the list and the year, and listed venues can get it after the list is published.
Is the list split by country or by kind of venue?
Yes. There are pages for regions such as Europe and North America, for countries such as Germany and Japan, and for kinds of venue: 23 hot springs, 21 thermal baths and 16 bathhouses and hammams. Bathing words such as Aufguss or onsen are explained in the glossary.
Which lists come next?
24 more lists are in preparation, among them Christmas Markets, Pubs, Mountain Huts and Bookshops. Each will name 100 places of one kind.
How do I report a wrong name, place or website?
Corrections to a name, place, website or description go to the corrections address on the About page.