Sauna am See — Seebad Enge Zürich

The Enge Lido is a floating swimming pool: the concrete structure, weighing around 1,850 tonnes and designed by architect Robert Landolt (women’s pool 1959, men’s pool 1960), was built on the opposite shore of the lake and towed by boat to Mythenquai. Since 1999, Tonttu GmbH has been running the baths — named after the Finnish forest spirit that lives in the sauna. The current lakeside sauna was built in autumn 2004 following an architectural competition.

What makes it special is its location: right in the city centre, yet on the water. From the sauna, you can look out across Lake Zurich to the mountains; you can cool off in the raft’s non-swimmers’ pool or directly in the open lake. On Mondays, the entire sauna is reserved for women; from Tuesday to Saturday, they also have access to a separate changing room.

The sauna is open during the winter season from mid-September to early May; in summer, it is open only on Sunday evenings. Visits are limited to three hours; if it is very busy, there is a waiting list. The Saunakafi serves soup, drinks and snacks; independent therapists offer massages daily from 12 noon to 8 pm. Sauna tickets are also valid, for an additional charge, at the partner sauna by the lake in Uster on Lake Greifensee.