Saunas of Northern Ireland: Exploring beyond the UK Aufguss Championships.

Your guide to exploring Northern Ireland’s saunas, coastlines and everything in between.

Are you heading to the UK Aufguss Championships 2026? You’re travelling to one of the most unexpectedly beautiful corners of the British Isles.

Northern Ireland is small enough to explore in a long weekend, yet packed with dramatic coastline, ancient castles, mountain landscapes, and Game of Thrones filming locations. Alongside that, there’s a growing network of outdoor saunas rooted in place, from beaches to forests to city edges.

It’s the kind of place where you can sauna by the sea in the morning, walk through forest or mountain trails in the afternoon, and still make it to a historic town or city by evening. Distances are short, which means it’s easy to build a few extra stops into your trip.

This guide brings together saunas across Northern Ireland, along with nearby points of interest around each one, so you can make the most of your time whilst you’re here.

With thanks to The Hot Rocks Sauna for generously sharing local knowledge and helping shape this guide.

Image of The Hot Rocks Sauna during a leaf whisking treatment.

Co. Armagh

The Hot Rocks Sauna

Gawley's Gate, Craigavon

Indoor sauna

While you're here

Navan Fort & Centre, Game of Thrones Studio Tour, St Patrick's RC & COI Cathedrals, Robinson's Library, Brownlow House, Tayto Tour, Dan Winter's House & Ancestral Home, Oxford Island & Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, The Halfway House, Donna Fox Tours, Armagh Cider Company, ELN Studio, No 5 Vicar's Hill.

Co. Down

Revive Sauna

Rostrevor

Outdoor sauna

While you're here

Kilbroney Forest Park, Cloughmore Stone & Kodak Corner, Rostrevor Fairy Glen.

The Hidden Garden

Near Warrenpoint

Outdoor sauna

While you're here

Warrenpoint, Narrow Water Castle, Rostrevor.

Sauna Ice Balance

Newcastle

Indoor electric sauna

While you're here

Newcastle sits at the foot of Slieve Donard, Northern Ireland’s highest mountain. Explore Murlough Bay & Nature Reserve and Dundrum Castle while you're in the area.

Wild Mourne Wellness

Castlewellan Forest Park, a short drive from Newcastle

Outdoor sauna

While you're here

Castlewellan Forest Lake, Tollymore Forest Park and the Stepping Stones, plus nearby Newcastle.

Sudor Sauna

Castle Ward, Recovery 24 Club and Quarriers Farm, Bangor

Outdoor sauna & recovery garden

While you're here

Castle Ward House & Strangford, used as Game of Thrones filming locations, Fodder in the Woods, Helen’s Bay and Mount Stewart.

Co. Antrim

Redbarn Cavehill

Cavehill, Belfast

Outdoor sauna

While you're here

Cavehill, Belfast Castle, Titanic Museum & SS Nomadic, Crumlin Gaol, Peace Walls, The Big Fish, St George’s Market, Cathedral Quarter, City Hall, Victoria Square Dome and Carrickfergus Castle.

A Scenic Sauna

Ballygalley

Outdoor sauna

While you're here

The Gobbins Cliff Path, Glenarm Castle, Gleno Waterfall, the Antrim Coast & Glens, Cushendall and the Dark Hedges.

Niche Coastal

Ballycastle

Outdoor sauna

While you're here

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Giant’s Causeway, Ballintoy Harbour, Bushmills Distillery, Dunluce Castle, Whiterocks Beach, Portrush and Royal Portrush Golf Course. Pro tip: the stretch from Carrick-a-Rede to Portrush is just 14 miles, so you can cover much of the Causeway Coast in a single day.

Co. Derry

Sauna and Sea

Portstewart

Outdoor sauna

While you're here

Portstewart Beach, Harry’s Shack, Portstewart Golf Course, Portrush and Royal Portrush Golf Course.

Hot Box Sea Sauna

Benone Beach, Co. Derry and Groomsport, Co. Down

Outdoor sauna

While you're here

Benone Beach, Downhill, Mussenden Temple, Gortmore Viewpoint, Derry City and the City Walls Walking Tour, plus Bangor, Helen’s Bay and Mount Stewart.

The Sweat Box Sauna

Creggan Country Park, Derry

Outdoor sauna

While you're here

Derry City, Derry City Walls and the Derry Walking Tour.

Thermal Garden

Derry city centre

Outdoor sauna complex

While you're here

Derry City, Derry City Walls and the Derry Walking Tour.

Splash Waterpark Sauna

Moneymore

Outdoor sauna

While you're here

Slieve Gallion and Springhill.

Co. Tyrone

The Sauna Shack

Gortin Glen, Omagh

Outdoor sauna

While you're here

Gortin Glen Forest Park, Omagh, Ulster American Folk Park, Marble Arch Caves and Stairway to Heaven.

Feel Good Therapy Garden

Dungannon and Pomeroy

Outdoor sauna complex

While you're here

Hill of the O’Neills in Dungannon, plus Pomeroy Forest Park and Spiren Giants.

Republic of Ireland · Co. Louth

The Hot Box Sauna

Carlingford, Co. Louth

Outdoor sauna

While you're here

Carlingford village and Flagstaff Viewpoint.

Saunas with Soul

Carlingford, Co. Louth

Outdoor sauna

While you're here

Carlingford village and Flagstaff Viewpoint.

Image of the view from the The Hot Rocks Sauna cold plunge.