Bringing Swiss Nature Closer | Popup Sauna by the Lake
When we think of self-care, we may picture quiet moments at home or taking time to look after our well-being. Yet there is no single way to care for ourselves.
Talking with friends. Spending time in nature. Enjoying the warmth of a sauna. Stepping away from the routines of everyday life, even for a little while.
With seven lakeside locations across Central Switzerland, Popup Sauna offers private sauna experiences that bring these simple pleasures together. Its saunas are currently located in Cham, Oberwil, Stansstad, Einsiedeln, Luzern, Walchwil, and Sursee.
Redefining Luxury
What makes Popup Sauna unique is the opportunity to reserve an entire sauna exclusively by the hour.
Each sauna accommodates up to six people, with no other guests sharing the space during the reserved time. Couples, friends, and families can enjoy a private experience together.
The entire booking process is completed online.
Guests can choose their preferred location and time slot, then set the sauna temperature between 60°C and 100°C after booking. The sauna is automatically preheated according to the reservation schedule, ensuring it reaches the selected temperature by the time guests arrive. Reservations can be made as late as one hour before the desired start time, allowing enough time for preheating.
There are no staff members permanently on-site to provide services.
On the day of the reservation, guests receive a personal access code via SMS and email. This code allows them to enter the sauna and remains valid only for the duration of their booking.
Booking whenever the mood strikes and enjoying the experience together at their own pace.
This flexibility and ease of access are also part of what makes Popup Sauna an experience that fits naturally into everyday life.
Same Sauna, Different Views
Another attraction of Popup Sauna is the variety of lakeside scenery, with each location offering its own distinctive views.
What they all share is their proximity to the water.
Cham, Walchwil, and Oberwil are situated along the shores of Lake Zug.
From Strandbad Seeweg in Cham, visitors can enjoy views of the Zugerberg, Rigi, and the Central Swiss Alps. Tellenörtli in Oberwil is located at the delta of the Brunnenbach stream, where sunsets over Lake Zug are among the highlights. Walchwil offers a peaceful setting with expansive views across the lake.
Luzern and Stansstad are located along Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee).
In Luzern, guests can enjoy views of the sandy beach at Lido and the surrounding mountains, including Mount Pilatus. Before or after their sauna session, they can also stop for food and drinks at Lido Beach House. In Stansstad, the scenery includes the historic Schnitzturm, Mount Pilatus, and the surrounding mountains.
Sursee is situated on Lake Sempach (Sempachersee), while Einsiedeln overlooks Lake Sihl (Sihlsee).
Lake Sihl in Einsiedeln is Switzerland's largest reservoir, with views extending towards Einsiedeln and the mountains of Ybrig. In Sursee, guests can enjoy their sauna experience surrounded by spacious lawns and lakeside scenery along Lake Sempach.
In other words, choosing a different location means experiencing not only a different setting, but also a different view to enjoy during each visit.
Making Sauna Time Your Own
One of the most interesting things we learned about Popup Sauna was the different ways guests choose to enjoy their time there.
For example, groups of women sometimes reserve an entire sauna and gather together, each bringing something to eat.
Enjoying the warmth of the sauna, taking breaks outdoors, sharing food, and catching up over conversations.
It is, in a way, a small “sauna party.”
Because the space is reserved exclusively for their group, guests can spend time with friends and loved ones in their own way, without having to share the facilities with other visitors.
Beyond the sauna experience itself, one of Popup Sauna’s attractions is the freedom to decide who to share the experience with and how to spend that time together.
Taking in the same lakeside views, enjoying conversations, and sharing moments away from the routines of everyday life with people who matter.
Perhaps this is another part of what makes the Popup Sauna experience so special.
From the Warmth of the Sauna to the Fresh Lakeside Air
The wooden panoramic sauna features large windows, allowing guests to enjoy the lakeside scenery from inside.
The sauna is equipped with an 11kW electric heater by HUUM and accommodates up to six people. A small area near the entrance provides space for changing and relaxing between sessions.
After warming up in the sauna, guests can step outside to enjoy the fresh lakeside air.
Stepping out of the warmth of the sauna into the crisp, cool air creates a refreshing contrast in temperature. It is another simple pleasure of the Popup Sauna experience, surrounded by nature.
Our Visit to Cham on the Shores of Lake Zug
This time, the EFL editorial team visited Strandbad Seeweg in Cham.
During the summer, this lakeside bathing area is a popular spot for swimming and relaxing by the water. When the Popup Sauna season begins, it transforms into a place to experience the lakeside in winter.
Throughout the Popup Sauna season, access to the Strandbad Seeweg grounds is reserved exclusively for Popup Sauna guests, creating a peaceful setting where visitors can enjoy private time together by the lake.
On the day of our visit, the staff were busy preparing for the start of the season.
The wooden sauna had been installed along the lakeshore, a place that fills with swimmers during the warmer months, ready to welcome a new season.
The location remains the same, but as the seasons change, so do the ways to enjoy it.
Popup Sauna offers another way to discover the beauty of Switzerland’s lakeshores, even in winter.
Choose from Seven Lakeside Locations
For the 2026/27 season, operating dates vary by location.
※Note: Based on information provided for each location.
Opening hours at all locations are generally 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
Rates are CHF 44 per hour from Monday to Thursday, and CHF 54 per hour from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays.
These rates apply to the exclusive rental of an entire sauna, not per person. Each sauna accommodates up to six guests.
For those wishing to take their time enjoying the lakeside views, the warmth of the sauna, and refreshing breaks outdoors, booking at least two hours is recommended.
A New Way to Enjoy Winter by the Lake
©︎Popup-sauna
Switzerland’s lakeshores are not just for summer. As the seasons change, so do the scenery and the ways we enjoy spending time by the water.
Warming up in the sauna while gazing across the lake, stepping outside into the crisp winter air, and sharing conversations with friends and loved ones.
Without the need for elaborate plans, it is a chance to step away from everyday routines and enjoy time together.
The lakeshore may be the same, but each season brings new ways to experience it.
Popup Sauna reminded us that there is always another side of Swiss winter waiting to be enjoyed.
Information
Popup Sauna Switzerland
Locations:
Cham, Oberwil, Walchwil, Lucerne, Stansstad, Sursee, and Einsiedeln (7 locations across Central Switzerland)
Opening Hours:
7:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Monday to Sunday)
Rates:
Monday–Thursday: CHF 44 per hour
Friday–Sunday and public holidays: CHF 54 per hour
Rates are per sauna, not per person. Each sauna accommodates 2–6 guests.
Reservations:
Online booking only (reservations can be made up to one hour before the desired start time)
Temperature Settings:
60–100°C
Operating Season:
Autumn 2026 – Spring 2027 (dates vary by location)
Official Website & Reservations:
Please check the official website for the latest information on rates, opening hours, and seasonal operating dates.
