HARADS, SWEDEN ARCTIC BATH A country of ice flows and frozen wastelands, quiet forests and reindeer herders, the Northern Lights and cosy cottages, Sweden is a beautiful country boasting countless natural beauties. Add to this an outstanding foodie scene with a huge variety of dining options and it’s not hard to see why millions of tourists visit Sweden annually, especially around Midsummer, which is the most important celebration of the year for many Swedes. If you head in the same direction long enough in Sweden, you’ll almost certainly hit an archipelago. You’ll find them off the country’s north, south, east and west coasts. They’re centres of Swedish cultural heritage and immense natural beauty, offering a laidback lifestyle and numerous nature activities. Many Swedes have summer homes on these islands. There are roughly 24,000 islands in the Stockholm archipelago alone about 150 of which are inhabited. And now there’s about to be one more, albeit man-made. Positioned on Luleå River and situated downstream from the bridges of the village of Bodträskfors opposite Harads in Lapland - in a prime location to experience the Northern Lights - Arctic Bath promises to be a Swedish island like no other. The brainchild of the team behind Sweden’s now famous Treehotel, Arctic Bath will be a floating six-room hotel and spa that freezes into the river ice in the winter and floats on top of the water in the summer. The design of Arctic Bath is inspired by the timber floating era, reminiscent of how felled trees were transported down the riverfor processing. The open centre of Arctic Bath will be designed for sunbathing, ice bathing and experiencing the Northern Lights or starfilled skies. A dip in the bath itself will be consistent with the Arctic tradition of a cold-water plunge combined with several in-house saunas. This incredible building will also offer spa treatments and will contain a restaurant, lounge and shop. www.arcticbath.se
Sep-Nov 2018 The Cultured Traveller 49