Clear your mind with water-related spa activities in one of Faroe Islands' spas. Photo / Beinta a Torkilsheyggi
For those seeking water-based wellness, few spots are better than the Faroe Islands, writes Katie Lockhart.
Maybe it’s the Aquarius in me, or maybe the subconscious need for a calming force, but I’ve never shied away from a swim. Whether it’s jumping feet-first into -3C water on the Antarctic Peninsula or monitoring the shark-tracking app before treading water in my home waters off Cape Cod. Hypothermia nor sharks could keep me away – and I’m not alone.
“Blue Mind Theory” was coined by Nichols in 2014; it has only gained traction in wellness communities and scientific backing in the past few years. The concept is simple; being in or around water can ease your body and mind.
“Water brings calm, clarity, creativity, and connection,” says Elizabeth Trattner, AP, DOM, Doctor of Integrative Medicine in Miami, Florida. “This is the experience of Blue Mind Theory that Dr Wallace J. Nichols describes. It is the calm, clear state that occurs in, on, or near water. I experienced that feeling as a child and did not have language for it until I read his work.”
And for those averse to any wellness “woo-woo,” the scientific community has also found value in the time spent by the water. “Research supports this relationship between water, nature exposure, and stress physiology. Time spent in natural environments, including blue spaces such as oceans, lakes, and rivers, lowers stress hormones, improves mood, and supports mental health,” says Trattner.
Water has the power to change our biology and psychology quickly, she explains. Combined with the fact that it’s free, often protected and accessible to most, it’s one of the best and easiest ways to de-stress. And given how overwhelming modern life is, Trattner believes that time spent in and around the water is a consistent wellbeing tool everyone should try.
Your internal nervous system is also affected positively by the water. “Repetitive movement and coordinated breath create a meditative rhythm. You hear your own breath. You are present. Even 20 minutes near water can shift the brain and body toward calm. This is Blue Mind working in real life.”
Trattner points out that while water-based practices may be trending in the world of wellness, ancient cultures have long used water for the mind and body. “In Roman baths, Japanese onsen, Turkish hammams, Jewish mikvah rituals, Indigenous River and ocean ceremonies. Water has been used for purification, recovery, and renewal across history,” she says.
In Europe’s remote Faroe Islands, it’s hard to go 20m without encountering water in some form, whether it’s a wild Atlantic current flowing through the canals, cliffside waterfalls or rain misting the sky. Just 3% of the territory is land (represented by 18 islands) and the rest is water, so it’s little surprise it plays a central role in local life.
For centuries, fishing dominated its economy, but now, tourists in search of quieter corners of the globe are drawn to its wild and rugged natural beauty, including myself. After visiting this autonomous island nation in 2018, I now call one of its picturesque villages home. As tourism increases in the Faroes, unsurprisingly, so do its wellness offerings.
“We have seen water-related wellness experiences popping up on several islands,” says Høgni Reistrup, CEO and co-founder of Guide To Faroe Islands. “It is getting really trendy. They are hugely popular among locals, and now travellers can enjoy the wellbeing that comes from the stark contrast between a warm sauna and the cold water, combined with the grandeur of the Faroese nature surrounding them.”
Ress Spa is arguably the largest and most exciting addition. Located inside the famous Hotel Føroyar, perched above the Faroese capital of Tórshavn, it isn’t your typical spa. Traditional massages and facials are on offer, but its Spa House is the main attraction, using water that isn’t geothermal but is some of the freshest in the world. After walking down a dramatic wooden walkway surrounded by jagged stone, you enter the building, where sensors cause soothing warm water to flood your feet. You can then spend hours in this architectural timber marvel, moving between the multiple heated pools, saunas and steam rooms.
“Water is at the heart of the experience and connects our guests directly to Faroese nature and culture,” says Súsanna í Stórustovu, wellness manager at Ress Spa.
Sleek and stylish in its design, it has two levels, featuring warm timber-clad saunas, a relaxation room with hanging chairs lined with wool, a pool, and a drink-and-snack bar to cool off. But its best asset is arguably its view, with floor-to-ceiling uninterrupted views of the capital city, the water and other islands in the distance, while sheep graze mere metres away.
Saunadypp is a simpler approach to wellness that highlights the physical and mental benefits of a sauna followed by a cold plunge. In 2024, three friends and fellow athletes created the first floating sauna in the Faroe Islands. On the island of Eysturoy, this private cedar sauna has a large window to sit and take in the striking views over the fjord it sits on. And when sauna temperatures start to feel too much, brave guests can do a cannonball into the cold water (or use the metal railings anchored off the dock).
On the island of Streymoy, the local soap brand Havdypp has opened its own day spa with unbeatable views over the sands of Leynar Beach. Travellers and locals can reserve this private space for two hours and rotate between the sauna, cold pool and hot tubs on the deck.
“We opened our wellness offering because we’ve personally experienced how powerful cold water, together with sauna, can be both physically and mentally. In the Faroe Islands, the ocean is always present, and learning to meet the cold with calm and intention can be deeply healing,” says Emma Louise Arenshøj, owner of Havdypp.
“Cold water helps regulate the nervous system, increase resilience, and bring a strong sense of clarity. We wanted to create a safe and beautiful space where people can explore that transformation, supported by warmth, rest, and nature.”
For those seeking a more comprehensive experience, Havdypp also hosts wellness retreats that immerse you in the country’s natural beauty through hiking, ocean swims, time in the sauna, cold pool, hot tub, and a ceramic class.
“Cold water is a central element of our wellness retreats. Through guided sea immersions, participants learn to breathe through discomfort and reconnect with their inner strength,” says Arenshøj. “Combined with sauna, reflection, and community, the water helps people release stress, reset their bodies, and leave feeling more grounded, present, and alive. The ocean becomes both a challenge and a teacher.”
The writer was a guest of Hotel Faroyar and Havdypp.