An Aufguss sauna at SWG3, then Kelvingrove

Glasgow

Finnieston – an Aufguss Sauna, Kelvingrove and Lunch

A few hours, from Kelvinhall Subway station to Kelvinbridge Subway station.

The route

Amberwave Sauna is a wood-fired sauna in a hidden garden at SWG3 in Finnieston, with iron tubs for a cold plunge.

In its guided Aufguss sessions a sauna master pours scented water and ice on the stones and sends the heat round with a towel. Afterwards it's a short walk to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, then through the park to lunch at Stravaigin: a good West End morning for grown-ups, and easy by Subway.

Before you go

Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is Moment Blythswood Street, 2 miles away. Sleeps 2.
Book AMBERWAVE SAUNA
Book a community sauna or a guided Aufguss at AMBERWAVE SAUNA on its website before you go: it opens Thursday to Monday, 9.30am to 8.30pm, and a host meets you by the pink lamp post at the main SWG3 reception 5 minutes before the start.
Book lunch at Stravaigin
Book a table at Stravaigin online for lunch, especially at weekends; food every day from noon.

The day

Finnieston

Heat, steam and a cold iron tub in a city garden, then a great red sandstone museum and a slow lunch up the hill.

About four hours

Amberwave Sauna
Take the Subway to Kelvinhall, then walk about 12 minutes south to SWG3 at 100 Eastvale Place. A host meets each group outside the main SWG3 reception, by the pink lamp post, 5 minutes before the session starts, and walks you into the garden; late arrivals may have to wait. Amberwave opens Thursday to Monday, 9.30am to 8.30pm, and shuts on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Book ahead on its website: a one-hour community sauna is £15 at the time of writing, and a two-hour guided Aufguss led by a certified sauna master £35. The sauna seats 16, with three changing rooms, three chilled cold plunges and an outdoor cold shower. Bring swimwear, two towels, water and flip-flops; no towel, no sauna. Stay in the heat 5 to 15 minutes at a time, and no more than 3 minutes in a plunge. Under-16s come only with a family adult, one to one, and never go in the plunges. There's a lift into the garden, gravel paths and steps with a handrail into the sauna; the toilets are in the main building.
More about Amberwave Sauna
17 min on foot
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
An attraction
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is about 17 minutes' walk north-east, across Argyle Street. It's free, open from 10am to 5pm, and from 11am on Fridays and Sundays, and there are lifts to every floor. Look up in the West Court for the Spitfire hanging over Sir Roger the elephant, and stay for the organ recital at 1pm, Monday to Saturday, if lunch can wait. It shuts over Christmas and New Year.
More about Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
14 min on foot
Stravaigin
Lunch
Lunch is at Stravaigin on Gibson Street, about 14 minutes' walk up through Kelvingrove Park and over the River Kelvin. It serves food every day from noon until late, with a children's menu, and the café bar is dog-friendly. Book a table online at weekends. Kelvinbridge Subway is a few minutes' walk away for the trip home: the Subway runs until 11.40pm Monday to Saturday and 6.12pm on Sundays. If Stravaigin is full, the Hidden Lane Tearoom off Argyle Street, back near the museum, is open until 4.30pm on weekdays, 5.30pm on Saturdays and 5pm on Sundays.
More about Stravaigin