London has a brand-new global bragging right for 2026 and it’s not what you might expect. Instead of a stunning museum show or a flashy new attraction, one of the world’s hottest “travel adventures” this year involves stripping off (respectfully), cranking up the heat and sweating it out above the city streets.
London’s latest world-class experience according to National Geographic
National Geographic has released its list of the 20 most exciting things to do on the planet in 2026, spotlighting experiences that “engage all the senses” and are genuinely worth the hype. Among forest bathing in Japan and football pilgrimages across South America, one very London pastime has landed in seventh place: spending time in an urban sauna in the capital.
London’s latest wellness obsession has just gone global: urban saunas – especially Hackney’s rooftop cabins – have been named one of the best “travel adventures” on the planet for 2026 by National Geographic, putting this very steamy London trend firmly on the best things to do in 2026.
Hackney’s rooftop cabins named one of the best “travel adventures” on the planet for 2026
Over the past few years, London has quietly turned into a city of steam, with a wave of new inner-city saunas popping up in unexpected places. There are now community-led bathhouses, not-for-profit projects and sleek “rooftop heatboxes” dotted across the capital, making a regular sweat session feel as normal as grabbing an after-work pint.
The specific spot singled out by National Geographic is Rooftop Saunas in Hackney, praised for offering “a serene escape in the clouds… with sweeping views of the skyline”.
Perched above the city, these cedar-clad cabins let you sit in the heat while London glows below, with off-peak sessions starting from around £11 – an unusually accessible price for such a lofty experience.
Part of the appeal is sensory overload in the best possible way: strolling up to a rooftop, slipping into a hot, wood‑scented cabin, then shivering your way into a cold plunge barrel or icy shower before doing it all over again.
The hot-cold contrast is billed as an all-senses reset: flushed skin, tingly limbs, the rush of cold water and the odd, quiet calm of watching London’s chaos from a glassy, sauna window.
It taps into a broader shift towards social, affordable wellness – less luxury spa day, more shared neighbourhood ritual that you can squeeze in before brunch or on a dark Tuesday evening.