Things to Do in Drammen — The Spiralen Tunnel, River Town & Sauna Culture
Discover Drammen — a river city 45 minutes from Oslo with the Spiralen tunnel, riverside saunas, cycling paths, and one of Norway's great urban regeneration stories.
Drammen is proof that a city can completely reinvent itself. For decades, this river town in Viken county carried an unfair reputation as a gritty industrial stopover on the way to somewhere else. That story is well and truly outdated. The Drammenselva river has been reclaimed as the city’s social spine, the architecture along Bragernes and Strømsø has been transformed, and a genuine hospitality and food culture has taken root. At just 45 minutes from Oslo by train, Drammen is one of the most accessible and underrated day trips in the region — and its riverside sauna scene gives visitors one more very good reason to make the journey.
Sauna Experiences in Drammen
The Drammenselva river runs through the heart of the city, and the saunas here have made the most of it. This is Eastern Norway’s most compelling river sauna scene — three distinct options within walking distance of the centre, each with its own character.
Ælvebadstua is the standout: a wood-fired floating sauna right on the Drammenselva, where you can heat up in the cabin and then plunge directly into the river. The wood fire gives the heat a softer, more enveloping quality than electric alternatives, and the sound of moving water between rounds adds something intangible. With a Google rating of 4.9 from 45 reviews, it has established itself as a genuinely loved local institution. There’s something particularly satisfying about a river sauna — the current, the sound of moving water, the way the experience feels rooted in place. This is one of the more characterful sauna experiences in Eastern Norway.
KOK Drammen brings the well-regarded KOK concept to the city, moored between the Ypsilon bridge and Bybrua on the river. The sauna accommodates up to 14 people and can be booked as a shared session (KOKORAMA) at 200 NOK per person or as a full private booking for up to 14 people at 2,600 NOK for two hours. The KOK formula — social atmosphere, bookable format, consistent quality — translates well to the Drammen river setting, and the views along the regenerated waterfront are particularly good in the evening.
Nøsted Brygge Badstue offers a wood-fired option at the Nøsted Brygge waterfront development, part of the broader regeneration of Drammen’s harbour and riverfront areas. The three saunas together give Drammen a density of riverside bathing options that few Norwegian cities of this size can match.
For those new to Norwegian sauna culture — the rituals, the etiquette, the heat-and-cold cycle — our sauna culture guide covers everything you need to know before your first session. If you want guidance on booking options and what to expect, how to book a sauna in Norway is worth reading in advance.
The Spiralen — Drammen’s Unique Landmark
No visit to Drammen is complete without driving or walking the Spiralen. This is a road tunnel that spirals upward through the inside of Bragernes Hill in six complete 360-degree loops, eventually emerging around 170 metres above the city at a panoramic viewing platform. The concept is wonderfully absurd, perfectly executed, and entirely Norwegian in its pragmatic approach to difficult terrain. From the top, you get a sweeping view across Drammen, the river valley, and the surrounding hills. The Spiraltoppen viewing tower at the summit adds another layer of perspective.
The forested trails above the Spiralen exit connect into the Austad Forest, a network of hiking and mountain biking paths that offers easy access to nature from the city’s edge. In winter, cross-country ski tracks are groomed here.
City Culture & Architecture
Bragernes Market Square (Bragernes Torg) is the city’s social hub — a large, open square surrounded by a mix of historic and contemporary buildings, with the neo-Gothic Bragernes Church providing an unmistakable focal point. The square hosts a popular market and is the starting point for exploring the older parts of the Bragernes neighbourhood.
The Drammens Museum at Marienlyst is the city’s main cultural institution, set in a grand manor house with a strong collection of decorative arts and regional history. The gardens are worth a visit in their own right. The museum covers the full sweep of Drammen’s history, including its significant timber and shipping industries.
The Strømsø side of the river, connected by a series of pedestrian and cycle bridges, has its own character: a younger, more experimental district with independent cafés, vintage shops, and creative businesses that have moved in as part of the city’s regeneration. The contrast between the two riverbanks — one more established, one more evolving — gives Drammen a pleasantly layered quality.
Along the River & Beyond
The Drammenselva cycling path runs along the river and connects the city to the surrounding countryside. In summer, this is a lovely route for a gentle ride, following the water through increasingly rural scenery. The path forms part of a longer regional cycling network that extends into the Numedal valley.
For railway enthusiasts, Krøderbanen is a heritage steam railway that runs between Vikersund and Krøderen — a 26 km stretch of preserved standard-gauge track through classic Numedal scenery. The line operates on weekends in summer and is genuinely atmospheric.
Drammen is also well positioned for a day trip combination with the Kongsberg silver mines, about 30 minutes further south — Norway’s most celebrated historic mining site and an excellent museum.
Getting There & When to Visit
Trains run from Oslo Central Station to Drammen in around 40–45 minutes, with frequent departures throughout the day — typically two or three per hour during peak times. It is one of the easiest day trips from Oslo by any measure of distance or journey time. The city centre is walkable, and the riverfront saunas are a short stroll from the station; Ælvebadstua and KOK Drammen are both within 10 minutes on foot. If you’re driving, Drammen sits just off the E18/E134 interchange southwest of Oslo, and parking is available near the waterfront.
Summer is the obvious time for the river saunas, when the Drammenselva is at its most inviting and the cycling paths and markets are in full swing. The river temperature in July and August is warm enough to linger in after the sauna, and the long evenings make a late session particularly enjoyable — KOK Drammen is open until 22:00 daily throughout the year.
But Drammen works well in every season. The Spiralen and forest trails are year-round, and a winter sauna on the Drammenselva has a specific, restorative quality that’s hard to replicate — the cold river against winter skin is a different experience from summer, sharper and more immediate. Several of the riverside saunas operate year-round, and the combination of Spiralen views and a sauna session makes for a satisfying winter half-day. Autumn, when the Numedal valley colours up and the river light turns golden, is particularly good for a combined sauna-and-cycling day; the route south along the Drammenselva toward Kongsberg passes through particularly fine scenery at this time of year.
Come with low expectations shaped by old reputation, and leave with a far more generous view of what Drammen has become.
Drammen is within easy reach of Oslo’s Vestfold sauna circuit — the best saunas near Oslo covers the full region. For first-time visitors to Norwegian sauna culture, our Norwegian sauna culture guide covers everything you need to know. Oslo, 40 minutes east by train, has Scandinavia’s most vibrant floating sauna scene — things to do in Oslo covers the harbour saunas and city life.
