Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Borneo orangutan
Malaysia • 12 days, 11 nights
Wild Borneo: Secrets of an Ancient Rainforest
from
Pastel de nata
Portugal • 8 days, 7 nights
Portugal: A Culinary Adventure from Porto to Lisbon
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Goa's Daugim Cross
The two 36-inch refracting lenses in the Lick Observatory telescope are among the largest ever built.
James Lick’s Grave
The Lagoda
Human figures at Miculla Petroglyphs
Miculla Petroglyphs
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Pigeons were included in a series of 1891 illustrations entitled “Household Pets.”
What Makes a Pest a Pest?
Burros Alfa and Beto, seen here with Luis Soriano in 2008, have been helping the teacher deliver books for more than 20 years.
How One Man and His ‘Biblioburro’ Spreads Literacy in Rural Colombia
Price Tower
What Happened to Price Tower, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Only Skyscraper?
Jeremy Bentham’s Auto-Icon in its new location in 2020
The Jeremy Bentham Auto-Icon: Why This Legendary Philosopher Put His Own Body on Display

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Sweden Simrishamn Prästens Badkar (The Priests Bathtub)
AO Edited

Prästens Badkar (The Priests Bathtub)

The world's only above water sand volcano, believed to once be the bathtub of a priest.

Simrishamn, Sweden

Added By
CoolCrab
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Prästens Badkar (The Priests Bathtub)   CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
Prästens Badkar (The Priests Bathtub)   CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
Prästens Badkar (The Priests Bathtub)   CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
  Johan SWE / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

When thinking of a volcano, one probably envisions a giant mountain, with tufts of smoke rising from the top. This is not always the case however, especially if the volcano is created on a sandy beach and is also underwater. 

The Priest's Bathtub is the result of an artesian aquifer erupting millions of years ago. An artesian aquifer is a source of water that is trapped between two impenetrable layers of soil, like clay. This puts pressure on the source and if it mounts, the water will break through at the weakest point, spraying up and becoming a spring.

What makes this site so unique is that the spring also forced out a large amount of sand. This created a cone-shaped structure, which subsequently collapsed and fossilized into rock.

These types of natural creations exist worldwide, however, what makes this sand volcano such a wonder is that it's the only one found above water. For this reason, it has been studied by geologists and is a popular attraction for the small town of Vik. 

The name allegedly derives from a story that a priest once used the location to bathe. This is a bit hard to imagine however, as the shape of the structure makes it look great, but it doesn't appear to be very comfortable.  

Related Tags

Natural Wonders Natural History Volcanoes Geology Nature

Know Before You Go

The bath tub is not marked with signs, but there is a parking spot for the beach nearby. Just follow the google maps directions, park, then walk towards the water. The marker is well placed, so you shouldn't miss it. 

The Baltic Sea has practically no tides, so you don't have to worry about it being flooded although waves can hit the shore in stormy weather so beware.

Community Contributors

Added By

CoolCrab

Edited By

hrnick, Johan SWE

  • hrnick
  • Johan SWE

Published

August 25, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.mior.se/skane/sydost/prastensbadkar/
  • https://www.appelkusten.se/prastens-badkar/
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artesian_aquifer
Prästens Badkar (The Priests Bathtub)
7 Häradsuddsvägen
Simrishamn, 272 95
Sweden
55.612847, 14.297636
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Simrislundsristningen (Simrislund Carvings)

Simrishamn, Sweden

miles away

Sankt Olof Holy Springs

Simrishamn V, Sweden

miles away

Gislövshammar

Gislövshammar, Sweden

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Simrishamn

Simrishamn

Sweden

Places 2

Nearby Places

Simrislundsristningen (Simrislund Carvings)

Simrishamn, Sweden

miles away

Sankt Olof Holy Springs

Simrishamn V, Sweden

miles away

Gislövshammar

Gislövshammar, Sweden

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Simrishamn

Simrishamn

Sweden

Places 2

Related Places

  • Winona, Missouri

    Rocky Falls

    A 40-foot waterfall flows into this unique natural swimming hole.

  • Aerial view of High Rock Canyon.

    Gerlach, Nevada

    High Rock Canyon Wilderness

    Many generations of travelers have passed through the steep, smooth walls of this canyon.

  • Al Wathba Fossil Dune Formations

    Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Al Wathba Fossil Dunes

    These otherworldly formations were shaped over millions of years by the forces of nature.

  • Wheeler Geologic Area

    Creede, Colorado

    Wheeler Geologic Area

    This once-popular otherworldly landscape was formed by one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history.

  • View to the east.

    Ransom, Kansas

    Cedar Bluff Reservoir

    This 100-foot tall bluff located in the western plains of Kansas overlooks a massive reservoir.

  • The sign for the iridium layer, located next to the exposed rock.

    Raton, New Mexico

    Raton Iridium Layer

    This unassuming layer of clay boasts an out-of-this-world origin story.

  • Mobius Arch

    Lone Pine, California

    Mobius Arch

    This rock formation named for its unique shape is one of many that call the Alabama Hills home.

  • Obsidian Dome

    June Lake, California

    Obsidian Dome

    A natural dome made of volcanic glass in Inyo National Forest.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.