To visit Finland and not go to a traditional Finnish sauna is like not seeing the Eiffel Tower on a visit to Paris. You simply cannot miss it. Furthermore, I never like to say no to anything that is considered self-care. A day at a Finnish sauna definitely falls under that category.
The tradition of a Finnish sauna
Most of us have a basic idea of what a sauna is like. Some of us have perhaps even experienced one say at the gym or at a spa. Most of us consider a sauna to be a blazing hot room that you sit in for about 15 minutes, cool off and repeat. However they are such an integral part of Finnish culture.
According to saunarevolution.net, the first sauna description dates back to 1112. Today, there are an estimated 3 million saunas in Finland. With their population only being around 5 million, that basically means there’s one per household. Back hundreds of years ago when people were bathing regularly, Finns were using saunas at least once a week.
Saunas were made out of wood with a basket of rocks beside a stove. Water would get poured on the rocks to create steam. Finns traditionally go naked, just like a bath. Saturdays were typically sauna days.
After spending about 30 minutes to one hour in the heat, depending on how much each person could take, they go jump in cold water or roll around in the snow. They repeat this process as much as they want.
Our sauna experience
We spent one of our mornings in Helsinki at Löyly, an amazing sauna located along the water. It was a coed sauna, so the only tradition we veered away from was going naked. When it’s mixed genders, you wear a bathing suit.
We took the bus from our hostel to the sauna. It kind of hard to miss the big, beautiful wooden building along the sea. Upon arriving, we were checked in and taken to the women’s locker room. Here we could change, store our things and take a shower. You are supposed to take a shower before entering a sauna.
The space consisted of one traditional sauna room, an open space with a fireplace and a deck where you could relax. From this deck, you could also take a plunge straight into the Baltic Sea.
At first, jumping right into the ocean sounded crazy. However when at a sauna, you should do what the Finns do. So I gave it a try! I loved the rush I got every time I did it.
We spent several hours going from the sauna to the sea. We also spent some time relaxing in the sun. We went to Helsinki in June. During this time, the sun is shining around 20 hours a day. Finns are out socializing and enjoying the warm weather. Helsinki in summer is lit, both literally and figuratively.
Lunch at Löyly
After spending the most amazing and relaxing time in the sauna, we ventured over to the restaurant. At Löyly, they have a restaurant with a full lunch and dinner menu. We both got the salmon soup and were not disappointed.
I would definitely recommend eating at their restaurant if you can. They simply have good quality food that you can enjoy out on their terrace with an amazing view. “Life could not get any better,” I remember saying as we enjoyed our soup.
Practical sauna tips
I was surprised at all that Löyly had. They had both shampoo and conditioner in their showers, and hair dryers to use afterwards. Bring a bathing suit you’re comfortable in and some flip flops! Apart from that, drink lots of water. Luckily, Löyly has water readily available for you! Lastly, don’t be afraid to jump right into the sea! It’s amazing!
Have you ever experienced a sauna?
We were guests at Löyly. All opinions are my own.
