Finnish Sauna Culture

Sauna might sound strange, people in a small space, bathing and throwing water  to the sauna stove. This can seem awkward for foreigners; it’s just a heated box where we sit undressed.

But if you think about the beliefes and traditions of our Sauna Culture, where the sauna purifies both, the body and soul, this is the place we go to heal and relax, sharing a sauna is trully about friendship and honouring the ancient tradition. Think of it as a sanctuary.

Even though we Finns go to sauna completely bare, because we believe there’s nothing to be ashamed of in naked human bodies, we totally understand if you want to wear a swimsuit or wrap a towel around you.

Finnish public saunas have separate spaces for women and men. In Finnish families it’s normal to go to the sauna together. If you’re planning a sauna trip with a mixed group, it’s totally fine to discuss beforehand who should go with who.

A traditional Finnish sauna is like Finnish food culture, pure and simple. At best, the only noises you’ll hear are the sounds of water being thrown on the stove, and the sounds of nature. Sauna is mostly combined with a refreshing swin in the summer and a thrilling ice swimming experience in the winter.

Tip: usually a refreshment drink tastes even better after sweating in a sauna.

The after-sauna feeling is magical, so pure an refreshed. We Finns do sauna to enjoy, relax and socialize, and to clear our minds of everyday worries. If you want to truly get a good sauna experience, try the wood heated sauna.

In Rovaniemi you will find many ways to experience sauna.