Sauna in Finland
Happy as a Finn – go to sauna! It is a must experience in Lapland.
There are over 3 million saunas in Finland – that’s more than passenger cars. It’s safe to say we love our saunas! For an absolute Rovaniemi experience one must try sauna.
Wellbeing from sauna
Wellbeing from sauna
For us Finns the sauna is a place for relaxation and laidback socialising. It’s our sanctuary and a source of wellbeing. We go to sauna to clear our minds of our everyday worries.
Sauna is often combined with a swim in natural waters or a dip in a jacuzzi – an exhilarating sensation whether it’s summer or winter.
Benefits of sauna
Benefits of sauna
Sauna helps to relax both the mind and body, so the health benefits are versatile.
- Sauna relieves stress
- Sauna induces deeper sleep
- Sauna helps to recover after exercise
- Sauna combined to ice swimming or cold shower affect mood, improve stress tolerance and can relieve pain
Rovaniemi saunas welcome you
Rovaniemi saunas welcome you
Going to a small, hot and steamy space wearing only a swimsuit or a towel can be a little intimidating. We get it. But no stress, we appreciate the visitors and newcomers joining!
In Rovaniemi one can choose from a variety of diverse sauna experiences, such as snow sauna – a sauna built with ice and snow – traditional wooden saunas, a sauna boat, and a riverside restaurant offering a sauna experience.
Which sauna is for me?
Which sauna is for me?
For a casual, easy access sauna experience, one can try out the public saunas in and around Rovaniemi. Saunas are found in all the resorts and hotels with public and private shifts. If you’d like to experience a sauna on the river, we have sauna rafts and boats, and floating saunas.
There are electrically heated saunas and wood burning saunas, you can even order one to come to your doorstep, or you can book your own sauna experience with spa treatments and dinner.
Questions about Sauna
No preparation is needed. Wet and wash yourself in the shower and enter the steam room. Wear a towel or a swimsuit, if you like. If you attend a sauna tour or have book a sauna experience, it is adviced to check what is included. It might be a good idea to bring a bottle of water with you or another sauna drink. After the sauna wash yourself and drink some water, also it’s good to wear warm clothes after the sauna at winter time.
Us Finns believe there’s nothing to be ashamed of in naked human bodies, so in the public saunas (such as swimming halls) in Finland people don’t wear swimsuits. The public saunas are divided to women’s and men saunas. In the mixed, all gender saunas people often tend to use towl or swimsuit. Yet, we totally understand wearing a swimsuit or wrapping a towel around you for sauna feels more comfortable for you.
Just relax and enjoy – take time to breathe and clear your mind. Sit on a sauna bench on your bench covering cloth. If more benches than one is available, you can choose a higher bench for more heat or a lower one for less. Anyone in the sauna can throw water on the stove to add more steam and heat. This will make a hissing sound and bring on a little extra heat quickly.
Everyone can stay in the steam room for as long as they feel like, there’s no rule to it, it can be from a minute or two, or much longer. If you are not used to sauna, listen to your body and get some fresh air in the between of the heat whenever necessary or just cool off and get back into sauna.
It’s good to have some water or other refreshing drink with you in the sauna. If the sauna has a swimming possibility, cool off by dipping yourself in the water and head back to sauna. This is the way we Finns do it through out the year!
This depends on the sauna and the people. Some like alternating from the sauna steam room to a dip in a pool, natural waters, or a jacuzzi. Some step out of the sauna to sit for a drink on the terrace. In the winter, taking a break from the steam room might mean a dip in a winter swimming spot or rolling in snow. The ultimate sauna experience is meant to leave a wonderful feeling to your whole body and relax your mind.
It depends on the situation, but generally the temperature is anything between 70 to 90 up to 100 centigrade. It also depends on a sauna type, wooden and electric sauna can feel different even though the temperature would be the same. Recommended temperature for a beginner is 70 centigrade.
Book sauna activities!
Private Riverside Sauna with Arctic Bath & Outdoor Hot Tub
A Nordic wellness experience: sauna, Arctic bath, and outdoor hot tub by the riverside.
Private Rovaniemi Lakeside Sauna & Fireside Experience
This is more than a sauna — it’s a chance to live like a local, unwind by a crackling fire, and enjoy authentic Finnish traditions, not to mention ice swimming.
Sauna and Swimming with Horses
Experience an unforgettable moment swimming with horses. In addition, you get to experience the warmth of a genuine Finnish wood-burning sauna and the beautiful Lapland nature during the summer.
Magic of the Forest and Log Sauna, 4 hours (Private Tour)
Feel the healing effects of the forest, herbs and log sauna with herbal bath for feet or treatment for hands. After the sauna we’ll serve you traditional Finnish dinner.
Traditional Finnish Sauna Experience
Relax in our private, wood-heated lakeside sauna in Kuoksa Wilderness Park. Enjoy Finnish sauna traditions with birch whisks, refreshing lake dips, and water activities.
Visiting package: Snow sauna experience with food by the fire
Includes 1.5hour of private sauna, snow sauna and outdoor jacuzzi, a guided tour of the SnowHotel, and a 3-course dinner by the fire at the Kota Restaurant
Visiting package: Snow sauna experience with Chill and Dine at Ice Restaurant
Includes 1.5hour of private sauna, snow sauna and outdoor jacuzzi, a guided tour of the SnowHotel, and a 3-course dinner in the Ice restaurant, completely made of snow and Ice!
Rovaniemi Sauna World Ticket
Rovaniemi Sauna World
This type of activity is also provided by
Sunny Safari
Sunny Safari is a high quality, experienced and customized local safari activities provider. We always focus to organize enjoyable and memorable programs to customers.
Happy Fox
Welcome to the Happy Fox family. We are small local family company situated at Rovaniemi. We provide year round nature activities.
True Lapland
Based in Perunkajärvi, Rovaniemi, we specialize in private small‑group adventures that reflect the true spirit of the North. Our mission is to provide genuine, local, and sustainable experiences — just like a Finn.
Arctic SnowHotel
Come and experience our fairytale-like snow buildings and ice sculptures, even if you do not intend to stay overnight.
Explore more Tips for your Rovaniemi holiday
Sustainable Travel Finland companies
The local companies and Visit Rovaniemi are taking part in the Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) program
Finnish Sauna Culture
There are over 3 million saunas in Finland – that’s more than passenger cars. It’s safe to say we love our saunas! For an absolute Rovaniemi experience one must try sauna.
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