Breaking news – Finnish sauna culture is alive and well! Who would have imagined that Finland has three million saunas, while its population is 5.5 million. You know the saying, when you’re in Rome… you think you’re walking around the city visiting monuments. But when you’re in Finland, you’re enjoying the sauna. But why have an ordinary sauna when you can have an extraordinary sauna? That’s why we bring you eight of the most unusual places to have a sauna in Finland.
The oldest public sauna in Finland
According to UNESCO, Finnish sauna culture is an intangible cultural heritage. The first saunas were pits dug into the ground during the Stone Age. The Iron Age saw the advent of above-ground smoke saunas, which, as you might expect, are wood-fired saunas without a chimney. If you’re looking for the oldest public sauna, you should come to Tampere – the sauna capital of the world – which is home to over 55 public saunas.
Border Gate Sauna Pispala Sauna is the oldest public sauna in Finland, dating back to 1906. Today, the Pispala Sauna Association runs the building and café and invites everyone to come and experience traditional Finnish sauna culture for themselves. Likewise, we invite you to continue reading this article, as you might learn a thing or two… hahaha! For example, wood-burning saunas, such as Rajaportti, are highly regarded, and everyone in Finland knows how to light a fire to heat a sauna.
Helsinki Sky Sauna
The Rajapurti Sauna shows how cities in the early 1900s built saunas to welcome guests. In the early 1900s, cities built Ferris wheels, to attract guests with high views of the city from private gondolas. Helsinki Sky Sauna Built in 2016, it is the world's first Ferris wheel-shaped sauna.
Guests can enjoy a 5-7 minute ride in the heated cable car that circles around the 40-metre-high Helsinki Sauna. On the ground, they can relax in the hot tubs or enjoy traditional drinks such as Long Drinks, a grapefruit liqueur that is Finland’s national drink.
Ski gondola sauna
Finland is famous for its Nordic sports, such as Pallas-Yallastunturi National Park, home to the cleanest air in the world and 500 kilometers of cross-country skiing trails. Yallas is also home to Finland’s largest ski resort and longest gondola. And while cross-country skiers might enjoy warming up in a backcountry café with a hot coffee, lift riders can stay warm in the only place in the world known for cross-country skiing. Ski gondola sauna.
Groups of up to 12 people book an hour of time on the ski lift. The lift makes three 20-minute trips allowing all participants to ride in groups of four. All sauna guests have access to the sauna facilities at the summit with a lounge, showers, a second sauna, a heated outdoor jacuzzi and great views, so the fun doesn’t end when your ride is over.
Sauna boats under the midnight sun
The sun doesn’t set for more than 45 days in Finnish Lapland during the summer, giving you endless opportunities to chase the midnight sun. However, you’d be remiss if you missed a sauna boat ride.
Finland has the most water of any country in the world and over 76,000 islands, so a floating sauna makes sense. There are boat saunas all over Finland, but we enjoyed our cruise with Safari Cinema At Levi's, our crew prepared a midnight snack of crepes and coffee.
ice sauna
Finns don't stop saunas just because a lake freezes over. Behabello Sauna WorldThey build ice saunas and keep having fun. You and your nine closest friends can enjoy a sauna in a block of ice and then jump into a frozen lake. Just make sure they are your friends, and they will let you enjoy the cold water if you are a natural according to traditional Finnish customs. Pyhäpiilo also has a traditional Finnish smoke sauna, which is considered one of the most authentic sauna experiences in Finland.
Glass sauna under the northern lights
The harsh winter comes after the lakes freeze over, and the sun doesn’t shine for most of December and January. That doesn’t mean you have to stay indoors. Instead, head outside to witness one of the greatest light shows on Earth, the Northern Lights. And in Finland, you can do it while taking a sauna.
Much of Finland is located far enough north that you can see the Northern Lights on any clear night. Additionally, since Finland has the most forests of any European country, light pollution is minimal once you get away from the southern cities.
In Lapland in places like Arctic Skylight InnYou can find a glass sauna that lets you watch the sky while warming up your thighs. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look around when you head outside to jump in the lake or relax in the jacuzzi. It also doesn’t mean the show stops when you’re drying off as many of these facilities offer glass-roofed cabins for extended viewing time.
Indoor water park sauna
If you're looking for a Finnish family sauna, you could do worse than this. Levi Spa HotelThere are seventeen pools of different shapes, sizes and temperatures, water slides and of course saunas. It is one of the largest saunas in Finland and is definitely family-friendly. If you didn’t bring your own pool toys, they are available in the pool section along with water belts and floats. You can even borrow swimming goggles from the pool attendants.
Sauna in your suite
the Levi Spa Hotel Located in a Burger King, the saunas at a Burger King might suggest a less intimate experience. Add in the fact that the spa front desk provides baby diapers, and you might be right. However, if you’re looking for something a little more intimate, the Junior, Samal, and Combo suites all have in-room saunas. The jetted tub in our suite (plus the in-room sauna) made us wonder why we ever left our room.
Final Thoughts on Unusual Sauna Spots in Finland
I think there is magic in Finland in the little moments when time stands still and contrasts come face to face, like getting warmed up by the steam before jumping into the cold water. Every visitor to Finland should experience at least one Finnish sauna. So why not experience a truly extraordinary sauna in Finland? Remember to do a little research and find out if your dream sauna is for groups or individuals. Also, if you are like us and travelling as a couple, make sure that mixed groups can experience the sauna together.
Finally, take the opportunity to immerse yourself in Finnish sauna culture. You can try a sauna naked if everyone is doing it. Try jumping into a lake or using soft birch branches to stroke your skin. It may sound strange, but you will enjoy the experience.
Hi! We’re Jen and Ed Coleman, aka Coleman Concierge. In short, we’re a Gen X couple from Huntsville sharing our stories of amazing adventures through transformative, experiential, activity-based travel.
