How to take a sauna in Finland, customs and traditions


The sauna in Finland is serious business. Here are some customs and traditions of the Finnish sauna that will leave you quite surprised, how it is done and how to do it in its home country, Finland.

La sauna in Finland it is serious. Bear in mind that Finns usually take a sauna at least once or twice a week. And the millions of saunas in the country, both private and public, are clear evidence of this.



How to take a sauna in Finland, customs and traditions

After trying it several times I can tell you that the sauna in Finland is a rather different experience from what we are used to in Italy. Here are a few customs and traditions that surprised me in a particular way.

The sauna in Finland is done without a costume

The real sauna goes naked, in most cases male and female together. It might seem embarrassing to us but in reality in Finland it is considered normal not to be ashamed of one's nudity.


Children also take the sauna

Obviously it is better that they sit lower to get less heat and stay there as long as they feel it. Since school age, however, the very blond Finnish children are used to taking a sauna with their parents.

How to take a sauna in Finland, customs and traditions

Whipping yourself with birch branches during the sauna

To improve circulation, tone the skin and for a sense of general well-being. It is customary during the sauna to "whip" yourself with a bunch of birch branches. There are also experts specialized in this practice who have made it a real art.

It is good to wear a hat to avoid headaches

It might seem unusual to see people wearing a boiled wool hat in the sauna with 80/90 degrees. Yet it is useful to avoid headaches after the session.

How to take a sauna in Finland, customs and traditions

Spend the weekend with friends in the sauna

In addition to being a way to regenerate, the sauna in Finland is an opportunity for recreation. And so it is customary to meet up with friends for the weekend, often in holiday cottages, and indulge in several sauna sessions, interspersed with some snacks and drinks.

The maximum time depends on each person

There is no maximum time to stay in the sauna. It just depends on your own perception. In Finland you enter and leave the sauna several times, in some cases spending whole days there.

How to take a sauna in Finland, customs and traditions


After the sauna a nice dip in the frozen lake

After the very high temperatures of the sauna, Finns recover with the cold. Both in winter and in summer it is common to take a bath in a lake (which is frozen in winter) or in the winter months rolling in the snow. It takes a good dose of courage, but the feeling you get from it is one of extreme well-being. And after that, you are ready to go back to the sauna again.

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