Do’s and Don’ts of visiting a Finnish Sauna

Its customary to jump in the lake right after a steamy sauna session. But for the uninitiated, that lake is freezing cold!

The Finns love sauna.

The sauna is a way of life for the quiet, nature-loving, and beer drinking Finns. Don’t tell a Finn that you’re really not that into sitting naked in a hot steaming sauna because they will probably stare at you with a blank stare and wonder what is wrong with you.

Sauna is enjoyed during all seasons in Finland but especially in winter, the sauna can be a welcome respite from the bitter cold air. Most homes in Finland have at least one sauna, making it a part of a daily or weekly ritual to relax in the sauna.

Between 2015-2017, I spent quite a lot of time traveling back and forth in this Nordic country and got to understand the importance of sauna as a way of life for Finnish people. But of course I learned some very funny rules and customs too surrounding the public sauna. I hope you like this tongue-in-cheek rules that I’ve learnt from those years. Some of these rules apply to general public saunas you will find in the other Nordic countries too.

View of the lake from a Finnish sauna in Northern Finland

Do:

1. Get naked. Change out of your clothes in the designated changing room then take a quick shower before going into the sauna.

2. Grab a paper towel to sit on. Right outside the sauna there are paper towel dispensaries. Do grab a paper towel just big enough to fit your derriere.

3. Bring a towel and swimsuit. In typical Finnish spas and saunas, there are usually separate and family-friendly co-ed places like Jacuzzis and pools. You will need to wear a swimsuit for these places.

4. Mind your own business. Finnish people are private people and respect one’s privacy. It is common to not engage in conversation unless necessary.

5. Leave your valuables and clothing in the locker. Keep your belongings in the locker. The Finnish sauna and spa is a place to relax. Leave it all in the locker and checkout for the day to relax. If you’re lucky to have chosen a spa with natural surroundings, spend some time enjoying the nature.

Visiting a “spa” in Finland usually means a place with indoor swimming facilities like this and there are separate and mixed dry and steam saunas available as well.

Don’t:

1. Wear your swimsuit in the sauna. It is frowned upon to wear your bathing suit inside the sauna. Finns will silently stare and judge you if you do. Don’t do it. No one will stare at your jiggly bits or cellulite.

2. Sit bare assed in the sauna and hog the bench. Be respectful of the shared space. Take a paper towel before entering and don’t take up the whole bench by lying down unless you’re in a private sauna.

3. Take pictures of people or selfies in the sauna. This is not the time and place to be on social media, on your phone, or taking selfies. Finnish people are private people and appreciate taking time out to unwind and relax.

4. Talk loudly and be visibly drunk. Though you may notice that some Finns drink beer in the sauna, if you’re not used to drinking alcohol in hot temperatures, don’t be a hero and try to out-drink the Finns. Also keep conversations at a low volume as this is a place to unwind and relax. Public saunas usually do not allow any drinks inside the sauna anyway.

5. Stare and gawk at others. It is not polite to stare at naked body parts of other people. You can certainly stare at your own but avoid staring at others.

Typical Finnish “spa”

If you follow these rules then you’ll be fine and won’t receive weird stares or children whispering behind your back. (Yes, this happened to me once! I sat inside the sauna in a swimsuit and the kid was whispering about me to her mother while I was sitting across from them. Totally awkward!)

Have you been to a sauna in Finland or Scandinavia? Let me know your experiences in the comments below.

All opinions and pictures are property of Alaine Handa except otherwise stated. All rights reserved. (c)