Helsinki, the birth place of urban sauna culture
Sauna may be a 10,000-year-old Finnish tradition, but in Helsinki, it pulses with new life. As the birthplace of urban sauna culture, Helsinki blends time-honoured rituals with bold design and easy access to nature.
From 200-year-old public saunas to sleek, modern havens by the sea, the city invites everyone to step in, slow down, and experience sauna the Helsinki way. Whether you’re after steamy social gatherings, silent moments of self-care, or a cool dip in the Baltic Sea, you’ll find hundreds of saunas across Helsinki (and at least 60 public open to the public)—each with its own soul. Traditional or modern, smoky or soft, communal or private—find your perfect sauna experience in Helsinki.
Are you a Helsinki-based sauna lover?
We’re looking for locals who live and breathe the sauna lifestyle to show us how it’s really done The campaign shoot (film and still photo) will take place on the 28th of April in a Helsinki located sauna, so make sure you’re available and have easy access to central Helsinki. A reward will be paid for the chosen participants. Check out our Instagram story to learn more.
Feel the heat, find your inner peace
The Helsinki sauna scene is an ode to the age-old Finnish heritage, with a very special Helsinkian touch.
Whether you’re new to sauna or already a convert and committed sauna lover, this is the place to experience the physical, social, psychological and spiritual benefits of sauna.
Sweat
Relax
Explore Helsinki sauna culture
The sauna dates back about 10,000 years
Sauna was born in Finland, in fact, ‘sauna’, one of the few Finnish words to travel, is inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Helsinki’s public sauna culture dates back over 200 years. There are numerous saunas in the capital – from community get-aways and private saunas to design experiences and traditional saunas that range from hot and smoky to gentle and pampering, from small and intimate to all-inclusive and lively. Come find your perfect steam!
Fast facts:
60 Public saunas in Helsinki
Back in the 1940s, Helsinki had over 120 public saunas—an everyday essential before home saunas became the norm. Today, the city still proudly steams with sauna culture, offering everything from classic neighbourhood gems like Kotiharjun Sauna (since 1928) to sleek, sea-facing icons like Löyly. With at least 60 public saunas open across Helsinki, the heat is still on—just waiting for you to step in.
3 Million saunas in Finland
With over 3 million saunas in a country of 5.6 million people, Finland is truly the land of steam. That means—at least in theory—the entire nation could enjoy a sauna at the same time. And nowhere is this sauna love more alive than in Helsinki, where tradition meets design, nature, and wellbeing.
2020 UNESCO Recognition
In 2020, Finland’s sauna culture was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, acknowledging its significance in Finnish society.
60 Seconds to boost your happy hormones
Just one minute in cold water after the sauna can do wonders. When you alternate the heat of the sauna with a 30–60 second dip in the sea, lake, or cold shower, your body responds with a rush of feel-good hormones—endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin. It’s nature’s reset button, Helsinki-style.
