The best saunas to visit in Helsinki

Finland has frequently been ranked as the happiest country in the world. There are a lot of reasons for this, but one of them may be that Finns know how to slow down and relax. After all, Finns invented the sauna. In a country of 5.5 million, there are over three million saunas. In other words, just about every Finn is addicted to löyly, the rush of warmth you feel when water hits the sauna rocks and produces a burst of steam.

No trip to Finland would be complete without enjoying a Finnish sauna. While Finland has an almost limitless number of saunas, the capital Helsinki itself has an impressive selection of public saunas for your experience in Finnish culture.

A bit on sauna etiquette

Saunas are deeply rooted in Finland’s culture and have existed there for over 2,000 years. In addition to being places to warm up and relax, they were also places to get clean — and cleanliness is an important Finnish value. Always shower before entering the sauna. Also, note that sauna time shouldn’t be rushed. You’ll want to shower, get in the sauna until you are nice and sweaty, and then cool off — either by taking a cold shower, jumping into a sea or lake, or just spending some time outside — before heading back in for another round.

You’ll find that public saunas in Helsinki are usually filled with mostly Finns, many of whom speak fluent English, so you can strike up a conversation as you chill in the hot steam room. In many saunas, you’ll go naked. If you’re planning to head outdoors, though, you’ll want that swimsuit. Also, saunas can be part of social or work events, so they may include a cold beer during the cool-off sessions, or even a meal afterward.

Unsurprisingly, there’s a huge diversity of places you can enjoy a relaxing, naked steam amongst locals. Below are the highlights of each category. Just note that, for many saunas, you may need you to reserve a time slot in advance. Make sure you check the websites.

Allas Sea Pool — perfect for travelers

Photo: fujilovers/Shutterstock

Located right next to the Market Square, floating atop the Helsinki harbor, is Allas Sea Pool. Inside the relatively new wooden structure — it opened in late 2016 — you can find good food and saunas, and outside are hang-out areas and two massive pools: one heated pool and one with seawater. There’s a men’s sauna, a women’s sauna, and a mixed-gender sauna (where you’d be wearing a swimsuit) that can also be rented as a private sauna for certain events. As you jump into the pool to cool down from the heat of the sauna, you can watch ferries pass through Helsinki harbor with the hubbub of central Helsinki as their backdrop.

If you want to visit a sauna within walking distance of Helsinki’s most famous landmarks and take in a great city view, head to Allas. A single adult visit is 14€ (about $15.75). Even if you decide to sauna elsewhere in Helsinki, you should still climb to the top of the wooden Allas building for sweeping views of Helsinki Harbor. It’s free to enter if you aren’t planning to use the pool or sauna, although you may want to buy a beverage to sip on as you enjoy the view.

Kotiharjun Sauna — a traditional, wood-fire sauna

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