Visitors to Helsinki, Finland, will be offered a never before seen insight into the traditional sauna culture at the world’s first Sauna Day. With over three million saunas across the country they are without a doubt an integral part of daily life and culture for the Finns.
On 12 March, for the first time ever, private saunas around Finland’s capital will open their doors, inviting sauna goers to experience the focal point of any Finnish residence.
Enter the stage door at the Vernissa Theatre and discover how the actors unwind after a show. Relax in a tent sauna in the former grounds of one of Europe’s oldest psychiatric hospitals, the magnificent Lapinlahti hospital or try Don McCracke’s yurt sauna at Stoa square. For the not so adventurous, the Sauna Simulator claims an authentic sauna-experience without the high temperatures. All saunas offer a diverse array of local drinks, food and homemade snacks to complete the authentic sauna experience.
Various new openings on Helsinki’s coastline throughout the spring and summer reinforce Finland’s commitment to wellness and contemporary design.
The Löyly design sauna will open in spring, just a short distance from the city centre on the southern tip of the Helsinki peninsula. The modern complex will cover over 1,800 square metres, scale nine metres in height and showcase the finest wooden architecture. A restaurant will serve visitors top Finnish cuisine and various terraces offer the ideal location to embrace the long summer days.
Helsinki Allas, opening this summer, is a new kind of spa complex inspired by the Baltic Sea’s spa heritage. Located by the market square, the pool development will open up even more of the city’s shoreline for residents and visitors by transforming what was once black asphalt into a green oasis. Tourists can embrace the long summer days basking in the sunshine in the heart of the city or explore the restaurants and entertainment that surround it.
“The sauna is part of the Finnish identity and integral to our culture,” said Eva Kiviranta, PR and Media Coordinator UK & US, Visit Finland. “It has been used for centuries to cleanse and heal the body, soothe the mind, and improve wellbeing. Sauna day represents a first for the Finnish capital and we look forward to opening our doors so that visitors can embrace this Finnish icon.”
For visitors seeking a relaxing and revitalising city break this summer there has never been a better time to unwind in Finland’s capital.
