Steamy and soothing, the sauna is one of Finland’s proudest traditions. We’ve put together some of the best sauna experiences you can have in Finnish Lapland.
No wellness visit to Finland is complete without a trip to the sauna. We’ve gathered the most interesting sauna experiences in Lapland, from a traditional smoke sauna to the luxury sauna experience. Whichever you choose, enjoy the heat!
Aurora sauna
This might just be the nicest sauna you ever experience. Through the large glass windows of the aurora sauna at Wilderness Hotel Inari, you’ll see the frozen lake beneath a stunning display of stars. As you toss water and let the stress and tension drain away, you might even be treated to Inari-Saariselkä’s most popular night show: the Northern Lights.
A Sauna of Ice & Fire
The snow sauna at the Arctic SnowHotel may be Lapland’s coolest sauna. Despite the cold radiating from the walls made of solid snow, the temperature inside is still warm. A few ladles of water on the stove fills the sauna with steam, a sensation you won’t find in a regular wooden sauna. If it gets too warm, step outside for a few moments and enjoy the stars sparkling over Rovaniemi.
Igloo sauna
The words igloo and sauna might seem like a contradiction, but Arctic Fox Igloos on the shores of Lake Ranuajärvi are made of glass and not snow. Spend an hour melting in the sauna and then retire to your bed. Without lifting your head from your pillow, you can watch the Milky Way and the Northern Lights compete for your attention.
Lakeside luxury
The lights of the Pyhä ski slopes glitter like stars in the distance. The hot tub bubbles keep you nice and warm, but occasionally the wind swoops across the lake at the foot of Sunday Morning Resort. Goosebumps spider down your neck. But you’re not concerned with the -20°C temperatures. The sauna, in all its steamy dreamlike glory, is only a few steps away.
Sauna on the river
The sauna raft M/S Erkin Arkki carries you across the scenic waters of the Kemijoki and Ounasjoki rivers, which meet in the heart of Rovaniemi. You can bathe in the wood-heated sauna while the raft floats on the river. When you feel like cooling down, the skipper will stop, and the river is all yours for a refreshing swim under the Midnight Sun.
Sauna in the wilderness
If hiking is your thing, you will find a lovely sauna in the heart of the UKK National Park in Inari-Saariselkä. In conjunction to the Luirojärvi open hut, (nicknamed the Luirojärvi Hilton), there is a wood-heated sauna where hikers take turns for a replenishing bath. A jump in the lake gives a nice contrast to the heat and an extra boost to tired legs.
Things are heating up
Ruka-Kuusamo offers one of the most unique programs in all of Finland: the Sauna Tour. Over the course of a week, you’ll visit five of Finland’s best sauna experiences, including a smoke sauna and an ice sauna. It’s like this whole Hottest Saunas list rolled up in one week-long well-being extravaganza.
