Your First Finnish Sauna

Before You Go

What to Bring

• A towel — ideally two. One to sit on inside the sauna, one to dry off with afterwards. In Finland, we use a small linen seat cover called a pefletti on the bench, but a regular towel works fine.
• A water bottle — you will sweat more than you think. Bring water and drink between rounds. This is not optional.
• Flip-flops or sandals — for walking to and from the sauna, especially in public saunas. The floors can be wet and slippery.
• A change of clothes — you will feel completely refreshed afterwards and will not want to put your old clothes back on.
• Shampoo and soap — most public saunas in Finland have shower facilities. Some provide soap, but bring your own to be safe.

What NOT to Bring

• Your phone — the heat will damage it, and a camera has no place in a sauna. Leave it in the locker.
• Jewellery — metal gets extremely hot in a sauna. Rings, necklaces, earrings — take them all off. Even a small ring can burn you at 90°C.
• Expectations — seriously. Do not go in expecting a spa treatment or an Instagram moment. Sauna is simple. It is heat, steam, silence, and time. Let it be what it is.

What to Expect Inside

A traditional Finnish sauna is a wood-panelled room, typically made of spruce, aspen, or alder. In the corner sits a kiuas — the sauna stove — topped with a pile of dark stones. The benches are arranged in tiers: the higher you sit, the hotter it gets. Heat rises, so the top bench can be 20–30°C warmer than the lower bench.

The temperature inside a Finnish sauna typically sits between 80–100°C (176–212°F). That sounds extreme, and it is — but dry heat feels very different from wet heat. At 80°C with low humidity, the air feels warm and enveloping rather than suffocating. When someone throws water on the stones, the humidity spikes momentarily and the heat intensifies. That is löyly, and it is the heart of the whole experience.

The Big Question: Nudity

Let me be direct: in Finland, sauna is done naked. This is the norm, not the exception. Saunas are gender-separated as standard, so you will be with people of the same gender. It is not sexual. It is not exhibitionist. It is simply the way it has always been done — for thousands of years.

There is a practical reason too: swimwear traps chemicals from detergent and chlorine, which release into the air when heated. Swimwear also prevents your skin from breathing and sweating properly, which defeats the purpose of sauna.

That said, nobody will force you to be naked. If you are genuinely uncomfortable, you can wrap yourself in a towel. In mixed-gender public saunas (which do exist but are less common in Finland), some people wear swimwear. The key is that nobody is paying attention to your body. We are all there for the same thing: the heat, the steam, and the quiet.

My advice: try it the Finnish way. You will feel self-conscious for about thirty seconds, and then the heat takes over, and you will forget you are not wearing anything. Everyone does.

Step-by-Step: Your First Sauna Round

1. Undress and shower thoroughly. Use soap and shampoo. Rinse off everything — deodorant, moisturiser, sunscreen, all of it. This is not a quick rinse; it is a proper wash. Everyone else in the sauna will appreciate it.
2. Enter the sauna and sit on your towel. Open the door quickly, step in, and close it behind you. Every second the door is open, heat escapes. Place your towel on the bench and sit down.
3. Start on the lower bench. If you are new, sit on the lower level where it is cooler. You can always move up once you know how you handle the heat.
4. Enjoy the dry heat for a few minutes. Breathe slowly and deeply. Let your body adjust. The dry heat will feel intense at first but will become comfortable as your skin warms up.
5. Someone will throw löyly — breathe calmly. When water hits the stones, you will hear a satisfying hiss, and a wave of humid heat will roll over you. It can feel like a wall of warmth. Breathe through your mouth if the nose feels too hot. The sensation passes in about thirty seconds.
6. When you have had enough, step out. There is no minimum time. Most people stay 10–15 minutes per round, but 5 minutes is perfectly fine, especially on your first time. Trust your body.
7. Cool down. This is the best part. Take a cold shower, jump into a lake, plunge into the sea, or simply stand outside in the fresh air. In winter, Finns roll in the snow or dip through a hole in the ice (avanto). The cold contrast is exhilarating and it is what makes your body feel incredible afterwards.
8. Rest, hydrate, repeat. Sit down, drink water, and let your heart rate come back to normal. When you feel ready, go back in for another round. Two to three rounds is the Finnish standard, but there are no rules. Some people do one, some do five.
9. After the last round: eat, drink, relax. The post-sauna ritual is just as important as the sauna itself. In Finland, this means beer or cider, grilled sausages (makkara), and long conversations in the cooling evening air. You will feel profoundly relaxed, clean, and content.

Löyly: The Soul of the Sauna

Löyly (löyly, pronounced roughly "Low-lu") is the steam that rises when you pour water over the hot stones. The word has no direct translation in English because the concept does not exist in the same way anywhere else. Löyly is not just steam — it is the atmosphere, the feeling, the quality of heat in the sauna. Good löyly is soft, enveloping, and gentle. Bad löyly is sharp, stinging, and harsh.

To throw löyly, use the wooden ladle (kiulu) to scoop water from the bucket and pour it gently over the stones. Do not dump a full ladle all at once unless you want a blast of heat that will make everyone on the top bench gasp. Start with a small amount. The stones should hiss and sizzle, and within seconds, a wave of warm, moist air will fill the room.

The etiquette is simple: always ask before throwing löyly, especially if there are others in the sauna. A gentle "Saako heittää?" ("May I throw?") is all it takes. If someone says no, respect it. If you are alone, throw as much or as little as you like.

Vihta: The Birch Whisk Tradition

The vihta (or vasta, depending on which part of Finland you are from — this is a surprisingly heated regional debate) is a bundle of fresh birch branches tied together and used to gently whisk the skin during sauna. It is one of the most distinctive features of Finnish sauna culture, and the scent of fresh birch in the steam is something you will never forget.

Fresh vihtas are made in early summer when the birch leaves are young, soft, and full of sap. They are used fresh in summer and frozen or dried for use throughout the year. To use a vihta, soak it in warm water to soften the leaves, then gently tap and brush it against your skin. It stimulates circulation, releases a wonderful fragrance, and feels like a gentle massage. You are not whipping yourself — despite what the stereotypes suggest.

If someone offers to whisk you with a vihta, say yes. It is a gesture of hospitality, and it feels wonderful.

Common Fears (Addressed Honestly)

"Will it be too hot?"

It will feel hot, but your body adapts faster than you think. Start on the lower bench, where the temperature can be 20°C cooler than the top. You control your experience. If it is too hot, move down or step out. Nobody will judge you.

"Do I really have to be naked?"

In a private or gender-separated Finnish sauna, yes, nudity is the norm. But you can wear a towel if you need to. What matters is that you are clean and respectful. In mixed-gender public situations, swimwear is sometimes worn. Nobody is going to examine you — we are all focused on the heat.

"How long should I stay?"

As long as you feel comfortable. There is no minimum and no competition. Five minutes is fine. Twenty minutes is fine. Listen to your body. The moment you think "maybe I should go out," go out.

"Is it safe?"

For healthy adults, sauna is very safe. Finns have been doing this for millennia. However, if you have cardiovascular issues, are pregnant, or have been drinking heavily, consult a doctor first. Dehydration is the most common issue for newcomers, so drink plenty of water.

Do's and Don'ts

After the Sauna: The Social Ritual

In Finland, what happens after the sauna is just as important as the sauna itself. The post-sauna ritual is when conversations deepen, laughter comes easily, and the world feels a little softer. Your skin is glowing, your muscles are loose, and your mind is quiet.

The traditional post-sauna spread includes grilled sausages (makkara) cooked over an open fire, cold beer or cider, and perhaps some bread, cheese, and pickles. At a summer cottage, you might eat on the dock while watching the lake. In winter, you might gather around the fireplace in thick socks and bathrobes.

This is the moment when Finns, famously reserved in everyday life, open up. Important conversations happen after sauna. Business deals are made. Family bonds are strengthened. Friendships are formed. The sauna strips away pretence, and what is left is honest connection.

If you are invited to sauna in Finland, know that it is an honour. It means someone trusts you enough to share this deeply personal ritual with you. Accept graciously, follow the basic etiquette, and let the experience wash over you.

What to Read Next

Now that you know what to expect, you might want to explore our essential sauna accessories guide to make sure you have everything you need. Or dive into the German sauna culture guide to see how our neighbours to the south do things differently.