Lithuania is the happiest place in the world for children and those under 30, according to the World Happiness Report 2024.
16.05.2024 - 07:47 / lonelyplanet.com
Lonely Planet Destination Editor Amy Lynch traveled to Tampere, Finland – the sauna capital of the world – to discover what lies behind the Finnish passion for saunas. Here, she shares some tips and insights for anyone planning a similar trip.
I thought I knew what saunas were all about. Small, electric affairs at the local swimming pool, or little outdoor cabins with a heat barely above room temperature. But nothing I had experienced before had prepared me for the Finnish sauna, a holistic, social, communal ritual of cleansing and relaxation. Tampere calls itself the sauna capital of the world, and with over 60 public saunas it’s easy to see why. From floating saunas to art saunas and rooftop saunas to basic public saunas, Tampere has all kinds to choose from. And besides the saunas, this modern, lively yet relaxed city provides excellent dining, scenic hikes not 30 minutes from the city center, and a wealth of cultural sites.
With over 3 million public and private saunas in Finland, saunas are the social center of Finnish society. Saunas are where the Finnish catch up with friends, celebrate special occasions, relax, or get ready for the day. Work meetings can take place in saunas, some women give birth in saunas, and some request to be washed in the sauna when they die. It is considered a sacred place. The benefits of visiting a sauna are thought to include relaxation, improvement in blood circulation, refreshment, help with sleep, and the prevention of illness.
In the sauna, long-handled ladles are used to scoop water from a bucket and pour it onto the coals to create steam. Important sauna etiquette dictates that the patron closest to the coals is responsible for ladling the water, but only after checking with the others present. The process can also involve a plunge in a cold lake after heating up in the sauna.
By far my favourite sauna experience in Tampere was the ceremony I experienced in the Sauna Temple, a sauna yurt in Rauhaniemi Folk Spa. The Sauna Temple is a wood-fired silent sauna (though gentle talking is allowed on Wednesdays). The sauna ceremony is offered by Saunakonkeli (@saunakonkeli on Instagram), who perform an immersive mystical ritual that includes spells, chanting, old folk songs, and whisking the guests’ skin with maple twigs and leaves, all the while ladling water on the hot coals. It is an overwhelming, sensual experience that connects the sauna user with the sacred element of sauna culture – the combination of all four natural elements to create löyly (steam).
An hour and a half northwest of the center of Tampere you’ll find the town of Mänttä, which is home to the Serlachius Museum of Art. On the shores of Lake Melasjärvi, it comprises well-curated and thoughtful exhibits,
Lithuania is the happiest place in the world for children and those under 30, according to the World Happiness Report 2024.
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