Sauna, Ice, and Learning How Winter Actually Works in Finland
A deep dive into Finnish sauna culture — and our private ice-dipping experience near Rovaniemi
In such a decor… the cold never bothered me anyway!
You can’t understand Finland without sauna. You can’t understand winter without cold water.
Put the two together and something very real happens — your body resets, your mind quiets, and winter suddenly feels less like something to endure and more like something to enjoy. Yes, enjoy! For us, it feels like a high.
That’s what we experienced with StayLapland. We’ve done saunas before. We’ve done winter trips before. But it was my friends’ first ice dip. And I’m pretty sure they got as hooked as us!
In the Nordics, sauna isn’t a “wellness activity”— it’s a way of life.
Ready to dive in?
Sauna in Finland: culture, not comfort
Don’t I look happy?
Finland has over 3 million saunas for about 5.5 million people. There are more saunas than cars. That statistic alone tells you everything. Sauna isn’t reserved for hotels or spas; it’s everywhere. Apartment buildings, offices, summer cabins. A close friend of ours lives in a normal apartment block in Helsinki and he has a private sauna. Other buildings offer at least a shared one.
Historically, sauna was the cleanest place in the home. People were born there. Families washed there. Important conversations happened there. Sauna was practical, social, and deeply human.
And yes—traditionally, sauna is naked, mostly for hygiene reasons, but also because clothes don’t belong in a space built around heat, steam, and equality. In a sauna, titles disappear. Everyone sweats the same. That social simplicity is still part of Finnish culture today.
Sauna is how people cope with darkness, cold, stress, and long winters. It doesn’t remove winter — it teaches you how to live with it and actually appreciate it.
Why heat and cold feel so good (and why people — us included — get hooked)
The faces of pure bliss!
Most of our friends think we’re crazy. And, admittedly, it’s not for everyone.
However, we strongly recommend you try before having an opinion. The “high” after sauna and cold water isn’t imagined. It’s physiological.
Heat exposure increases circulation and triggers the release of endorphins and dynorphins. Cold water immersion causes a rapid spike in adrenaline and noradrenaline, activating the nervous system and sharpening focus. When you alternate between the two, dopamine levels can rise and stay elevated for hours, which explains the calm, clear, slightly euphoric feeling afterward.
Research links regular sauna use and cold exposure to improved mood, reduced stress, better sleep, and long-term cardiovascular benefits. Finns don’t talk about it in scientific terms—they just know it works. That’s why people keep coming back. Not because it’s extreme, but because it reliably resets both body and mind.
A simple note of caution: like any intense physical practice, you should be in good health. Finns grow up with this rhythm, but listening to your body always comes first.
Bastu bastu
Sauna culture even made it to Eurovision. In 2024, Swedish comedy band KAJ competed in Melodifestivalen with Bara bada bastu, a joyful, tongue-in-cheek ode to sauna life. Sung partly in Finnish-Swedish dialect, the song playfully celebrates sweating together, slowing down, and letting the sauna solve your problems.
Pic: Jake with his sauna bucket in Luleå, Swedish Lapland
The experience: leaving Rovaniemi and entering another world
My version of paradise!
StayLapland picked us up in Rovaniemi and drove us out of the city and deep into nature. Roads thinned out, lights disappeared, and suddenly we were standing beside a frozen lake in what felt like a winter fairytale.
The path to the sauna was beautifully lit with soft fairy lights, winding through snow-covered trees. Everything felt intentional but understated. Just a frozen wonderland, quiet and still, inviting you to slow down before you even step inside.
The sauna itself is wood-fired and genuinely comfortable. There’s a proper decompression room where you can change, sit, drink water, and let your body decide when it’s ready for the next round.
Outside, a hole cut directly into the frozen lake, softly lit and surprisingly inviting. Steam rises from the sauna, the air bites your cheeks, and the contrast feels immediate. StayLapland provides towels, soap, shoes and gloves, which matters more than you’d expect — no freezing hands on metal ladders and painful feet while you’re trying to take a picture of your brave friends! Swimsuits are optional; it’s completely private, whether you’re a couple or a group.
Our friends had never done ice dipping before. They didn’t overthink it. They rolled with it and went Finnish for the afternoon. Just follow the rhythm. Heat. Breathe. Step down. Breathe again. No timers. No pressure. When you’re done, you simply call and someone picks you up.
We had a wonderful time: our definition of pure enjoyment.
Why this beats a hotel sauna
StayLapland’s sauna is spacious enough for a small group
A hotel sauna is fine. This is something else.
Here, the cold is real. The silence is real. You’re not stepping into a tiled plunge pool—you’re stepping into a frozen lake in the middle of Lapland. The experience isn’t controlled; it’s collaborative. Nature is part of the ritual.
And if the night is dark and clear, you might even catch the northern lights overhead—steam rising, snow crunching underfoot, green light moving slowly across the sky. I can’t imagine a more perfect Arctic experience.
If you do want a hotel with a sauna, check accommodations in Rovaniemi here.
Penguin Trampoline tip:
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🧳 Plan your Finnish Lapland adventure
✈️ Find flights to the Arctic — fly into Rovaniemi or via Helsinki.
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FAQ: Sauna in Finland
Is sauna originally Finnish?
Yes. Variations exist across the Nordics, but sauna as a cultural institution is distinctly Finnish, with deep historical roots and everyday modern use.
Do Finns really go to sauna naked?
Often, yes. It’s traditionally nude and non-sexual. With friends or mixed groups, people follow the local norm or agree on swimsuits—especially in tourist settings.
Do I need a swimsuit for the StayLapland sauna + ice dip?
Swimsuit is optional because the experience is private for your couple or group. Do what feels comfortable.
Is ice dipping safe for everyone?
Not for everyone. If you have cardiovascular conditions, are pregnant, or have medical concerns, check with a clinician first. If you’re healthy, go slow and listen to your body.
How cold is the water in an ice hole?
Usually close to 0°C (32°F). It’s shockingly cold—brief dips are normal and totally fine.
How long should you stay in the ice water?
For first-timers: just a quick dip is enough. Seconds can be plenty. You’re not proving anything; you’re doing contrast therapy.
What should I bring?
Typically: swimsuit (optional), a towel, water, and warm layers for after. StayLapland provides key items like towels, footwear and gloves so you don’t freeze on the ladder/rails.
What makes a lakeside sauna different from a hotel sauna?
The environment is part of the ritual: real cold, silence, nature, and privacy. It’s less “spa” and more “Finnish winter, properly experienced.”
Can you see the Northern Lights during the experience?
Sometimes, if the sky is dark and clear and aurora activity cooperates. It’s a bonus, not a guarantee.
Is this suitable for first-timers?
Yes. The best advice: don’t overthink it. Heat up, breathe, dip briefly, repeat. Your body figures it out fast.
Here is a little song to get you in the mood:
Sauna and ice dipping don’t distract you from the cold — they teach you how to live with it. After this, minus twenty degrees feels manageable. Even beautiful.
We recommend this without hesitation. If you want to experience Finland the way Finns do —not through checklists, Santa madness or hotel amenities, but through rhythm, contrast, and nature — this is it. Don’t think too much. Try.
Planning a trip to Finnish Lapland? Explore our detailed guides:
🏨 Best Hotels in Rovaniemi — Igloos, cabins, and Arctic charm under the Northern Lights.
🎿 Winter activities in Rovaniemi — How to experience the true Arctic beyond Santa
🌌 Northern Lights in Rovaniemi — when an aurora tour actually makes sense
🧊 Kiruna vs. Rovaniemi: Swedish Lapland vs. Finnish Lapland — Two Arctic capitals, one epic showdown.
🎄 Finnish Lapland — Reindeer, saunas, and winter magic with a side of forest silence.
❄️ Our Ultimate Arctic Travel Guide — How to explore, survive, and avoid becoming a polar bear’s lunch.
✨ Northern Lights for Dummies — How to actually see the aurora (without freezing your butt off or waiting 12 nights in vain).
🦌 Arctic Food Guide — Whale steak? Cloudberries? Reindeer stew? What to eat (or not eat) in the high North.
🎅 Magical Alternatives to Rovaniemi — Christmas magic without the crowds.
