When traveling to Finland, most find themselves at the capital of Helsinki or the home of Santa Claus in Rovaniemi. However, if you look in the middle, there is a relatively unknown city waiting for its moment in the sun. Welcome to Oulu, Finland, the 2026 Culture Capital of Europe.
How Much Time Should You Spend in Oulu?
Top Things to Do in Oulu
Nature and Outdoors
City and Culture
Saunas
If you visit Finland, no matter where you go, you simply must experience the sauna. When I first arrived in Finland and experienced my first sauna, my initial thoughts were quite negative. I saw it as a wooden box of unrelenting heat and inescapable sweat. By the time I left, however, it was one of my favorite aspects of Finnish culture.
Why is the Finnish Sauna so Special?
If you are planning a trip to Finland, you have likely heard that it is consistently ranked the happiest country in the world. There are many reasons for this ranking-many of which are why I love Finnish culture so much- but amongst them is the sauna. For the Finns, sauna is not something enclaved within a spa resort. Saunas are often public and cost as little as $10 for a 2-hour session, and many people actually have saunas within their own homes- something you will encounter if you look to book through AirBNB. For Finnish culture, sauna is essentially a part of every day life. Had a bad day? The sauna will fix it. Feeling sick? Sauna. Ready to unwind? Sauna.
There is a saying in Finland that everyone experiences the sauna in their own way; there is no “right” way to sauna. For many, the sauna is a mental reset from the day, forcing you to slow down, collect your thoughts, and break free from phones, noise, and productivity. Unlike the growing social media influence of sauna and cold plunge detoxes, the Finnish sauna is about routine, balance, and stress relief. The sauna is not a trend, but rather a lifelong ritual connecting people to their communities and with nature.
Advice for Your First Time Going to a Finnish Sauna
I am not particularly a social butterfly, so naturally before I went to my first sauna I was not short of questions and concerns. Hopefully the information I provide below can help you enjoy your first sauna with ease.
What should you bring to the sauna?
Most saunas (and all of the ones I went to) in Finland require some sort of covering. This is typically any sort of bathing suit you would be comfortable wearing to the beach. Slides or flip-flops are not mandatory, but you may chose to wear them if they make you comfortable. Some saunas provide a sitting towel for within the sauna, but I found this to me mainly for larger commercial and tourist oriented ones. Very few saunas will provide you with a towel, and none will do it for free, so I recommend bringing your own. Another lesson I learned is that it is best to bring a plastic bag of sorts for handling your wet clothes once finished. The one thing to remember when going to the sauna is that the Finnish sauna is free of judgement. Everybody saunas in their own way, so you do what makes you most comfortable.
Besides clothing, a water bottle is a must for the sauna. Every time you exit you should be drinking some water, and after you are finished it is highly recommended that you drink a 16oz bottle within the first hour or two. Some saunas provide free water but this is not a given, so do bring your own. All saunas have a place outside to store your bottles.
How to Sauna the Right Way
There is no right way to sauna, everyone does it in their own way. If this is your first time however, here are some tips and tricks to help you get settled.
Time
Generally, each person will stay in the sauna for some time between 10 and 15 minutes before getting out to hydrate and cool off/swim before re-entering.
Seating
Finnish public saunas generally have tiered seating. The higher seats will be warmest, and the lowest benches will be a few degrees cooler.
A Local’s Advice for Finnish Sauna Etiquette
The common saying is that it is very hard to offend a Finn; you essentially have to go out of your way to do so. That being said, there is some common etiquette in the saunas that would be best to follow.
Silence
The sauna is generally a quite place, so conversations should be kept to a calm level.
No technology
There are no phones or other sorts of distractions in the sauna, except for a smart watch to keep time.
The Sauna Master
For wood fired saunas, the person who dumps water on the hot rocks to maintain steam is known as the Sauna Master. This is not some elected title, but really just whoever picks up the ladel. If you wish to not be this person, I advice not sitting next to the rock stack. Additionally, if you are in a crowded sauna and someone goes to fill up the water bucket, it is best not to take their seat.
Best Saunas in Oulu
Listed below are my personal favorite saunas to visit in Oulu. Depending when you visit, some may be closed for the winter or some may have the opportunity for an ice-swim, another thing I greatly recommend.
Koivurannan Saunalautta
Without a doubt, this was my favorite sauna in Oulu. This floating river sauna is open all year round and has access (even in the winter!) to swimming in Oulujoki (the Oulu River). This sauna is quite popular amongst locals, so you do need to book a spot in order to enter. A ticket for entry, which gives you 1.5 hours, is 13 euro. If you are short on time and would just like to swim, you can also do that for just 3-5 euro. Besides a sauna, there is a bar serving (drinking a beer in the sauna is not uncommon), a changing room, a covered outdoor patio, and a hot tub. If you have a rental car there is street parking nearby, but you can also take the bus which has a stop nearby. The Oulu bus network is very reliable, clean, affordable, and easy to navigate either on Google Maps or the OSL App, which is where you buy tickets.
Link: https://koivurannansaunalautta.fi/en/services/public-sauna/
Price: 13 euro for 1.5 hours
Type: Wood fired
Kesän Sauna
Another local favorite is the Kesän Sauna. This is another floating river sauna, although only open for the warmer months. This sauna does not take reservations although does have a capacity, which might mean waiting. However, it is located right along the beach with beautiful scenery, and the experience is well worth it. To get to the sauna, you are pulled in on a dock tethered to the main deck; a little bit dramatic, but truly fun. Once on the main deck, there are changing rooms, an outdoor seating area, access to river swimming, and the sauna itself. This sauna is circular in design and can get quite hot compared to other ones, but nothing too crazy.
Link: https://kesansauna.fi/
Price: 17 euro for 2 hours
Type: Wood fired