Sauna culture in Ylläs – by the purest waters

In Finland, sauna has a long-standing tradition. For Finns, it’s not just a place to wash up – it’s a space for relaxation, recovery, and presence. Gentle steam and cooling off help ease the stress of everyday life. In Ylläs, you can experience sauna in many different ways. In summer, the clean waters invite you to take a dip, and when the dark nights arrive, you might even catch a glimpse of the northern lights during your evening sauna – if you dare to try the ice hole.

So what’s it all about, and where can you enjoy a sauna in Ylläs? Would you like to try an authentic smoke sauna or discover another unforgettable sauna experience on your trip?

A woman sits on the bench of a dark smoke sauna. Soft light filters in through the window.
The steam in a smoke sauna is gentler, but heating the sauna requires skill. In a smoke sauna, steam should be thrown slowly and quietly. Photo: Annika Varpe/Visit Ylläs

Why is sauna so important to Finns?

Sauna culture in Finland has deep roots, with a rich history, beliefs, and traditions. Sauna has been part of life’s major moments – birth, celebration, and mourning.

Back in the day, the workweek was six days long, and Saturday was for washing up – and where else but in the sauna? Most Finns still sauna weekly. Only a small portion avoid the steam. Saturday remains the most common sauna day. It’s a place where you can leave your roles behind with your clothes in the dressing room and step into the steam without obligations. There’s no rush in the sauna.

Today, sauna is a place where people open up about even difficult topics, unwind, and recover from daily life or physical exertion. Sauna is also believed to have health benefits, which have been widely studied.

Sauna as cultural heritage

In 2020, the Finnish sauna tradition was added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage. There are over three million saunas in Finland – an incredible number. How many might there be in Ylläs alone? No wonder there are many sayings about sauna, like: “When the black pipes of the stove sing, everyday sorrows are forgotten.”

In the picture is a log-walled sauna steam room with large, light wooden benches and a massive stove.
Ylläs is home to many traditional Finnish saunas, such as the original wood-heated lakeside sauna at Rönölä’s historic logging cabin.

Sauna experiences in Ylläs

In Ylläs, saunas can be found in cabins, hotels, with various service providers – even at the top of the fell. Some saunas can be booked for private use, perfect if your accommodation doesn’t have one or you’re looking for something extra special.

Bookable sauna experiences and services

Here are some highlights of saunas you can book separately. Choose a smoke sauna, the peace of a wilderness hut, the atmosphere of an old logging cabin, or combine sauna with yoga for ultimate relaxation.

  • Aakenuspirtti Sauna & ice swimming In winter, enjoy an authentic sauna experience at the old logging cabin Aakenuspirtti. Mixed-gender and women’s yoga & sauna sessions available. Private bookings also possible.
  • Lapland Hotels Saaga The spa includes separate traditional electric saunas and steam rooms for men and women, plus a 15-person private sauna with its own lounge.
  • Lapland Safaris organizes midnight sun sauna trips in Ylläs during the summer. Guests travel by boat to a wilderness cabin, where they can enjoy a relaxing sauna experience. These excursions are available in June and July.
  • Loimu Resort Choose between a smoke sauna or electric sauna and Jacuzzi. In winter you can try the ice swimming and in summer, swim in the Lake Ylläsjärvi. Available for private bookings even if you’re not staying at the resort.
  • Luosujärven rantakahvila café. In winter, rent a small lakeside sauna that’s heated on request. You can also only dip into the ice hole without using the sauna, for a separate fee.
  • Peurakaltio logging sauna Rent this cozy sauna in an old logging cabin setting. Add a hot tub or small snacks and drinks to your experience.
  • Rönölä offers a traditional wood-heated sauna and a new smoke sauna built with respect for tradition. Both can be booked privately. Dip into Lake Luosujärvi in summer or winter. Sauna sessions are also held during AAVA Lapland yoga events and these are open for every one.
  • Sauna gondola For a truly elevated experience – literally – book the sauna gondola for you and your group and enjoy something unforgettable.
  • Ylläs summit sauna Experience sauna at the highest altitude in Finland. At the summit, there’s a traditional electric sauna and a hot tub. Reach the private day sessions by gondola and evening sessions in winter by snowcat. Occasionally, open sessions for men and women are also held.
  • Ylläksen Yöpuu A cozy lakeside sauna with swimming or ice hole access in winter. Stunning fell views right in the heart of Äkäslompolo. Only available for private bookings – no public sessions.
  • Ylläs Experiences – Wilderness hut and lakeside sauna Wilderness hut and lakeside sauna. An authentic wilderness cabin experience topped off with sauna and a refreshing dip. Book the cabin for private use or join a guided tour that includes sauna time.
Sauna and swimming in Ylläs
In the picture is two lakeside saunas, a wooden pier, a calm lake, and trees bask in the warm sunshine of a perfect summer day.
From the pier, it’s easy to slip into the cool, refreshing water for a swim. Photo: Annika Varpe/Visit Ylläs

The secrets of sauna – tips and traditions

In shared saunas, you might have fun encounters – strangers chatting and finding common ground in the gentle steam. For others, sauna is a place for silence and calm. It’s good to read the room and sense how much conversation is welcome. But friendly sauna talk is never out of place.

Traditionally, Finns sauna naked, but in public saunas, swimsuits are often worn. In summer, especially at cabins and lakeside saunas, birch whisks (called vihta or vasta) are used. These are bundles of birch twigs used to gently tap the skin in the steam.

From sauna straight into crystal-clear waters

Cooling off is an essential part of the sauna experience – and for many, that means swimming or even dipping into an ice hole in winter.

In Ylläs and throughout Lapland, we’re lucky to enjoy clean and often crystal-clear natural waters. Swimming is considered part of the Finnish sauna tradition. Sauna sessions often follow a rhythm of steam, cooling off, and swimming – repeated in cycles.

Three people walk from the sauna along the pier toward the lake for a swim. In the background, a serene lake, forest, and fell complete the summer scene.
Cooling off in natural waters is the perfect way to complete the sauna experience. Photo: Christer Ådahl/Visit Ylläs

Sauna 1-2-3

Here are some traditional sauna practices:

  • Seat covers – A small towel or cover is placed on the bench to sit on. 
  • Throwing steam – Water is thrown on the hot stones to create moist, hot steam. 
  • Cooling off – Between sauna rounds, people cool off in the shower, outdoors, or in water – even rolling in snow! 
  • Washing up – After sauna, people wash thoroughly. Some finish with a dip in cool water for a refreshing endorphin boost. 
  • Sauna drinks – You sweat a lot in the sauna, so it’s good to have something to drink. 
  • After sauna – Take time to cool down before getting dressed. In winter, after an ice hole dip, it’s lovely to bundle up in something warm. 

Ready to sauna?

Visitors to Ylläs are often active outdoor enthusiasts – and what better way to end an adventurous day than with a sauna? Heat up the cabin sauna or book a unique sauna experience – and most importantly, enjoy and relax. You’ve earned it!

Book your sauna experience
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