Seven awesome public saunas in Helsinki
Helsinki has many fabulous public saunas! Sampling different types of saunas is a great way to get acquainted with the vibrant local sauna lifestyle. For Helsinkians, a sauna session with friends offers the opportunity to relax, socialise and enjoy post-sauna drinks and delicious eats.
From design saunas to island saunas, a communal sauna, a traditional sauna and a casual neighbourhood one, here are seven awesome saunas worth trying out.
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1. Sweet daytrip löyly: Lonna island sauna
The cute (Instagrammable!) little island of Lonna, just a short ten-minute ferry boat ride from the central Helsinki Market Square, is a magical place to take a peaceful break from the city. On Lonna, the stylish modern loft saunas are shorefront which make it easy for sauna-goers to take a swim in the Baltic Sea in between löyly sessions, or sit outside on the terrace overlooking the Archipelago and watch boats and ferries sail by. The sauna reception stocks a range of sauna beverages, including local beers. And the island’s bespoke restaurant nearby serves seasonal fare with an emphasis on organic Finnish ingredients.
There are separate changing rooms for men and women, and all sauna sessions are mixed so swimming suits are worn. Lonna sauna is open during the summer months. Advance booking recommended!
2. Seawater spa löyly: Uunisaari sauna (also on an island!)
Just off Kaivopuisto Park in central Helsinki, Uunisaari Island has a history of wellbeing dating back to the early 1900s when it was home to a sea spa. Though the original sea spa is no longer there, the wellness tradition continues with the recently revamped and re-opened seaside Uunisaari Sauna.
Two saunas Iso (‘Big’) and Pikku (‘Little’) offer gentle löyly with public sauna sessions Wednesdays through Sundays. Nearby, a wooden dock offers easy access to the water for a seawater bath in between steam sessions. The island’s restaurant has a small sauna menu that features specialties including an assortment of sausages, a favourite after-sauna snack.
Uunisaari is accessible by footbridge during the winter months and a very short boat ride (two minutes) during the summer months. There is also a small sandy beach to swim from in the summer!
3. Historic löyly – Lähde sauna
One of the city’s oldest public saunas, Lähde sauna, dates back to the 1880s and lies on the grounds of what was once a psychiatric hospital. The large neoclassical building designed by Carl Ludwig Engel, who created much of Helsinki’s historic centre, is now a vibrant cultural community centre and Lähde Sauna’s laidback energy reflects that. Nearby, there’s a small dock with access to the water for cool-off sessions in the sea.
There are public sauna sessions throughout the week, check the online calendar for details.
4. Come together löyly: Sompasauna
Helsinki’s free, open 24/7, every day, year-round Sompasauna is run by everyone who uses the communal space. As there’s no staff, volunteers chop wood for the saunas, fetch water, and take care of the saunas. Urban sauna at its best.
There are currently three saunas located on the Helsinki shoreline near Kalasatama, but Sompasauna is slated to move to a new location on Mustikkamaa island during 2025. While there are no changing rooms or showers, you can bring your own lock for the community cupboards and take a dip off the dock to cool off in the sea.
Sauna peace is one of Sompasauna’s guiding principles, which means respect for others and taking care of the collective space, which is rented from the City of Helsinki. Bring your own beverages and snacks!
5. Neighbourhood löyly: Sauna Hermanni
For a sauna experience with a sweet retro feel, head to Sauna Hermanni, which has been serving customers since the 1950s. The entrance is tucked into the inner courtyard of an apartment building and the warm space is decorated in a casual way reminiscent of a Finnish summer cottage from bygone years. There are separate saunas for men and women, who bathe naked.
Sauna snacks from sausages, sandwiches and snack plates with olives, cheese, garlic, pickles and jalapeno and soft drinks and coffee are available for purchase, or you can bring your own.
Cupping, a centuries-old traditional treatment used to relieve a variety of ailments and massage available upon request. We urge you to try these out!
6. Urban bistro löyly: Uusi Sauna
In the Jätkäsaari neighbourhood, Uusi Sauna (‘New Sauna’) is a lively public sauna, bar and restaurant. There are separate saunas (wood-pellet heated) for men and women and a public terrace for cooling off.
The spacious bistro-style bar-restaurant often has live music or guest DJs, making it a chill place to enjoy a burger or drinks after a good löyly session. The mixed gender electric sauna can be rented for private events.
Reservations are not required, but recommended if you’re coming with a larger group.
7. Night out löyly: THE Löyly design sauna
On the city’s southern tip, Löyly is Helsinki’s stylish seaside design sauna complex, built ecologically and blending seamlessly in its surroundings. In addition to three saunas (including a traditional smoke sauna – a rarity in the city centre!), there’s a terrace with stairs to the sea for an invigorating dip in between sauna sessions and löyly, the steam created when water is ladled over the sauna stove’s rocks. Here, the saunas are for everyone, so swimsuits are worn, though there are separate changing rooms and shower facilities for women and men.
The à la carte restaurant, which favours locally produced ingredients, serves up classics including ‘Jasper’s salmon soup’, a take on the Finnish favourite created by Löyly’s owner Hollywood actor Jasper Pääkkönen. An environmentalist and sauna entrepreneur, Pääkkönen is well known for his roles in Spike Lee’s Oscar-winning movie BlacKkKlansman (2018) and the hit TV series Vikings (2013-20).
Booking in advance is recommended.
