Villa Järvelä Traditional Finnish Saunas

Finland invented saunas. Here they are more common than public toilets! Everyone has one at home. They are everywhere on streets you can pay a couple of euro for a few hours in coin operated entry ones. They are where people go alone, with friends, with family, even for business meetings 🤣 they are just such a huge normal part of Finnish culture and daily life.

So what better way to surprise Brace than taking him to one of the best Saunas in Finland. This one had 2 spas (hot tubs) and an ice bath, overlooking a huge lake and forest. They had various traditional Saunas, heated the original way with logs and coals, even one in a really old traditional tent.

We all had a lovely time in the hot tubs (big steel freshwater baths, not bubbly plastic chlorinated ones like you would get in the UK) we all had a go in the Saunas (even Lennon for just a tiny go) and me and Brace both had one ice bath dip straight after being in a hot sauna 🥶😂 me with a little encouragement from a crazy local. One Sauna I went in (with that crazy local) was so hot I had to close my eyes and cover my mouth with both hands as it was burning my eyes mouth and throat so much... 😄

It was a trip highlight, we felt very welcome and comfortable but still like we were part of a nice local tradition and not something laid on for tourists. It was even better that Lennon was allowed in as until we arrived I was unsure whether we would be able to all go in together or just me and Brace take it in turns.

We had to drive somewhere that evening but they do a barbecue for everyone each evening too which we just got to smell before we had to leave 😄

Highly recommend this place to anyone who visits Finland!Read more