Sauna guide

How to sauna: a traveller's guide to etiquette around the world

Saunas are simple: get hot, cool down, rest, repeat. The unwritten rules, though, change from country to country. Here's what you need to know before your first round abroad.

The basic routine

1. Shower before you go in. Clean and dry skin makes the heat more pleasant and keeps the benches clean for everyone.
2. First round: 8–15 minutes. Sit higher for more heat, lower for less. Leave whenever you feel like it – there is no prize for staying longest.
3. Cool down. A cold shower, a swim in the sea or lake, or simply sitting outside. Many regulars consider this the best part.
4. Rest and drink water for about as long as you were in the heat.
5. Repeat two to four times. Most public saunas are designed for a 1.5–3 hour visit.

Universal etiquette

• Sit on a towel or seat cover. Many venues hand out paper or linen covers for the benches.
• Ask before adding steam. Throwing water on the stones (löyly in Finnish) is part of the fun, but ask the room first: a quick “Is more steam ok?” is enough.
• Keep your voice down. Conversation is fine in most Nordic saunas, but loud talk and phone calls are not.
• No phones or cameras in changing rooms or sauna rooms – ever.
• Close the door quickly so the heat stays in.
• Follow the house rules. Where there is a sauna master or scheduled Aufguss session, don't enter or leave mid-ceremony.

Swimsuit or nude? Country by country

This is the question every sauna traveller asks. The honest answer: it depends on the country and on the venue. Always check the rules on the sauna's own page before you go.

Cold plunges and ice swimming

A dip in cold water between rounds is what turns a sauna into an experience. In Finland it's called avanto – a hole cut into the ice in winter. Enter slowly, keep your head above water for your first dips, stay in for seconds rather than minutes, and never swim alone in open water. Many seaside saunas provide ladders and handrails; use them.

Staying safe

• Drink water before, during and after. Skip alcohol while bathing.
• Leave immediately if you feel dizzy or unwell.
• If you are pregnant or have a heart condition, low blood pressure or another medical concern, ask your doctor before using a sauna or cold plunge.
• Eat lightly beforehand – not on an empty stomach, not straight after a big meal.

Sauna words worth knowing

Löyly

Finnish for the steam that rises when water hits the hot stones – and the feeling it creates.

Kiuas

The sauna stove and its pile of stones.

Savusauna

Smoke sauna: heated for hours without a chimney, then aired out. Soft heat and a smoky scent – a must in Finland.

Vihta / vasta

A bundle of fresh birch twigs used to gently whisk the skin.

Avanto

A hole in the ice for winter swimming.

Aufguss

German-style steam ceremony where a sauna master pours scented water on the stones and fans the heat with a towel.

Banya

The Russian and Eastern European steam bath, often with venik (leaf-bundle) treatments.

Jjimjilbang

Korean 24-hour bathhouse with hot rooms, baths and communal lounges.

Totonou

Japanese sauna slang for the deeply relaxed state after hot, cold and rest cycles.

What to bring

• Swimsuit (even where nudity is common, for mixed outdoor areas)
• Large towel and a small one to sit on
• Flip-flops or sauna slippers
• Water bottle
• Shampoo and a comb – many venues provide basics, but not all
• A warm hat for winter dips