Lakeside saunas in Finland

Tampere, Finland

A smoke sauna and an electric sauna on a lake shore in forest about 13 km from central Tampere, in a 1968 building extended in 2006. A group hires the whole place, with an outdoor hot tub, a grill on the veranda and a separate meeting room. Swimming is in the lake in summer and an ice hole in winter.

Lappeenranta, Finland

Hinkanranta runs separate men's and women's public saunas on the Saimaa shore at Joutseno. Each holds around fifteen, alongside four saunas let privately and a summer cafe. The last hour of the day is kept hottest.

Kirkkonummi, Finland

A lakeside sauna at a church-run course centre on Vitträsk in Kirkkonummi, hired by the group rather than by the seat. It takes around twenty people, with steps into the lake while the water is open and a fireplace room alongside for eating. Booking is by phone or email, weekdays only.

Jyväskylä, Finland

The Jyvässeutu traditional sauna association keeps this sauna on the shore of Tuomiojärvi, close to the centre of Jyväskylä. An electric stove heats it for separate men's and women's shifts, and in winter there is an ice hole to swim in. Entry is EUR 8 at the door; the sauna is aimed mainly at members.

Tampere, Finland

A lakeside public sauna on the shore of Kaukajärvi in eastern Tampere, run by the swimming club Uinti Tampere ry. Two sauna buildings open daily through the year, with swimming straight off the shore and ice swimming in winter. A kiosk sells refreshments in summer.

Tampere, Finland

A public wood-fired sauna on the shore of Näsijärvi, run by Tampere's winter swimmers' club. An ice hole is kept open through the winter, and entry is pay-at-the-door with no booking. Quiet hours are set aside at some sessions, and a smaller yurt sauna shares the changing rooms.

Kuopio, Finland

A function space on the Kallavesi shore about four kilometres from Kuopio market square, hired whole for evenings, meetings and courses. The sauna seats twelve to fifteen, and a terrace, jetty and swimming ladders sit twenty metres from the door. A hot tub and winter ice-hole swimming can be arranged.

Helsinki, Finland

A lakeside sauna complex in the Sipoonkorpi forest, 30 minutes from Helsinki centre. A smoke sauna heated for hours, a frigid lake for plunging, and birch trees in every direction. The winter weekend smoke sauna sessions are as good as it gets: dark sky, snow underfoot, hot smoke.

Rauma, Finland

Three wood-heated saunas stand on the shore of Narvijärvi, twenty minutes from Rauma, lit every day of the year. The family who took on the old municipal beach sauna in 2019 still run them. Swimming is from the sandy beach in summer and an ice hole in winter, with a heated outdoor pool and a café on site.

Lahti, Finland

Two lakeside saunas, Anna and William, stand in the grounds of a manor hotel on Vesijärvi at Lahti. Public shifts alternate with private hire of either sauna. The lake is there to cool off in year round, with an ice hole cut in winter and a hot tub facing the water.

Lappeenranta, Finland

Lappeenranta's public shore sauna on Myllysaari, a short walk from the harbour and run by LiveLife since 2024. Shifts alternate through the week between women, men and mixed, and it opens year round: a ladder off the jetty leads into an ice hole in winter and into Saimaa in summer. Pay the staff on arrival, no booking.

Kannonkoski, Finland

Four electric saunas share one lakeside building at the Piispala youth centre on Kivijarvi, alongside two fireplace lounges, changing rooms, terraces and a dock. Ice holes are cut off the shore in winter. Time is hired by the hour for a whole group rather than sold by the head.

Kuopio, Finland

A 1950s logging-camp cabin on the shore of Kallavesi, six hundred metres from the Rauhalahti hotel along a sand track through a nature reserve. Its smoke sauna has held more than a hundred bathers at once. Traditional evenings run every Tuesday year round with a buffet dinner and live music.

Lohja, Finland

Two lakeside saunas on the shore at Aurlahti, looking out over Lohjanjarvi and open through the year. You can buy a ticket for a public mixed shift or hire the saunas privately; swimwear is worn. Women and men have separate changing rooms with showers and lockers.

Tampere, Finland

A wood-fired yurt sauna on the Näsijärvi shore at Kaupinoja in Tampere, sharing the beach with the older public sauna there. Walk in during opening hours and pay the sauna tender directly, or use a ten-visit card. Swimming is from the shore, year round.

Tampere, Finland

Sauna buildings on the Pyhajarvi shore at Varala sports institute, hired by groups rather than open to walk-ins. Six lakeside saunas take eight to twelve each and come with a fireplace or lounge room, terraces stepping down to the water. A separate log sauna can be booked with a hot tub.