Finland is often called “The Land of Thousand Lakes”, but that’s only part of the story. With forests, countless lakes and clean air, nature is never far away. Even in the middle of a city you are often just a short walk away from forest trail or a lakeside path, this closeness to nature is deeply woven into everyday Finnish life. One concept that captures this well is jokamiehenoikeudet, “everyman’s rights”. The right for anyone to walk, cycle, ski or pick berries and mushrooms in almost every forest in Finland. This tells you something important about Finnishness: nature is seen as something shared.
If nature is one pillar of Finnish life, the sauna is another and often the two go hand in hand. There are more saunas than cars in Finland, and for most Finns sauna isn’t a luxury, it’s a normal, weekly, or even daily part of life. Traditionally, the sauna was used for not only for bathing but also treating illnesses and even preparing the deceased for burial. Many Finns describe it as almost sacred and a place where you are expected to be calm and behave respectfully. Beyond hygiene, sauna today is mainly about relaxation and mental wellbeing. The löyly (steam created by throwing water on hot stones) and the silence create a space to slow down, no phones and less daily stress. It’s common for Finns to go from hot sauna to a cold swim in a lake or the sea, and even in winter through a hole cut into the ice.
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