Loyly and the Helsinki Sauna Revival
The new wave of seaside public saunas in Helsinki - striking architecture, sea plunges and a revival of the city sauna as social life.
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Helsinki has led a revival of the public sauna, and its seaside houses have become social landmarks. Loyly is the flagship, a sculptural timber building on the shore with saunas and a ladder into the Baltic, while the free, volunteer-built Sompasauna and the harbour pools of Allas show the range of the movement.
What you actually see
- Loyly - the award-winning stepped timber sauna building with a sea plunge.
- Sompasauna - the free, self-service, volunteer-run sauna by the water.
- Allas Sea Pool - saunas and heated and sea pools by the market square.
- The sea plunge - the ladder or hole into the Baltic between heats, year-round.
When to go
Year-round; winter brings the exhilarating ice-swim between saunas, summer the warm sea and long evenings. Book the popular houses ahead; Sompasauna is first-come and free.
Honest expectations
The flagship houses are stylish and can be pricey and booked out, while the free Sompasauna is basic, communal and take-it-as-you-find-it. Etiquette still matters even in the new venues. It is a modern, mixed-swimwear take on the tradition rather than the old nude ritual.
Nearby
The Helsinki waterfront, the market square and Suomenlinna ferry are all close.
What to pack for Loyly and the Helsinki Sauna Revival
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
