Sweden’s entry into Eurovision 2025 is causing a stir. Its entry, Bara Bada Bastu (Just Sauna), is performed by Finnish comedy group KAJ in a quartet of bucket hat-wearing and towel-draped dancers in a sauna. Though great entertainment, it has sparked global curiosity about one of Finland’s most iconic traditions: the sauna how to do it.
Sauna is just a part of everyday Finnish life. In Helsinki, locals of all ages go to the sauna year-round, sometimes daily. It’s a ritual, a routine, and a shared experience that welcomes everyone, regardless of background, body type, or age.
Most Finns will have a home sauna with an estimated 3.3 million saunas across the country. With a population of around 5.5 million Finland has actually more saunas than cars — roughly one sauna for every 1.67 people.
Sauna is so profoundly part of the culture that in 2020, this activity was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognising it as a living tradition passed from one generation to another.
For visitors, even though the iconic wooden sauna is familiar, the idea of stepping into one comes with uncertainty — do you have to be naked, is talking allowed, and what’s with the felt hat?
Local Helsinkians share their own ways of enjoying the sauna. Photo: Juho Vesanen / Veli Studio
In Finland’s capital, Helsinki, the answer to most of these questions is the same: it depends on what feels right for you and on the space you’re in. What matters most is comfort, personal boundaries and respect for others.
Sanna Forsström, Head of Brand & Events, City of Helsinki. say “It’s time to forget the rules and rituals you might have heard. In Helsinki, the sauna is a reflection of freedom, self-expression, and social connection. Once inside, most visitors are surprised to learn how relaxed, diverse, and personal the experience really is. And for many visitors, the sauna ultimately becomes one of the most memorable parts of their stay.”
And to show just how many ways there are to sauna, locals from the city shared their own styles for the world in a sauna-themed shoot, and now those same Helsinkians can be spotted in multiple surfaces around Helsinki and on the streets of Basel, showing up on digital posters reminding Eurovision fans that when it comes to sauna, there really are so many ways.
Cooling off between sauna sessions on Lonna Island. Photo: Leena Karppinen, Helsinki Partners
This year, Helsinki has more reasons than ever to cheer during Eurovision. Erika Vikman is Finland’s official representative, and although KAJ is performing under the Swedish flag, all members of the trio are Finnish and two of them calling Helsinki home.
Helsinki celebrates Eurovision with sauna-themed events
In Helsinki, the festivities kick off with SAUNAVISION, a public pre-party at Töölönlahdenpuisto, where locals can enjoy around ten different saunas before the Grand final. You can also catch a pre-show steam at Kyrö Distillery’s sauna at Keskuskatu, or keep the sauna celebration going in the Super Terrace downtown opening on the 12th of June.
Although this May will be full of sauna hype, the city’s sauna culture is not limited to an event or season. Helsinki is home to more than 60 public saunas that are open and welcoming locals and visitors throughout the year. These include well-known architectural landmarks such as Löyly and Allas Sea Pool, island saunas like Lonna, as well as locally cherished saunas like the self-service Sompasauna.
Saunas heating up on Djurgården Island in Stockholm, Sweden, at the Bara Bastu event. Photo: Elina Simonen, Bara Bastu
What you should actually know before you go to the sauna?
- There are no strict rules — but how you feel is a good guide.
- All are welcome: kids, elders, locals, visitors.
- Check if there is a dress code in the sauna you’re entering – in public mixed saunas you often wear a swimsuit, meanwhile in a swimming pool you usually don’t. Wearing a towel is always ok.
- Hydration is key. Drink water, and sit on whichever bench level feels right for you.
- There are no rules on how long you should be inside the sauna. Head out to cool off when you feel hot.
- The felt hat some people wear? It helps regulate body temperature.
- Ask a local. Most are happy to share their approach.
TOP Tip: Just one minute in cold water after the sauna boosts your happy hormones. When you alternate the heat of the sauna with a 30–60 second dip in the sea, lake, or cold shower, your body responds with a rush of feel-good hormones.