Visiting a sauna was one of my missions when travelling in Helsinki. I have done some research to determine which one to visit, the key criterion was something unique and memorable.

Originally I was to visit another sauna which was kinda close to this one and offered the opportunity to dip in the sea, but on the day I visited, the sea didn't look too inviting. As a result, that original sauna I wanted to visit became less appealing. I immediately changed my plan to visit Kotiharjun Sauna instead, since the offer of a traditional sauna made me really curious.

Kotiharjun Sauna can be easily reached by Metro (I was using a 24hr travel card then so it made sense for me). I arrived on a Thursday at about 4pm and was the only female user. This gave me a good opportunity to check out the changing room and to truly experience the zen of steaming alone in the dim and quiet sauna.

The changing room got lockers, benches and tables for people to hang out. I realized this as when I finished my sauna at about 6pm, two mothers and their kids arrived, I saw them laying out food and drinks on the table (like a picnic!). I chatted with them and asked them if they came often and how long they usually stayed there for. "A few hours at least, we sauna, then eat and drink, sauna again, drink again...and so on!" The kids even got some beach toys!

It was a truly enjoyable experience.

Kotiharjun is one of the local gems that hasn't been overrun by tourists. Sauna culture is huge in Finland, and you'll see lots of locals coming there to hang out with their friends, or enjoy some quiet time alone.

This claims to be the only wood-fired sauna in Finland, and the smell of burned wood in the hot room is really something special. The facilities are old ('rustic' may be a good term to use), but still clean and well looked-after. There are three main sections: the hot room itself, the shower/massage room, and the changing/chillout room where you can sit down with a drink and chat with your friends or read a magazine in between trips to the sauna.

A few cultural points to consider:
- You need to shower before going into the sauna
- The saunas are nude, but don't worry - men and women are separated into different saunas. Some cultures *coughBritishcough* can get very embarrassed about going naked in public, but the atmosphere here is very relaxed, no one will stare at you, and it's generally a very asexual and body-positive experience.

A few tips:
- Bring your own towel, otherwise you'll need to pay $3 to rent one
- Bring your own beer, but enjoy it in the common room - you can't bring drinks into the sauna itself.
- Don't stay too long in the hot room - about 10-15 mins is recommended for beginners. Make sure to cool down between trips to the hot room either by having a cold shower, or sitting in the common room.
- Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated.

So do it like the Finns and give yourself a real authentic experience!

Kotiharjun Sauna is a traditional Finnish sauna which gave us a super nice start of our Saturday evening in Helsinki. We really liked the traditional feel, the nice people to chat with, and the very warm and lively atmosphere! Go there!