Here in Estonia we simply love our saunas... Sitting in the hot steam naked with your friends and time to time hitting each other with branches of birch trees - what's not to like? It sounds simple and understandable for the locals, but is confusing for the visitors. So, here is a simple overview of everything you need to know about the sauna culture in Estonia. 1. Local honor the sauna If you have seen how red people get from their face when sitting in hot sauna, then it is easy to imagine how Estonians would look like if you would say something inappropriate about Estonian sauna culture. Locals do not appreciate if someone suggests that sauna is only a Finnish thing. In reality, saunas are as popular, if not more popular, in Estonia than they are in Finland. People have saunas in central Tallinn apartments, in all public swimming pools, and in their cottages. Many go to sauna at least once a week, some go every day, and excuses for going vary from business meetings to family reunions. 2. The real way to go to sauna The sauna procedure itself is simple. You stay in the hot 100°C sauna until you get "comfortably warm". To cool yourself down, you either take a shower or sit in a cozy room in front of the sauna where you can have a cold drink or some snacks. People normally do at least 2-3 of these sauna rounds, but some can spend the entire evening in sauna, going in and out several times. The perfect sauna experience would be in a small countryside house with a lake or a river nearby. Locals love to dip themselves into the water or jump into the snow or an ice hole in winter.
Here in Estonia we simply love our saunas… Sitting in the hot steam naked with your friends and time to time hitting each other with branches of birch trees – what’s not to like? It sounds simple and understandable for the locals, but is confusing for the visitors. So, here is a simple overview
