Enjoy Ice-swimming at the Best Finnish Sauna in Finland

Pictures for design ideas

Why this sauna is good for you?

Best temperature for a wood burning sauna?

Pictures of Finnish sauna dressing room benches

How often should to throw water on the sauna stones?

Find ways to improve your enjoyment of this "best Finnish sauna"?, or your own. Read on for my sauna going experience and tips.

The best Finnish sauna in Finland, at the edge of lake Näsijärvi. Update: 2011 -- Great News! The new sauna is ready!strong> --please return for pics and review of the new Best Finnish sauna-- The principles and methods of taking/making of a great "sauna" still remains...so read on.

You may want to try out this sauna?

Take these design ideas for constructing your public sauna and at the same time create a traditional Finnish sauna culture where you live.

The best Finnish sauna is a classic example of how the size of the sauna hot room relative to stove size, stove type, whether it is an electric heated stove, wood fired, or gas all effect your whole sauna enjoyment. In other words, these factors all play an effect how good the sauna is for you and feels to you.

The thrilling combination of Finnish sauna and ice swimming is heightened using a large public wood burning sauna. Honestly! It is hard to beat the smell of burning spruce on a crisp winter day, while taking a dip under the ice.

To Get the Most out of the Best Finnish Sauna

Find a Person who Frequents the Kaupinoja Sauna in Tampere --follow Their Sauna Routine!

Ask a local at the sauna to take your picture. Then ask them to help you follow their routine. When I did the sauna routine which I explain here, with Pentti, a frequent visitor at the Kaupinoja sauna in Tampere, following this routine increased my feeling of well-being for hours afterwards.

The best Finnish sauna experience is what keeps the locals coming back for sauna with ice-swimming every week. Some come daily. When you go to the best Finnish sauna with ice-swimming at Kaupinoja with a friend, talk about the weather, work, hobbies. Most importantly, when together with another person, going into icy water becomes easier. So go with a Friend!

Changing rooms, with bathrooms, W.C., showers and blow dryers, clothes hangers. Drop all your valuables off when you buy your ticket. No worries, they are safe.

This room you will see after entering the main door coming from the outside.

A waiting room for after and during sauna use. Wait here after being in the sauna to cool down, or in between ice-swimming. Store your drinks here. Up to twenty people can sit on the benches provided in this room

Across the entrance to the main sauna hot room are two doors.

The changing room door
on the left is for men 'Miehet'
The door on the right is for women 'Naiset'

Best Finnish Sauna Temperatures

The sauna stove takes a minimum of 3 hours to heat up the main sitting room. So come to the sauna as soon as the doors open. There are fewer sauna guest then, and the sauna is not at its maximum temperature. The temperature here, believe it or not, is regularly above boiling point!

According to sauna specialist Pekka Tommila of the Finnish Sauna Society Suomen Saunaseura, the optimal temperature for sauna going is between 70 -90 degrees Celsius (158 -194 Fahrenheit). At these temperature ranges it feels best.

Keep in mind that you can always adjust to cooler temperatures by sitting on the lower level benches.

Best Finnish Sauna Design Ideas

Pour on water onto the sauna stove stones from any seat in the sauna. !!This extreme sport requires extreme tools!!

Top of Sauna stove Over 80 centimeter diameter sauna stove top and 100 kilos plus sauna stones ,puts out LOTS of steam when you throw on water.

Flames from the sauna stove Spruce is chopped into 60 cm long pieces supplied by the city of Tampere, and powers the sauna stove. The attendant responsible for feeding wood wears fireproof clothing while working with this hungry sauna stove.

The sauna stove -Over 180 cm high



Sauna stove -Top corner bench perspective

Sauna stove ventilation

Side view of sauna stove. A large pipe brings in fresh air from the outside. This huge sauna stove pulls in a tremendous amount of air from within the sauna room and from the outside.

The pipe shoots air down through the room and to the bottom of the sauna stoves burner. The air travels along the pipe, warms as it enters the room, and fills the perimeter of the bottom of the stove. So the floors stay warm even though it's well below freezing outside. The gap under the sauna room door allows air to escape.

This incredible sauna room design gives you the cozy warm feeling of a wood stove, unlike an electrical element type of heat. Great to host sauna competitions. Pure sauna pleasure.

Sauna stove, benches, and door

Inside the sauna room, facing the exit. This is where I took the previous shot of the ventilation pipe. Sauna stove on the left, small window behind illuminating the stones.

Hot Sauna Benches Upon entering the sauna from the outside immediately on the right, closest to the door, are the hottest benches. The sauna door is on the right. Not visible.

Hot Sauna benches Facing the rear of the sauna room.

The window side is not as hot as the side with the light. Either side top benches are really hot. Right side,where you see the light, is a bit hotter than the left

After your introduction to the best Finnish sauna, the sauna attendant whispers into your ear: "Psss!! How would you like to have a great experience at the best Finnish sauna?

So she recommends the following routine.

• For first-timers to the Kaupinoja sauna, keep water with you for drinking.


• After getting changed into your sauna attire, take a short dip in the lake.


• Grab a wood seat pad and go into the sauna to warm up. Choose third level bench seating.
  
  Heat waves travel to, and collect in, the corners quite rapidly, soooo... sit on the lower benches and away from the four corners. Unless you like torturously scalding steam, or you are in a competitive mood?
  
  Tip!

  As you first enter the hot sauna room, pour on enough water to warm up comfortably. Notice, I did not say throw. Pour a ladle or two of water slowly only after your body has adjusted to the heat.

  Many throw water on immediately when they get into the hot room unaware that the body is traumatized by the sudden heat of he hot stove.

  Only when your body is adjusted to the heat and ready for a more heat, then throw the water onto the stones from a distance to get a quick burst of steam. This helps you warm up quickly.

  
  Warm up until you feel warm? Good...
• Once you are warmed up, exit the sauna, drop off your wooden seat pad, and follow the green mats down the stairway to lake Näsijärvi.

Lake Näsijärvi -Large hole in ice for swimming

Always go to the lake with others around.

Lake Näsijärvi -Stairway to hell.

Who is it I see there? It is you! Good job, you have come a long way.

The steps down to the edge of the lake are steep and kept warm and salted during the winter season.

Lake Näsijärvi -blowers circulating the water keep the ice hole thawed.

Facing the lake as you are ascending to go ice-swimming, walk into the lake using the right staircase, swim around to the left, and return using the left set of stairs.

• Stay in the water until it hurts a bit. Try swimming. Ahhh, never thought you could swim in such cold water? You can. Just keep your head above water.


• Cool off some more, while sitting on the outside benches. Stay outside as long as you can. When you notice goose pimples or feel quite chilly, go back into the sauna to warm up.


• Repeat this cycle as often as you can, trying to extend your time in the ice-water until your body says: "Stop!"

Cooling down suggestions.

Finish your sauna experience by....

Either going directly to take a shower. Be sure that you are warm enough before taking a shower or you will be shivering for hours afterwards.

....or....

To Extend that Feeling of Bliss:

After the final warmup, instead of going from the sauna 'hot room' to take a shower, go into the lake for a final last dip. A quick dip will do--just in and out.

....then....

go and get changed. No need to shower off.

That was how I extended my feeling of bliss at the best Finnish sauna with ice-swimming in Finland.

With my feeling of well-being significantly extended, I left Kaupanoja feeling great. Hours later, the final effects of my last dip in the freezing lake wore off.

Opening Hours

The best Finnish sauna opening hours:

Winter schedule is from October to April.

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 3 pm - 7:45 pm
Tuesdays and Thursdays 3 pm - 9 pm
Saturdays 12 am - 6 pm
Sundays 12 am - 8 pm


Summer schedule is from May to September.

Mondays through Fridays 3 pm - 7:45 pm
Saturdays and Sundays 2 pm - 6 pm

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After you buy your ticket, be sure to read directions: "How to take a Sauna at Kaupinoja" on the notice board in the hallway on your way to the changing room. These are excellent directions, and are in English.

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