{"id":22901,"date":"2026-11-10T17:02:35","date_gmt":"2026-11-10T17:02:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hungrytravelfamily.com\/blog\/uncategorized\/finnish-sauna-culture-explained-unesco-2020-visitors-guide\/"},"modified":"2026-11-10T17:04:42","modified_gmt":"2026-11-10T17:04:42","slug":"finnish-sauna-culture-explained-unesco-2020-visitors-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hungrytravelfamily.com\/blog\/lapland\/finnish-sauna-culture-explained-unesco-2020-visitors-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Finnish sauna culture explained for visitors: and why UNESCO listed it"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"22901\" class=\"elementor elementor-22901 elementor-bc-flex-widget\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-52699f0 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"52699f0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div 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img{width:100%;height:auto;aspect-ratio:21\/9;object-fit:cover;border-radius:8px;display:block;}\n@media(max-width:640px){.htf-bk-cta{padding:20px 18px;}.htf-bk-title{font-size:21px;}button.htf-bk-btn{width:100%;}}\n<\/style>\n<script>\n(function(){function fb(){var bs=document.querySelectorAll('button.bokunButton[data-href]');for(var i=0;i<bs.length;i++){var b=bs[i];if(b.disabled){b.disabled=false;b.setAttribute('data-htf-fallback','1');b.addEventListener('click',function(e){window.location.href=this.getAttribute('data-href');});}}}\nif(document.readyState==='complete'){setTimeout(fb,7000);}else{window.addEventListener('load',function(){setTimeout(fb,7000);});}})();\n<\/script>\n<!-- HERO --><header class=\"htf-hero\">\n<div class=\"htf-hero-inner\">\n<div class=\"htf-breadcrumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hungrytravelfamily.com\/blog\/\">Home<\/a> \u00a0\/\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/hungrytravelfamily.com\/blog\/category\/press-media\/\">Press &amp; Media<\/a><\/div>\n<span class=\"htf-category\">Press \u00b7 Finnish sauna culture<\/span>\n<h1>Finnish sauna culture explained for visitors: <em>and why UNESCO listed it<\/em><\/h1>\n<p class=\"htf-hero-deck\">The UNESCO timeline, the words to know, the Sauna Society&#x27;s facts and how to try a traditional sauna safely and respectfully in Lapland.<\/p>\n<div class=\"htf-hero-meta\">\n<div class=\"htf-meta-author\">\n<div class=\"htf-avatar\">J&amp;A<\/div>\n<div><strong>Joona &amp; Alla<\/strong>Rovaniemi, Finland<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<span class=\"htf-dot\">\u00b7<\/span> November 10, 2026 <span class=\"htf-dot\">\u00b7<\/span> 10 min read <span class=\"htf-dot\">\u00b7<\/span> Updated for winter 2026\u20132027<\/div>\n<div class=\"htf-hero-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hungrytravelfamily.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Reindeer-Sleigh-ride-with-Santa-Claus-5.jpg\" alt=\"Finnish sauna culture explained for visitors \u2014 Hungrytravelfamily\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<!-- ARTICLE + SIDEBAR -->\n<div class=\"htf-wrap\"><!-- BODY -->\n<article class=\"htf-body\">\n<style>\n.htf-press{margin:32px 0;padding:26px 28px;border-radius:10px;background:#0d2018;color:#e9efe6;font-family:Inter,sans-serif;}\n.htf-press .htf-press-eyebrow{font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:3px;text-transform:uppercase;color:#C8A45A;margin:0 0 8px;}\n.htf-press .htf-press-title{font-family:'Playfair Display',Georgia,serif;font-size:24px;line-height:1.25;color:#fff;margin:0 0 10px;}\n.htf-press p{margin:0 0 12px;line-height:1.6;color:#d8e8d0;}\n.htf-press ul{margin:0 0 14px 18px;padding:0;color:#d8e8d0;line-height:1.6;}\n.htf-press a.htf-press-btn{display:inline-block;margin:4px 10px 0 0;padding:12px 20px;border-radius:6px;background:#C8A45A;color:#0d2018;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;}\n.htf-press a.htf-press-btn.alt{background:transparent;color:#fff;border:1px solid #C8A45A;}\n.htf-press-mini{margin:22px 0;padding:14px 18px;border-left:4px solid #C8A45A;background:#f7f3ea;border-radius:6px;font-family:Inter,sans-serif;font-size:15px;line-height:1.55;color:#3b4a41;}\n.htf-press-mini a{color:#2D5A3D;font-weight:700;}\n.htf-quotes{margin:36px 0;padding:26px 28px;border-radius:10px;background:#f7f3ea;border:1px solid #eee6d8;font-family:Inter,sans-serif;}\n.htf-quotes .htf-press-eyebrow{font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:3px;text-transform:uppercase;color:#C8A45A;margin:0 0 12px;}\n.htf-quotes blockquote{margin:0 0 16px;padding:0 0 0 16px;border-left:3px solid #2D5A3D;font-family:'Playfair Display',Georgia,serif;font-size:19px;line-height:1.45;color:#2D5A3D;}\n.htf-quotes .htf-quote-by{font-family:Inter,sans-serif;font-size:13px;color:#5b6b62;margin:-8px 0 16px 19px;}\n.htf-sources{margin:32px 0;font-family:Inter,sans-serif;font-size:14px;color:#5b6b62;}\n.htf-sources h3{font-family:Inter,sans-serif;font-size:13px;letter-spacing:2px;text-transform:uppercase;color:#2D5A3D;margin:0 0 8px;}\n.htf-sources ol{margin:0 0 0 18px;padding:0;line-height:1.6;}\n.htf-data-table{width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;margin:20px 0;font-family:Inter,sans-serif;font-size:15px;}\n.htf-data-table th{background:#2D5A3D;color:#fff;text-align:left;padding:10px;}\n.htf-data-table td{border-bottom:1px solid #eee6d8;padding:10px;vertical-align:top;}\n.htf-data-table tr:nth-child(even) td{background:#faf7f0;}\n<\/style>\n<!-- HTF-PRESS-V1 -->\n<p>Ask a Finn what makes Finland Finland and sooner or later the answer is the sauna. It is not a spa treatment or a hotel amenity but a part of daily life, family routine and national identity, and in December 2020 UNESCO recognised it as such. For visitors to Lapland, a sauna is often the most memorable thing they do that is not on a poster.<\/p>\n<p>We live in Rovaniemi, where a sauna is as normal as a kitchen, and we work in Lapland tourism. This guide explains what the UNESCO listing actually covers, the key words and customs, the facts the Finnish Sauna Society publishes, and how to try a traditional sauna safely and respectfully.<\/p>\n<div class=\"htf-tldr\">\n<div class=\"htf-tldr-label\">Short answer<\/div>\n<p>UNESCO inscribed \"Sauna culture in Finland\" on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on 17 December 2020, the first Finnish tradition on the list. Finland has more than 3 million saunas according to The Guardian (2023), and the Finnish Sauna Society gives a typical sauna air temperature of 80 to 90 \u00b0C. A good first experience is a guided <a class=\"htf-book-link\" href=\"https:\/\/widgets.bokun.io\/online-sales\/0b19e4e0-915f-4bf5-89a2-8a18269ae599\/experience\/987475\" rel=\"noopener\">traditional Finnish sauna experience<\/a><span class=\"htf-pill\">5% off \u00b7 HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5<\/span> by a lake, with safety instructions included.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<!-- HTF-PRESS-MINI -->\n<div class=\"htf-press-mini\"><strong>Journalist or TV producer?<\/strong> We live in Rovaniemi and work in tourism marketing here \u2014 we are available for interviews, filming and local research. <a href=\"https:\/\/hungrytravelfamily.com\/blog\/press\/\">See our press page<\/a> or <a href=\"mailto:hungrytravelfamily@gmail.com?subject=Media%20request%20%E2%80%93%20Hungrytravelfamily\">email us<\/a>.<\/div>\n<!-- HTF-BOOK-CTA -->\n<div class=\"htf-bk-cta\">\n<div class=\"htf-bk-cta-text\">\n<p class=\"htf-bk-eyebrow\">Book direct \u00b7 5% off with code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5<\/p>\n<p class=\"htf-bk-title\">Traditional Finnish Sauna Experience<\/p>\n<p class=\"htf-bk-sub\">Live dates and prices open right here on this page \u2014 you book directly with the local operator. From \u20ac149 per adult.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"bokunButton htf-bk-btn\" data-src=\"https:\/\/widgets.bokun.io\/online-sales\/0b19e4e0-915f-4bf5-89a2-8a18269ae599\/experience\/987475?partialView=1\" data-href=\"https:\/\/widgets.bokun.io\/online-sales\/0b19e4e0-915f-4bf5-89a2-8a18269ae599\/experience\/987475\" disabled>Check dates &amp; book \u2192<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"htf-toc\">\n<div class=\"htf-toc-label\">In this guide<\/div>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#s1\">What UNESCO listed<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s2\">The sauna as everyday life<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s3\">Words to know<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s4\">Behaviour and safety<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s5\">Trying a sauna in Lapland<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s6\">Notes for journalists<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s7\">Why the listing matters<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s8\">FAQ<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"s1\">What UNESCO listed, and when<\/h2>\n<p>The Finnish Sauna Society, which led the campaign, gives the timeline. In November 2017 sauna bathing was added to Finland's National Inventory of Living Heritage, along with 51 other items. In June 2018 Finland's Ministry of Education and Culture selected it as the country's first nomination to UNESCO's intangible heritage list. The application was sent to UNESCO in spring 2019, and on 17 December 2020 UNESCO decided to include it, the first Finnish tradition on the list.<\/p>\n<table class=\"htf-data-table\">\n<tr><th>Date<\/th><th>Step<\/th><th>Source<\/th><\/tr>\n<tr><td>November 2017<\/td><td>Sauna bathing added to Finland's National Inventory of Living Heritage<\/td><td>Finnish Sauna Society<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>June 2018<\/td><td>Ministry of Education and Culture selects sauna as Finland's first UNESCO nomination<\/td><td>Finnish Sauna Society<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Spring 2019<\/td><td>Application sent to UNESCO<\/td><td>Finnish Sauna Society<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>17 December 2020<\/td><td>UNESCO inscribes \"Sauna culture in Finland\" on the Representative List<\/td><td>Finnish Sauna Society; UNESCO<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p>UNESCO's listing protects a living tradition, not a building type. In the Sauna Society's words, the UNESCO convention emphasises passing on traditions, cultural diversity and the ownership of heritage by the communities that practise it. That is why locals describe the listing less as a prize than as a recognition of something they already did.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"s2\">The sauna as everyday life<\/h2>\n<p>The Sauna Society says sauna bathing is part of Finnish family life and takes place at least once a week. It is also, historically, a place of beginnings: the Society notes that a century ago 95% of births in Finland took place at home, often in the sauna, and that babies were bathed there. A survey the Society cites from south-western Finland in the 1980s found that children were taken to the sauna from an average age of 4.5 months. That survey is old, and the Society itself says it would be interesting to repeat it.<\/p>\n<p>The Guardian reported in 2023 that there are more than 3 million saunas in Finland. We do not have a sourced breakdown of how many are in private homes, apartment buildings, hotels or public bathhouses, so we do not quote one; if you need it, ask the Finnish Sauna Society.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"s3\">Words every visitor and journalist should know<\/h2>\n<table class=\"htf-data-table\">\n<tr><th>Finnish word<\/th><th>Meaning<\/th><\/tr>\n<tr><td>sauna<\/td><td>The room, the bath and the event. It is pronounced \"SOW-na\", with the first syllable rhyming with \"cow\".<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>kiuas<\/td><td>The stove that heats the stones.<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>l\u00f6yly<\/td><td>The steam produced when water is thrown on the hot stones. Finnish uses only this word for sauna steam, not the ordinary word for steam.<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>vihta (vasta in eastern Finland)<\/td><td>A bundle of birch twigs used for gentle massage and stimulation of the skin.<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>avanto<\/td><td>A hole cut in the ice for winter swimming.<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>savusauna<\/td><td>Smoke sauna: a traditional type in which the room is heated with smoke before bathing.<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p>Source for the vocabulary: the Finnish sauna article on Wikipedia, which cites the Finnish language and sauna literature. The Finnish Sauna Society also publishes guidance on a good smoke sauna.<\/p>\n<p>Wikipedia's article distinguishes four main types of sauna: the smoke sauna, the wood-stove sauna, the electric sauna and the mobile sauna. In our experience a visitor in Lapland is most likely to meet the wood-stove sauna, often beside a lake or river, and the electric sauna in hotels and apartments. The smoke sauna is rarer and takes hours to prepare, which is why it is usually a special occasion. The Finnish Sauna Society publishes guidance on what makes a good smoke sauna.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"s4\">How to behave and stay safe<\/h2>\n<p>Sauna customs vary between households and venues, and Wikipedia's article notes that families, mixed groups and single-sex groups are all common. In private homes and traditional saunas, bathing has traditionally been without swimwear and often separated by group; in hotels and public saunas, rules vary. Our advice is simple: ask your host or read the sign, follow the local pattern and do not photograph other people. The Sauna Society has published comic-strip guidance for newcomers in five languages, including English, which it allows to be freely distributed with credit.<\/p>\n<p>The temperature in a typical Finnish sauna is high, with the Society giving 80 to 90 \u00b0C for the air temperature. Practical safety points that apply to everyone are: drink water, leave the room if you feel dizzy, cool down gradually, avoid alcohol before or during a sauna, and never sleep in a hot sauna. Children get hot faster than adults, according to the Society, so keep sessions short. Swimming in cold water after a hot sauna puts strain on the circulation, so people with heart conditions or high blood pressure should seek medical advice first. This is general information, not medical advice.<\/p>\n<p>The Society also publishes guidance on fire safety in the sauna; if you rent a cabin with a wood-fired stove, ask the owner to show you how it works.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"s5\">Trying a traditional sauna in Lapland<\/h2>\n<p>For a first visit we suggest a guided experience, because the operator handles the fire, the safety instructions and the lake or snow access. <a class=\"htf-book-link\" href=\"https:\/\/widgets.bokun.io\/online-sales\/0b19e4e0-915f-4bf5-89a2-8a18269ae599\/experience\/987475\" rel=\"noopener\">The Traditional Finnish Sauna Experience<\/a><span class=\"htf-pill\">5% off \u00b7 HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5<\/span> runs for about four hours, according to the listing in our booking system, and includes a traditional heated wooden sauna, a lake for swimming, instructions on how to use the sauna safely, an English-speaking guide and light snacks and drinks. It starts from <strong>\u20ac149 per adult, checked November 2026<\/strong>; prices change, so check before booking. If you book through this page, type HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 at checkout for 5% off.<\/p>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"bokunButton htf-bk-inline\" data-src=\"https:\/\/widgets.bokun.io\/online-sales\/0b19e4e0-915f-4bf5-89a2-8a18269ae599\/experience\/987475?partialView=1\" data-href=\"https:\/\/widgets.bokun.io\/online-sales\/0b19e4e0-915f-4bf5-89a2-8a18269ae599\/experience\/987475\" disabled>Check dates and prices for the Traditional Finnish Sauna Experience \u2192<\/button><\/p>\n<p>Many visitors combine a sauna with a quieter day outdoors; see our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/hungrytravelfamily.com\/blog\/lapland\/rovaniemi-slow-winter-trip-no-adrenaline-reindeer-sauna-snowshoes-2026-27\/\">a slow winter trip to Rovaniemi<\/a>, or in summer the lake saunas in our <a href=\"https:\/\/hungrytravelfamily.com\/blog\/lapland\/honeymoon-in-lapland-in-summer-midnight-sun-rovaniemi\/\">summer Lapland guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"s6\">Notes for journalists<\/h2>\n<p>Three suggestions. First, use the official name: \"Sauna culture in Finland\" on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, inscribed 2020. Second, treat \"3 million saunas\" as an estimate and attribute it. Third, film in a real home or a traditional sauna with permission, and ask hosts about nudity rules before you bring a camera, and assume that people will not want to be filmed undressed. We are happy to help journalists with local context; our press page explains how: <a href=\"https:\/\/hungrytravelfamily.com\/blog\/press\/\">Hungrytravelfamily press and media<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"s7\">Why the listing matters beyond tourism<\/h2>\n<p>For Finns, the more interesting story behind the listing is social rather than touristic. The Sauna Society says the application was created through discussions with the community, and that dozens of sauna operators around Finland joined the project over time. UNESCO's convention, which Finland signed in 2013, focuses on communities, groups and individuals practising traditions, who themselves decide what is important and worth saving. That makes sauna culture in Finland as much about the shared etiquette, the quiet and the equality of the bench as about heat.<\/p>\n<p>The company the sauna keeps on the national inventory is revealing. According to the Society, the same list includes taking candles to the cemetery on Christmas Eve, the freedom to roam in nature, and the game of pes\u00e4pallo, a Finnish variant of baseball. Together they describe a country that values quiet, access to nature and shared routines, which is the best short explanation of why the sauna matters to Finns that we can offer.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"s8\">FAQ<\/h2>\n<h3>When did UNESCO list Finnish sauna culture?<\/h3>\n<p>On 17 December 2020, as \"Sauna culture in Finland\" on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.<\/p>\n<h3>How hot is a Finnish sauna?<\/h3>\n<p>The Finnish Sauna Society gives a typical air temperature of 80 to 90 \u00b0C.<\/p>\n<h3>How many saunas are there in Finland?<\/h3>\n<p>The Guardian reported in 2023 that there are more than 3 million; treat it as an estimate.<\/p>\n<h3>Do you wear swimwear in a Finnish sauna?<\/h3>\n<p>Customs vary. Private and traditional saunas are typically used without swimwear, while hotel and public saunas have their own rules. Ask your host or follow the sign.<\/p>\n<!-- HTF-QUOTES -->\n<div class=\"htf-quotes\"><p class=\"htf-press-eyebrow\">Quotable \u00b7 free to use with credit<\/p><blockquote>\u201cA Finnish sauna is not about sweating; it is about the quiet, and the fact that everyone on the bench is equal.\u201d<\/blockquote><p class=\"htf-quote-by\">\u2014 Joona &amp; Alla, Hungrytravelfamily, Rovaniemi<\/p><blockquote>\u201cIf you are invited to a sauna in Finland, say yes, ask what the rules are, and take your time.\u201d<\/blockquote><p class=\"htf-quote-by\">\u2014 Joona &amp; Alla, Hungrytravelfamily, Rovaniemi<\/p><p style=\"font-size:14px;color:#5b6b62;margin:0;\">Please credit \u201cJoona &amp; Alla, Hungrytravelfamily (hungrytravelfamily.com)\u201d. Need a fresh quote or an interview? <a href=\"https:\/\/hungrytravelfamily.com\/blog\/press\/\">Contact us<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n<!-- HTF-BOOK-CALENDAR -->\n<div class=\"htf-bk-cal\">\n<h3>Live dates and prices for Traditional Finnish Sauna Experience<\/h3>\n<p>Pick a date below to see real-time availability. Enter <strong>HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5<\/strong> at checkout for 5% off.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bokunWidget\" data-src=\"https:\/\/widgets.bokun.io\/online-sales\/0b19e4e0-915f-4bf5-89a2-8a18269ae599\/experience-calendar\/987475\"><\/div>\n<noscript>Please enable JavaScript in your browser to book.<\/noscript>\n<\/div>\n<!-- HTF-PRESS-BOX -->\n<div class=\"htf-press\">\n<p class=\"htf-press-eyebrow\">For journalists, TV &amp; podcast producers<\/p>\n<p class=\"htf-press-title\">Working on a story about Finnish sauna culture and its UNESCO listing?<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re Joona &amp; Alla \u2014 we live in Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle and both work in tourism marketing in Lapland. We can help with:<\/p>\n<ul><li>On-camera interviews and expert comments in English (Joona also speaks Finnish)<\/li><li>Story research, real prices and location ideas in Rovaniemi and Finnish Lapland<\/li><li>Filming days and contacts with local husky, reindeer, snowmobile and northern lights operators<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>Send your outlet, topic, dates and deadline \u2014 we try to reply within 24 hours.<\/p>\n<a class=\"htf-press-btn\" href=\"mailto:hungrytravelfamily@gmail.com?subject=Media%20request%20%E2%80%93%20Hungrytravelfamily\">Email a media request<\/a><a class=\"htf-press-btn alt\" href=\"https:\/\/hungrytravelfamily.com\/blog\/press\/\">Press &amp; media page<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<!-- HTF-SOURCES -->\n<div class=\"htf-sources\"><h3>Sources &amp; further reading<\/h3><ol><li><a href=\"https:\/\/sauna.fi\/en\/sauna-and-unesco\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Finnish Sauna Society: Sauna and UNESCO<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/ich.unesco.org\/en\/RL\/sauna-culture-in-finland-01596\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">UNESCO: Sauna culture in Finland (inscribed 2020)<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/sauna.fi\/en\/sauna-knowledge\/a-child-in-the-sauna\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Finnish Sauna Society: A child in the sauna<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/sauna.fi\/en\/sauna-knowledge\/guidelines-for-bathing-in-the-sauna\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Finnish Sauna Society: Guidelines for bathing in the sauna<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/2023\/dec\/06\/the-sauna-secret-why-finland-is-the-happiest-country-in-the-world\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Guardian: The sauna secret (6 December 2023)<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Finnish_sauna\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Wikipedia: Finnish sauna<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>\n<!-- HTF-RELATED-POSTS-V1 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class=\"htf-sb-label\">Contents<\/div>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#s1\">What UNESCO listed<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s2\">The sauna as everyday life<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s3\">Words to know<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s4\">Behaviour and safety<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s5\">Trying a sauna in Lapland<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s6\">Notes for journalists<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s7\">Why the listing matters<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s8\">FAQ<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"htf-sb\">\n<div class=\"htf-sb-label\">Share this story<\/div>\n<div class=\"htf-sb-share\"><a title=\"Pinterest\" href=\"#\">Pin<\/a> <a title=\"Facebook\" href=\"#\">f<\/a> <a title=\"X \/ Twitter\" href=\"#\">X<\/a> <a title=\"Copy link\" href=\"#\">\ud83d\udd17<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"htf-sb htf-sb-svc\">\n<div class=\"htf-sb-label\">For journalists<\/div>\n<h4>Local experts in Rovaniemi<\/h4>\n<p>Interviews, filming help and real prices from Finnish Lapland.<\/p>\n<a class=\"htf-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/hungrytravelfamily.com\/blog\/press\/\">Press &amp; media<\/a><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"FAQPage\", \"mainEntity\": [{\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"When did UNESCO list Finnish sauna culture?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"On 17 December 2020, as \\\"Sauna culture in Finland\\\" on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"How hot is a Finnish sauna?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"The Finnish Sauna Society gives a typical air temperature of 80 to 90 \u00b0C.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"How many saunas are there in Finland?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"The Guardian reported in 2023 that there are more than 3 million; treat it as an estimate.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Do you wear swimwear in a Finnish sauna?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Customs vary. Private and traditional saunas are typically used without swimwear, while hotel and public saunas have their own rules. Ask your host or follow the sign.\"}}]}<\/script><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Finnish sauna culture explained: the UNESCO listing of 17 December 2020, key words, etiquette, safety and how to try a traditional sauna in 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