Helsinki has public saunas that visitors can use for a few hours, and nobody in your party has to bathe to enjoy the day. This guide sets out what the city's tourism board, MyHelsinki, and the saunas themselves say about how a visit works, so you can choose a venue that fits you, or decide to watch from the café.
1. Sauna culture, not one set of rules
MyHelsinki says there are "more than 3 million saunas in Finland (population 5.6 million people)", that Helsinki once had over 100 public saunas, and that Kotiharju Sauna has been "operating since 1928". It also notes that men and women commonly bathed together in the 1800s and early 1900s, and later began bathing separately in public saunas. Today the rules depend on the venue. MyHelsinki's etiquette page says that in mixed saunas you can wear a swimsuit or wrap yourself in a towel, while the single-sex pool saunas do not allow swimsuits.
| Venue (own page or MyHelsinki) | Mixed or separate | What you wear |
|---|---|---|
| Löyly, Hernesaarenranta 4 | Mixed saunas, separate changing rooms | Swimming costumes "at all times" |
| Kotiharju Sauna, Harjutorinkatu 1 | Men's sauna downstairs, women's upstairs | No swimwear or underwear; a fresh towel is allowed |
| Lonna, island sauna | All sessions mixed | Swimsuits |
| Sompasauna, Mustikkamaa island | Not stated | No changing rooms, showers or staff |
2. City sauna or island outing: check the transport first
On a port day, a sauna you can reach without a boat is simpler to plan. Allas Sea Pool is at Katajanokanlaituri 2 A, which its site describes as "next to Helsinki's Market Square". Löyly is on the seafront at Hernesaarenranta 4. Kotiharju is a neighbourhood sauna at Harjutorinkatu 1, open Tuesday to Sunday, 14:00 to 20:00, with bathing until 21:30, and needs no reservation for the public sauna.
The island saunas depend on a ferry. MyHelsinki says Lonna is "a short ten-minute ferry boat ride" from Market Square, is open only in the summer months, and that its ferries run seasonally with FRS Finland; it gives no dates. Before choosing an island, find that season's ferry timetable on the operator's site and check it against your all-aboard time. For the year-round harbour crossing to Suomenlinna, see the Helsinki ferries.
3. Changing rooms, showers and somewhere to wait
Löyly says it has separate changing rooms and showers for men and women, a traditional smoke sauna and a wood-burning sauna that each hold about 20 bathers, and direct access to the sea, adding that swimming "depends on the weather conditions". Allas lists five saunas, a 27° warm-water pool and an 11° sea-water pool. Sompasauna has no changing rooms or showers, so it is not a fit if you want those.
| Allas Sea Pool, as listed on 26 October 2026 | Monday to Friday | Weekend |
|---|---|---|
| Pools and saunas | 06:30 to 21:00 | 08:00 to 21:00 |
| Allas Cafe & Terrace | 07:30 to 20:00 | Saturday 09:00 to 20:00, Sunday 10:00 to 18:00 |
Allas notes that swim and sauna time ends at 20:40. Its café and terrace keep their own hours, which makes it the easiest of these venues for a companion who does not want to bathe, but the page does not say whether entry to the terrace is free, so ask.
4. Towels, water and your own comfort
Löyly's two-hour public sauna visit was listed at €29 on the page read on 26 October 2026, including a towel, seat liner, shampoo and shower gel, with swimwear rental at €8 for two hours plus a deposit and a 24-hour cancellation policy. Kotiharju lists towel rent at €4. Check before you book. MyHelsinki's etiquette page says to shower first and use a seat cover, gives a typical sauna temperature of 70 to 90 °C, and suggests "a few glasses for each sauna session of 30 minutes or so" of water. It sets no time limit: leave and cool off when you feel hot.
Practical demands to check with your chosen sauna. Steps or stairs between changing room, sauna and sea; whether the swim is by ladder or steps and depends on the weather; the temperature of each sauna; where you can sit to cool off; and whether towels, seat covers and swimwear are included or rented. Questions about heat and your own health belong with your doctor: the CDC advises travellers with chronic illnesses to see a healthcare provider at least 4 to 6 weeks before the trip.
5. A culture-only plan for companions
Not everyone in your party needs to go in. Allas Cafe & Terrace has hours of its own by the Market Square, and Löyly runs a restaurant with table booking. On the day listed on its site the restaurant opened 11:00 to 23:00 and the sauna 12:00 to 22:00, so the two can be booked separately. For a calm half-day that suits both of you, the split port day guide covers how to meet up again.
6. Etiquette and booking checklist
- Book where the venue recommends it: MyHelsinki says booking ahead is recommended at Löyly and Lonna; Kotiharju needs no reservation for the public sauna.
- Read that venue's dress rule: swimsuits at Löyly and Lonna, none at Kotiharju.
- Shower before going in and sit on a seat cover.
- Leave phones and food outside: "Nothing belongs in the sauna except you."
- Ask the people inside before you throw more water on the stones (löyly).
- Keep it calm: sit quietly or chat, without disturbing others.
- Note the cancellation terms (Löyly asks for 24 hours) and your all-aboard time.