There’s a word in Finnish which evades translation: löyly. It’s commonly used to describe the steam that rises when water is poured onto hot stones in a sauna. But it also signifies spirit or life ...

Saimaa, Finland's largest lake, brims with traditional wellness experiences. Ask a local in Finland where they take summer vacation, and chances are good they’ll mention Lake Saimaa. The forests ...

I’m in the eastern reaches of Finland, in the Lakeland region that includes scenic Lake Saimaa, which has 14,000 islands and more shoreline than all of France. As the sun sinks slowly into the ...

Why are we asking for donations? Why are we asking for donations? This site is free thanks to our community of supporters. Voluntary donations from readers like you keep our news accessible for ...

It only makes sense that a Two Harbors native would write the definitive book on this part of the country's obsession with Finnish saunas. "Everybody knew what a sauna was [growing up], and most ...

In a country where there are likely more saunas than cars, a person doesn’t have to go far to find a steamy room to warm away the winter chill. Devotees both young and old flock to saunas—essential to ...

Finland, known as the happiest country in the world, has a secret that the rest of the globe has neglected to discover and eagerly pursue. It's a staple of Finnish culture — a way of being — and it's ...

From New York to Minnesota to California, Nordic-style public floating saunas are on the rise—and they’re just what your ...

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Christopher and Julie Rice sat naked in the sauna, sweating in its 180-degree heat. In the crisp air outside, they then played a few hands of cribbage and noshed on pickles and ...

On a wintry day in Kallio, a bohemian neighborhood in Helsinki, a group of Finns huddle outside on wooden benches, clad only in towels, steam rising from their bodies, drinking beer, relaxed. This is ...

DULUTH — By the time talk turned to the legend of the sauna elf, nothing could have surprised me. Frank Eld, dressed in the traditional dress of Finland's Pohjanmaa region, speaks at the FinnFest ...

DULUTH – It was 8 degrees below zero and the windchill was even colder, but Brittney Merlot wore a tank top inside the igloo-like structure next to Lake Superior. "It's almost magical," Merlot said, ...