HANCOCK – For Finns, sauna is a near sacred space for physical and mental cleansing. In fact, the sauna was so significant to Finnish culture and tradition, it was often the first structure built on ...

THE SAUNA AT THE FINNISH PERM REP, BRUSSELS — It’s very hot in here. But not hot enough, according to my Finnish hosts. The time has come for a ladle’s worth of water to be poured onto the pile of ...

“How does that feel?” asks Siiri, as the spikes of the juniper branches relieve the itch on my back and the spicy scent surrounds my body. “Peaceful,” I respond, so relaxed that one-word answers are ...

Put these local-recommended cities, national parks, lakes, and other beautiful destinations on your itinerary.

Finland is a country of extreme contrasts—summers of dizzying, full-time light, followed by depressingly long, dark winters. The sauna regulates it all, offering the benefits of winter in summer and ...