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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 ...

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

“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 ...

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 ...

BORLÄNGE, Sweden — Deep underground in a disused iron mine and under the bluish glow of a flashlight, a small crowd emerges from a sauna, steam rising off their bodies as they plunge into a crystal ...

Sauna culture is heating up, and not in the quiet, niche way it once did. What began as a regional tradition closely ...

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 ...

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 ...