Saunas and smiles in Finland

July 31, 2025

With one sauna per 1.5 residents, saunas are a national obsession, are found in the strangest places and offer a highlight moment for any incentive event in Finland. They can be privately booked, don’t require nudity, are incredibly social and get straight to the heart of what it means to be Finnish.

FERRIS WHEEL

Head to the waterfront of Helsinki, and the Ferris wheel looms large. One cabin is particularly noteworthy – the Sky Sauna cabin, which offers a sauna with a view. The sauna can be booked privately for clients. For those seeking a less Finnish experience, the wheel also has a cabin offering a Veuve Clicquot VIP Experience – champagne above the waterfront. A Ferris wheel may seem a strange location for a sauna, but there is a Saunabus that roams the country, and there is even a sauna in the national parliament. Head to the islands around Espoo, and there are countless incarnations of the sauna.

CONVERSATIONS AND BEER

Saunas are a cultural cornerstone of Scandinavian life. They offer the chance to refresh, re-energise and socialise. Towels can be worn when ‘modesty’ is required in a group setting, and many privately hired saunas will allow bathing costumes. Many saunas are located close to water, and the thrill of cooling off in cold water is incredible. Beer is often enjoyed in saunas, and the atmosphere is incredibly social.

THE FLOATING SAUNAS OF NORWAY

Not to be outdone by their sauna-obsessed neighbours, Norway offers some outstanding sauna locations for incentive groups, with many floating options. Oslo Fjord is a hot spot for floating saunas but head north to the Arctic cities of Bodø and Tromsø and the sauna experience is remarkable. Here the saunas float on frigid, pristine water, under the Northern Lights or midnight sun.

As an incentive event activity, saunas offer a deep dive into Finnish culture. It’s like pizza lunch in Napoli, a wine tour in Bordeaux or a DJ set in Berlin.