Hackpacker

There’s always some debate amongst Finns about what the Three Ss of ‘Finnishness’ are. Some will say Sibelius, the nation’s great composer, many will say sisu , the word for guts or determination. Others point to the salty liquorice, salmiakki , while a few say Suomi, meaning the land itself. But no matter who you ask they will always include sauna in their list. Of course, Finns aren’t the only people in favour of stripping off and steaming up. Russians have the banya , Japanese have the onsen , Turks have the hammam , but it is only the Finns who define themselves so strongly by getting naked with each other. The first time I met a friend of mine’s new boyfriend he said ‘We must go to a sauna!’ in a way that made me wonder if he was the right boyfriend for her. But for Finns it’s a regular ritual. Some manage it daily, but most opt for a couple of times a week, depending on how handy a sauna is. Some apartment buildings have them, most hotels do and there are a few public saunas for