Finland is famous for its saunas—with over 3 million across the country! Now, Helsinki Airport (HEL) has created something totally unique: the world’s first runway sauna.
This sauna was not meant to be used. Instead, it was built as a fun symbol of Finland’s strong sauna culture. Finavia, the company that runs Helsinki Airport, placed the sauna near the runway so travelers could see it right after landing. It was only there for one day, just to celebrate Finnish traditions in a creative way.
Anna Tuomi from Finavia said, “Most airports have transit zones, but we wanted to give travelers a quick taste of Finland’s values and lifestyle. That’s why we built this runway sauna.”
If you actually want to enjoy a sauna at the airport, no worries—Helsinki Airport has three saunas inside its main terminal. One of the most popular ones is in the Finnair Platinum Wing Lounge, near Gate 52. There are also saunas in nearby hotels, like the Clarion Hotel Helsinki Airport, which is just a short walk away.
Helsinki Airport is known as one of the best airports in Europe and gives travelers a smooth and relaxing experience. Finland itself has also been ranked the world’s happiest country for the eighth year in a row!
The runway sauna shows how deeply sauna culture is rooted in Finnish life. In fact, sauna culture in Finland was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2020.
Anna Tuomi summed it up perfectly: “Finland is the happiest country in the world, and saunas are a big reason why.”
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