A sauna, then the sea

Picture walking out of a hot sauna, climbing down a ladder into the Baltic, and coming back up making a noise you definitely didn’t plan to make. A few minutes later you’re wrapped in a towel, calmer than you’ve been all week and very, very awake.

Do it in this order

Always start with the sauna. Stay about fifteen minutes in proper heat, until your head slows down and your shoulders drop.

Then go to the sea. The whole technique is not to stand at the top of the ladder thinking about it, because that’s where everyone gives up. Climb down at a steady pace, go in up to your shoulders, count to ten and climb back out, and that counts as a swim. Then you go back into the sauna, and the second round of heat feels amazing.

Three rounds is a full session. After the last one, sit outside in your towel with something warm to drink and look at the water you were just in.

If the sea feels like too much, just don’t go in. The sauna on its own is lovely, and nobody’s checking whether you did the swim.

The rules

• Shower before the sauna, every time.
• Sit on your little towel on the bench.
• Talk quietly, or don’t talk at all. Nobody finds the silence awkward, and it’s part of why people come.

Nobody’s looking at you and nobody cares what your swimsuit looks like. And the older ladies walking into the sea like it’s a warm bath aren’t showing off, they’re just Finnish.

It’s easier on your own

This is one of those things that’s actually better alone, because you don’t have to agree with anyone on how long to stay, nobody hurries you out before round three, and you get the quiet all to yourself. The public saunas by the water are full of people on their own, so you won’t stand out at all.

For the popular ones on the waterfront, book a slot a day or two before. Bring a swimsuit, a towel and flip flops, and count on about 20 euros for the session, plus the warm drink.

The best time to go is the shoulder season, when the air is cold enough that getting into the sea really feels like something. Fair warning, you might end up planning the rest of your days around the next sauna.