Ready for your first sauna?

Here's what you need to know:

1. What type of sauna?

• A traditional Finnish sauna uses a wood-burning stove to heat stones, while the more modern equivalent is an electric stove. Out in the countryside, you may also find smoke saunas, where the soot is left on the sauna walls for a somewhat messy cleansing experience.

2. Stay hydrated

• Drink plenty of water because you will sweat it out. It is also common for Finns to enjoy other types of drink after – and sometimes during – the sauna, including the famous Jaffa orangeade.

3. All off

• Don't be squeamish, but no clothing is allowed in Finnish saunas. You can relax, because you don't need to go in a mixed group. The sauna is supposed to be a place for family and friends to relax and get clean.

4. Somewhere to sit
• Take a flannel, a small towel or a paper towel to sit on. This is known as a pefletti. If you leave the sauna for a quick cool-down, take your pefletti with you, otherwise it will be very hot by the time you get back!

5. A little splash at a time
• Throw a small amount of water on the stones, watch the steam rise to the ceiling and wait for it to fall gently over your shoulders, warming you to the core. The steam may feel hot at first, but you will soon get used to it. Breathe deeply and feel the soothing effect it has on your muscles.

6. Scented steam
• When you have thrown a little water on the stones, you may want to try adding a few drops of scented oil to your next ladle-full. A wide range of scents is available, from pine forest and eucalyptus to smoke and even tar!

7. Cool off
• When you’re feeling hot, take a break. It’s not a competition. If you happen to be by a lake, why not go for a quick swim? If there’s snow, you can rub it on your skin or – if you’re feeling brave – roll around in it. If you feel cold, you have the perfect place to warm yourself back up!

8. Beat yourself up
• For a really traditional experience, take whisk made of fresh birch twigs and leaves into the sauna. When the steam heats your skin, hit your body with the whisk. It sounds strange, but it makes the skin feel great.

9. Socialise
• If a Finn invites you for a sauna, it’s a real honour and a genuine experience. It’s fine to chat inside and outside the sauna, and you may also enjoy a sausage and a beer or cider.

10. Take it easy
• The real key to enjoying the sauna is to leave your worries and stresses in the changing rooms. Relax, enjoy the soothing sensation of the heat your skin, and feel cleaner that you’ve ever been.

Every Holiday Club resort has saunas:

• Most of apartments and holiday houses and even some hotel suits have own saunas.
• Every water park has Finnish sauna.
• Sauna World with several different saunas in Holiday Club Saimaa, Holiday Club Katinkulta and Holiday Club Kuusamon Tropiikki.