Sauna culture is more than just heat and steam. Across Europe, the sauna has developed into a cultural institution with very different traditions. While in Finland and Estonia the sauna is part of everyday life, in Germany it has become a wellness ritual with strict rules, and in Ireland it is a young but rapidly growing trend connected to the sea and outdoor lifestyle. Yet these cultures are not isolated. German sauna culture, for example, grew directly out of the Nordic traditions, adapting them into a new form. In this article, we explore these three very different sauna cultures, their connections, and what they reveal about relaxation, health and community.
Finland and Estonia: The cradle of sauna
Finland is widely regarded as the birthplace of the sauna. The word itself is Finnish, and there are said to be over two million saunas in a country of only 5.5 million people. That means almost every family has its own sauna, and in many cases more than one.
The roots of the Finnish sauna stretch back over two thousand years. Early versions were simple pits in the ground heated with hot stones. Later came the smoke sauna, a room without a chimney that was heated until the smoke cleared and the stones glowed. Today, most Finns enjoy modern wooden cabins with stoves, where water is poured over hot stones to create the characteristic steam known as löyly.
In Estonia, the culture is very similar. The “saun” is also a key part of family life. Birch twigs, called vihta in Finland and vasta in Estonia, are used to gently whip the skin, improving circulation. The ritual always involves sweating, cooling down in a lake, the sea or in snow, and then returning to the heat. This cycle of hot and cold is seen as deeply beneficial for health.
The sauna is not just about health but about social connection. In Finland, it is common to invite business partners or friends to the sauna, and even political discussions are famously held there. The sauna is seen as a place where everyone is equal, hierarchies dissolve, and conversations flow freely.
It is also important to note that Finnish and Estonian traditions have not remained local. They have shaped sauna practices far beyond their borders. When sauna culture spread to Central Europe, Germany in particular looked to the Nordic countries as a model. Many features of German saunas today – the wooden cabins, the use of stones and water, the alternation of heat and cold – are directly rooted in Finnish and Estonian traditions.
If you are interested in experiencing this atmosphere at home, you can explore our Barrel Saunas and Cube Saunas that follow the traditional Nordic design.
Germany: Wellness, rules and sauna variety
In Germany, sauna culture developed later but would not exist without its Nordic roots. Inspired by Finland and Estonia, German enthusiasts began building saunas in the 19th century. The true boom came in the 1960s and 1970s, when wellness and preventive health became more popular. Today, Germany is home to some of the largest public sauna complexes in Europe.
While the inspiration came from the North, Germany added its own character. One of the biggest differences is the strong set of rules that guide the sauna experience. The most striking is that German saunas are almost always textile-free. Nudity is expected, and mixed-gender saunas are the norm. For foreigners this can feel unusual, but for Germans it is natural and seen as hygienic.
Another uniquely German development is the structured ritual of the Aufguss. A sauna master pours water mixed with essential oils over the stones, then circulates the hot air with a towel, sometimes adding music or light effects. This ritual is far more orchestrated than in Finland or Estonia, where sauna sessions are usually private and self-directed. Still, the underlying concept – pouring water over stones to create steam – clearly comes from Nordic traditions.
The variety of sauna types is another German innovation. Besides the classic Finnish sauna, German facilities offer bio saunas with lower temperatures, infrared cabins, steam baths, salt saunas and themed rooms. In this way, Germany took a Nordic family ritual and expanded it into a wellness industry.
Socially, the sauna in Germany plays a different role than in Finland. Few households own a private sauna, but millions visit public complexes. The focus is less on daily family life and more on structured leisure and health. And yet, every visit still carries the DNA of the Finnish and Estonian sauna – heat, steam, wood and water.
If you are considering adding a private sauna to your home in Ireland, check out our Premium Cube Sauna or Igloo Sauna, designed with both Nordic inspiration and German wellness standards in mind.
Ireland: The young sauna culture by the sea
Ireland has no centuries-old sauna tradition. While ancient Celts used sweat lodges, these practices disappeared, and for a long time saunas were only found in hotels or gyms. But in the past few years, Ireland has experienced a true sauna revolution.
All along the coast, new mobile and beach saunas have appeared. In Dublin, Wicklow, Galway and Cork you can now find barrel saunas parked right by the sea. The experience is simple but powerful: heat up in the sauna, then plunge straight into the cold Atlantic.
This movement shows how traditions can spread and adapt. The Irish sauna boom is inspired both by Nordic culture and by German wellness. From Finland and Estonia comes the idea of combining sauna with cold water and nature. From Germany comes the concept of turning sauna into a social leisure activity open to everyone. The result is uniquely Irish – casual, seaside and connected to the thriving cold-water swimming trend.
Most Irish saunas are compact, often mobile units on trailers, heated by wood or electricity. The culture is relaxed: swimwear is common, rules are light, and the focus is on community and enjoyment. It may be new, but the Irish sauna scene is already building a strong identity, rooted in global inspiration but adapted to the Irish way of life.
For those who want to bring this new Irish sauna feeling home, we recommend our Outdoor Garden Saunas and Cold Plunge Tubs, perfect for recreating the sea-swim-and-sauna experience.
Comparing cultures and connections
Looking at these three regions, the contrasts are striking, but so are the connections. In Finland and Estonia, the sauna is everyday life, deeply rooted in tradition and tied to nature and family. In Germany, sauna has become a structured wellness ritual, with rules, variety and large public facilities. In Ireland, sauna is a new cultural trend, closely linked to the sea, cold plunges and outdoor adventure.
And yet, the lines connect them all. Without Finland and Estonia, there would be no German sauna culture. Without Germany’s expansion of sauna into wellness, Ireland might not have embraced the idea so quickly. Each culture took what came before, adapted it, and created something new.
What unites them all is the universal human need for warmth, relaxation and balance. Whether you step into a smoke sauna by a Finnish lake, a large thermal spa in Germany or a barrel sauna by an Irish beach, the effect is the same: body and mind come back into harmony.
Conclusion
The world of sauna is incredibly diverse, yet always interconnected. In Finland and Estonia, it is a living tradition. In Germany, it is a wellness ritual built on Nordic roots. In Ireland, it is a rising movement inspired by both traditions and adapted to the sea. Each culture enriches the meaning of sauna in its own way.
If you are inspired by these traditions and want to enjoy your own sauna experience at home, explore our selection of Garden Saunas like Barrel Saunas, Cube Saunas and Cold Plunge Tubs. All handcrafted in Europe, designed for Irish weather and delivered nationwide.
