Finland
Rauma is one of Finland's most distinctive coastal cities — a UNESCO World Heritage site for its exceptionally preserved medieval wooden old town, and the living centre of Finnish bobbin lace (Rauma lace) tradition. The sauna culture draws on the Gulf of Bothnia setting: public saunas with sea access, outdoor bathing at the Poroholma recreation area, and waterfront saunas in the harbour district. Rauma's strong maritime and fishing heritage means sea bathing and sauna have run in parallel here for centuries. Finnish etiquette throughout: wood-fired preferred, cold sea or lake mandatory, unhurried sessions.
Rauma's public sauna scene centres on coastal bathing facilities near Otanlahti on the Gulf of Bothnia. Hotel Raumanlinna has sauna access. The UNESCO-listed Vanha Rauma wooden old town provides an exceptional cultural backdrop.
Yes — multiple sea sauna sites operate on Rauma's coast. Water temperature ranges from 2–5°C in winter to 20°C in July. North of Rauma, the Gulf of Bothnia typically freezes, meaning ice-hole swimming here involves genuine sea ice.
Yes — Rauma is 90 km north of Turku (1 hour by car or bus). It pairs well with the Turku archipelago as a two-day coastal Finland itinerary.
