From Finnish saunas to Korean ice tubs, these spas specialize in the practice of alternating between intense heat and intense cold. In Swedish Lapland, a guest at the Arctic Bath hotel and spa ...

“How does that feel?” asks Siiri, as the spikes of the juniper branches relieve the itch on my back and the spicy scent surrounds my body. “Peaceful,” I respond, so relaxed that one-word answers are ...

Tampere sits on the southern coast of Finland, tucked between two vast lakes, and is known for being the sauna capital of the world. But it’s not just the more than 70 public saunas (some of which are ...

There’s an word in Finnish which evades translation: löyly. It’s commonly used to describe the steam that rises when water is poured onto hot stones in a sauna. But it also signifies spirit or life ...

EDITOR’S NOTE: If you have any health issues, you should consult your doctor before using a sauna. For some, the idea of sweating among semi-naked strangers in a small wooden box as hot as 100 degrees ...