Löyly in Helsinki, Finland, has received acclaim from, among others, New York Times and Time Magazine. And I can chime in. I imagine it to be perfect on hot summer days. Soaking up the sun on the front or roof-top terrace, with infinite Baltic Sea views. Dip into the year-round outdoor swimming pool. Away from the noise, as it’s outside the centre of town. Alone out on a pier, in a cool looking wooden building, which was a lot smaller than I had envisioned.
During winter time, I assume the saunas are the most popular. No one was outside, but there was a fire pit was going. I was not in the mood for a sauna, so didn’t experience what most visitors come for. Nonetheless, during my research I found out, you need to book slots, preferably well, in advance, I discovered. The fee is 26 euros for 2 hours, and includes a towel, seat liner, shampoo, and shower gel. You can add on hours for 12 euros an hour. The saunas are mixed, but showers and locker rooms are separate for men and women. Bikinis are ok, need not be a one-piece. The two saunas have room for 20 people each. You can cool off on the terrace, or in the sea pool, get drinks for a bar, or service from the restaurant.
You can also rent a private sauna for 2 hours. You’ll have a private terrace, and shower, but public locker rooms. It has room for 10 people. I’d love that, but it’s very expensive, when you’re going solo 🙂 There is a yoga sauna combo on Sundays mornings. Looked like two options, at 14 euros, and 33 euros. Saunas are open every day of the week.
However, what I did make use of, was the restaurant. An informal, very popular, eatery. You order food at the bar, and sit wherever you find a spot. It’s not too big, so it’ll fill up quickly. My avocado toast was nice tasting, but a bit on the small side. Doubled in size would have been good.
Löyly is outside the city centre. In a former industrial area. Not much else around, but looked like something might be popping up in the future. You can probably walk down to the seaside area, but it might be a long stroll. Taking the street car will be effortless. The stop is 200 meters away. Look up your city transportation needs on hsl.fi. For easy access, download the app. The ticket system operates on zones. You’ll need an AB ticket for travelling within the city – it’s not possible to buy a ticket for just one zone. For the airport, an ABC ticket.
Website: loylyhelsinki.fi
