Finnish saunas are integral part of the way of life in Finland, found everywhere including in private apartments, corporate headquarters, business offices, dormitories, schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, garrisons, hotels, swimming pools, gyms, and even in the Parliament and prisons. The summer cottage Finnish saunas are traditional saunas preferably near lakes. Traditionally, the facilities are hotter than Swedish or Russian saunas. Before the rise of public health care and nursery facilities, almost all Finn mothers used to give birth to their child in saunas.

Although, most of the public saunas nowadays are male or female only, there are mixed ones for younger generations. The "coed" saunas are quite popular young people, including for student organisations, although they are very much asexual places. Staring at anyone's private parts in saunas in the Finland is considered very bad.

The men and women in Finland usually do not go to the sauna together except if they are members of the same family or close friends. All family members including children and parents customarily go to together. It is customary and socially acceptable for a family to be naked together in a sauna in Finland. Other wise, women customarily use the facilities first and men have their turn later. The Finnish men typically favor hotter saunas than the Finnish women. The competitive swimmers of Finland favor extremely hot (140 °C or more) temperatures.

Traditionally, Saturday is sauna day for corporeal purification and Sunday for spiritual purification. Many people consider their saunas good places for meditation and many people consider. Finnsoften invite foreigners or guests to their sauna as a mark of respect and honor by the Finnish people.

Traditionally, the Finnish Saunas have great importance in the Finnish Military. The military saunas are strictly egalitarian places; no titles or hierarchies are used in sauna. The Finnish UN peacekeeper battalions erect their saunas where ever they go. The Finnish scouts and various other youth organizations often have portable tent saunas. The sessions sometimes also include small meals including makkara (sausage) and beer. However, it's usually considered dangerous to get intoxicated with excessive amounts of alcohol. Most local brands of makkara can be heated and fried by placing them in aluminum foil on kiuas.

Paul writes for UK & world Sauna site and for Korean sauna and spa