Why I think Löyly is reason enough to visit Helsinki

Helsinki, 20 degrees


The sauna… Is an apotheosis of all experience: Purgatory and paradise; earth and fire; fire and water; sin and forgiveness. It is lyrical ecstasy. It is resurrection from the dead. It is eternal new birth… You are healed, you are made new. 

The feeling when you want to press pause. When your soul is at ease & mind serene. When "enjoying the moment" isn't enough to express what you're feeling. When the sky couldn't be more blue and cloud-free. When you feel the warmth of the sun on your face & gaze over the horizon, in this case the Baltic Sea, and all that you see are sailing boats and the archipelago. When the sea sparkles in front of you. When you're surrounded by great Finnish wooden architecture & can actually smell the wood. When you feel the steam coming from the three saunas that were heated up for the first time this week. When even the toilet takes you by surprise by its beauty. When you drink a glass of soda with lemon in it and say cheers to your favorite friend - the home city you love, Helsinki.

Se tunne kun haluat painaa pause -nappulaa elämälle. Kun sielusi lepää ja mielesi on tyyni. Kun sana nauttia ei riitä kuvailemaan tunteitasi. Kun taivas ei voisi olla sinisempi eikä pilvittömämpi. Kun tunnet auringon lämmön kasvoillasi ja katselet horisonttia, tässä tapauksessa Itämerta, ja näet vain purjeveneitä ja saaristoa. Kun meri kimmeltää edessäsi. Kun olet upean kotimaisen puuarkkitehtuurin ympäröimänä & tunnet puun tuoksun. Kun tunnet saunan höyryn. Kun jopa naistenhuone on mielestäsi kaunis. Kun juot lasin soodavettä sitruunalla ja nostat maljaa parhaalle ystävällesi & rakkaalle kotikaupungillesi - Helsingille.

I experienced my first sensation of "la dolce vita" in its home country, Italy, that is back in May 2008 when I was on study exchange in the country and we went on a trip to Chianti's wineyards and enjoyed a wine tasting event there. The emotion was so strong that I can still remember it, almost feel it, as good as ten years afterwards. That is what strong feeling do to us. It was the first perfect moment I experienced, and I didn't want it to end. After that particular moment, I've experienced moments of true joy merely in two places Italy (Sicily) & Helsinki.

Koin ensimmäisen "la dolce vita" -tunteeni lainauksen kotimaassa, eli Italiassa, vuonna 2008 kun olin siellä opiskeluvaihdossa ja kävimme tutustumismatkalla Chiantin viinialueella. Tunne oli silloin niin voimakas, että muistan sen vieläkin. Voin jopa melkein kokea sen vielä, vaikka tästä hetkestä on melkein kymmenen vuotta. Näin ainoastaan voimakkaat tunteet voivat vaikuttaa meihin. Se oli ensimmäinen ns. täydellinen hetki, jonka koin enkä halunnut sen loppuvan. Kyseisen hetken jälkeen olen kokenut yhtä voimakkaita tunnepitoisia hetkiä vain kahdessa paikassa: Italiassa (Sisiliassa) ja Helsingissä.

La dolce vita is defined as sweet life; the good life perceived as one of physical pleasure and self-indulgence. In this blog post, I was to introduce my latest experience of this emotion - when I visited the newly opened seaside public sauna & restaurant Löyly in Helsinki. From now on, I have a new favorite place in town! Löyly is located on the Hernesaari Island. To learn more about the Finnish sauna culture and the meaning of the name of this place, please read BBC's great article about the topic.

La dolce vita kuvaillaan lauseena, joka kertoo makeasta elämästä. Lause kuvailee hyvää fyysistä olotilaa, joka koetaan hemmottelevana ja yleellisen mukavana. Tässä blogikirjoituksessa toivon, että pystyn kertomaan hyvästä hetkestä, jonka koin tällä viikolla kun vierailin uudessa merellisessä saunakeitaassa, eli Löylyssä. Löyly sijaitsee Helsingin Hernesaaressa. Tästä lähtien minulla on uusi suosikkipaikka Helsingissä!

ps. Did I mention that one of the sauna owners, Jasper Pääkkönen, is one of the Finnish actors playing in my favorite tv show the Vikings? It's not everyday that you can visit the sauna of a viking! How amazing is that? I actually spotted him when I was there, on top of Löyly's terrace with his business partner Antero Vartia - what an honor!

ps. Mainitsinko jo, että toinen Löylyn omistajista on itse Jasper Pääkkönen, joka tällä hetkellä tähdittää Vikings -sarjaa? Sarja kuuluu tämän hetken suosikkeihini, joten voit kuvitella miten hienoa oli nähdä itse viikinkitähti paikan päällä terrassilla yhtiökumppaninsa Antero Vartian kanssa - mikä kunnia!




When have you last experienced a moment that you didn't want to end? Have you already tried a Finnish sauna?

Milloin olet viimeksi halunnut painaa pause -nappulaa elämälle? Joko olet kokenut Löylyn, jonka avautuminen voidaan pitää kulttuuritekona?

What's your opinion?

  1. That place looks amazing! You're right, this might be worth traveling all to Helsinki for!

    http://industrialbarbie.blogspot.com/

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    1. It is! I'm glad that you agree with me :)

      xxx
      E

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  2. Great post. Beautiful photos
    I know and I love Helsinki
    Your blog is very interesting. Visit mine if you want
    www.welovefur.com

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    1. Thank you for your kind words! I'm happy to hear that you love my city as much as I do :)

      xxx
      E

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  3. I didn't want to leave Tenerife! I wanted to cry when we had to leave our hotel. really, we both fell in love with Tenerife and we're already very often talking about going back next year. I think my heart is still there :)
    anyway, I really enjoyed reading your post and all those emotions were so sincere. I could definitely imagine how much you loved the place! when it comes to Finnish sauna I have tried some variants in different spas but we do have a regular Estonian sauna in our basement, hehe :)
    oh and thank you for your comment under my zoo post. I also left you a note there but just wanted to say thanks one more time!

    Maiken - Part of me

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    1. I can only imagine! I hope you get to go back to Tenerife as you both liked it so much :)
      Well, Estonian sauna isn't for sure the same as Finnish sauna, haha! And even if you've tried one, it doesn't mean you've experienced it in the sense that you're done - each sauna is different and special in its own way.

      xxx
      E

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  4. This place seems stunning and so pretty! I haven't experienced a Finnish sauna, but after reading this I really want to.

    xo
    www.carinavardie.com

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    1. It truly is! You should definitely try the Finnish sauna, you know what they say? Once you've been to the sauna with someone, you're friends for life <3

      xxx
      E

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