It's the year of saunas in Estonia: many events in 2023 to celebrate a UNESCO heritage site
In 2023 there will be two events not to be missed: the Euroopa Saunamaraton Otepääl and the World Sauna Race
If you happen to be in Estonia And ask an Estonian what are the experiences that absolutely must be had in this country, certainly the sauna Would be one of the first three answers. Sauna culture has been an integral part of Estonian life for over hundreds of years. Included in the list of intangible cultural heritages of theUNESCO, Estonian saunas are a unique and ancient tradition.
In this article:
For centuries, the sauna has been a place for physical and spiritual purification, for laying bare all the senses and entering the heart of humanity. The ancestors of our region used the sauna to heal themselves, it Was known as the pharmacy or the cure for the poor, but it was also the hospital where folk healers practiced their art. They administered baths and massaged people with herbs, cured with spells, and helped women give birth.
To celebrate this important element of local culture, the Estonian Rural Tourism Organization and its partners have decided to launch "the year of the Sauna" that will take place throughout 2023 through a program full of events promoting rituals, history, and folklore.
2023 in Estonia is dedicated to all those who have sauna in their souls.
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The Estonian sauna tradition is complex and encompasses different types made over time with different beneficial purposes: from exfoliating the body to treating the respiratory tract. In Estonia one can try different sauna experiences: in the countryside, at farmhouses, one can try saunas in a hut, a cave, in the forest or in the middle of the sea. The most traditional is the smoke sauna, with its aromas of smoked wood, birch branches and honey. In perfect Estonian style, this type of sauna allows a quick soak in the frozen pond in front of it. There are also more unusual ones, such as the igloo sauna of Kõrvemaa, honeycomb huts such as the Voose Päikesekodu Or ice saunas.
A full list of available saunas and events that will be announced as they are announced can be found on the official website www.sauna2023.ee.
Events not to be missed:
In 2023 they will be two events not to be missed: the Euroopa Saunamaraton Otepääl and the World Sauna Race.
La Saunamaraton Otepääl is a marathon held in February in Otepää, southern Estonia, with the purpose of promoting and preserving Estonian sauna culture as well as being an opportunity to offer new and unexpected experiences. This year it will take place over 2 days, on February 17 and 18, 2023. The experience consists of a marathon of all the saunas in Otepää that involves spending at least 3 minutes in each of them and electing a member of your team (consisting of 4 people) in charge of bathing in the frozen ponds. A Sauna Trail passport will also be available to all participants during the event, with which enthusiasts can collect stamps from businesses on the Sauna Trail route and try to win prizes. A limited number of tickets for the Sauna Marathon will be on sale at the Ticket Center from January 16 at 9 a.m. and the ticket price is 150 euros per team. The marathon is already quite well known, but to be the Italian champion ... you might just have to show up.
Otherwise, the World Sauna Race takes place in Tallinn in the summer season and this year is scheduled for June 3. Participants receive a map of Tallinn with a list of saunas to scout out to experience the leil ("sauna steam") and return to the finish line by the end of the day to vote for their favorite saunas. The purpose of the event is to finish the route to help elect the 'Best Sauna' and celebrate its culture. A wide variety of special and wonderful saunas will be on view, including in interesting places that are not normally accessible.
Plan your trip to discover Estonian saunas
Several sauna packages are available during the year 2023 for those seeking maximum comfort. A visit to the Paunküla Welfare Centre - where you can swim in an ice pond and then rest in a sauna and stay overnight in a cozy wooden hut-and at the Klaara-Manni Countrywoman's With wood-heated sauna stove that can guarantee an authentic experience.
