Helsinki’s best spas – places where you can simply unwind

Tucked away on the ground floor of the luxury Hotel St. George in central Helsinki is one of the city’s most refined wellness havens, St. George Care. While undeniably elegant, it’s refreshingly unpretentious – service is warm, friendly and genuinely human, just as it should be. There’s a warm pool, a refreshing cold plunge, two saunas and a treatment menu ranging from classic massages to holistic facials and body treatments. The atmosphere feels like a modern hammam, blending striking architecture with plenty of Nordic minimalism – and, of course, deeply indulgent spa treatments.

Time Out tip: Make time to linger – St. George Care is at its best when you’re not in a rush.

Lönnrotinkatu 4. Entry with treatments or hotel stay. Age limit 16.

While visitors flock to Allas Pool in search of the ultimate Helsinki sauna experience, locals come for exactly the same reasons: it’s one of the few places where you can enjoy saunas and swimming alongside a central location and beautiful seaside views. There’s a year-round heated pool at 27°C and a seawater pool that matches the temperature of the sea – pleasantly mild in late summer, but bracing at other times of year. In summer, a children’s pool, sun deck and sandy beach with loungers are also open. There are several saunas: the public panorama sauna and corner sauna, as well as floating saunas overlooking Market Square. These include a unisex sauna (swimwear required) and separate men’s and women’s saunas where you can enjoy the experience Finnish-style without swimwear.

Time Out tip: Bring flip-flops. You can walk barefoot around the pool area, but they make moving between saunas and pools much more comfortable.

Katajanokanlaituri 27 A. Entry €19 on weekdays, €24 at weekends.

Located right in the heart of the city along Mannerheimintie, within the NH Collection Helsinki Grand Hansa hotel, Usva Spa by Terhen is a place where it’s incredibly easy to unwind. Rooted in Finnish sauna traditions, the spa offers not only classic facials, body treatments and massages, but also experiences you won’t find everywhere: sauna whisking, herbal baths and DIY treatments. Guided whisking with a sauna therapist is a memorable experience even for Finns, and afterwards you can finish your relaxation in the cold plunge or steam room. Best of all, stretch out on the spa’s heated loungers, either to relax or to catch up with a companion. The space is fairly compact, which helps keep the atmosphere calm, but it’s best to secure entry with a reservation in advance.

Time Out tip: Take advantage of the gym access included in your visit and fit in a workout before heading to the spa. Usva Wellness Club offers excellent facilities for a varied training session.

Mannerheimintie 5. Spa and gym €39. Age limit 16.

Once you've tied the belt of your grey bathrobe around your waist, it's time to relax. Reopened in summer 2026 after a makeover, Kämp Spa offers a combination of peace, pampering and, of course, relaxation, with the unmistakable feeling that you've stepped into somewhere a cut above the rest. The spa now has a relaxation area with its own restaurant, a quiet room filled with Neurosonic beds, a long-awaited swimming pool, a cold plunge pool and three saunas: a traditional Finnish sauna, an infrared sauna and a steam room. There's also an extensive selection of body and facial treatments, as well as a well-equipped gym and a cryotherapy room. The revamp has brought plenty of new experiences. There's something particularly delightful about ordering a smoothie or a healthy bowl while still wearing your bathrobe, fresh from the sauna. Or lying on a Neurosonic bed with headphones on, drifting somewhere between sleep and wakefulness, surrounded by complete strangers doing exactly the same thing. There's no need to fight off sleep here, especially if you've started your visit in the cryotherapy chamber at −110°C or taken a dip in the cold plunge pool between sauna sessions.

Time Out tip: Don't miss the Neurosonic treatments. While many spas charge extra for this service, at Kämp Spa it's included in your visit.

Pohjoisesplanadi 29. Spa access is available with a treatment, a hotel stay or an experience package (from €95).

The Waldorf Astoria Helsinki spa in the peaceful Kruununhaka neighbourhood is an oasis of calm. Everything is picture-perfect, thoughtfully designed, immaculate and gleaming, from the bathrobes neatly folded and waiting in the lockers to the Diptyque toiletries in the showers. The spa has a traditional Finnish sauna, steam room, cold plunge pool, hot tub, small swimming pool and a bucket shower that's particularly popular with tourists. There are also four treatment rooms. The atmosphere in the hotel's spa is wonderfully peaceful, with the silence broken mainly by the shrieks of tourists braving the cold plunge pool or bucket shower, while Finns tend to experience these things in silence. We visited during an autumn storm, when it was especially relaxing to lounge around with refreshments, watching the wind and rain batter the city through the skylight. The bathrobe felt particularly soft and warm (and the massage wonderfully relaxing) after trudging through the city in the pouring rain.

Time Out tip: Keep the luxury going after your spa visit and head for drinks at the hotel's Peacock bar. You'll find it at the end of a corridor on the first floor, where you can sip cocktails beneath some seriously over-the-top chandeliers.

Mariankatu 23. Spa access costs €75 for non-hotel guests.

Lying naked in an enclosed tank might not sound like something anyone would willingly sign up for, but just under an hour without sensory stimulation can work wonders. When you know you're in there entirely by choice, that you can leave at any time and adjust the lighting however you like, even the fear of enclosed spaces fades away. At Float, you float in body-temperature salt water that you can barely feel, creating a sensation of weightlessness. With no distractions, earplugs in and eyes closed, it's easy to focus on nothing but your own breathing. Float has two locations, one on Iso Roobertinkatu and another in Kallio. I headed to the former after work, rushing and already running late, only to realise I'd turned up at the wrong location. But the rush (and panic) came to an abrupt halt when a Float employee welcomed me in and showed me to the lounge for a glass of water while they prepared a tank that happened to be available. Everything you need is provided, from towels to toiletries, and each tank has its own private shower complete with shampoo. After showering, it's time for 45 minutes of floating. By the end, all that rushing around has melted away from your body, and a monthly Float membership starts to sound rather tempting.

Time Out tip: If you're floating in the evening, keep the hydration going with a visit to the Hi-Hat art bar across the street, where you can soak up the intimate salon atmosphere and catch the occasional live gig.

Iso Roobertinkatu 8. One float session costs €67.

Located in central Helsinki, Hilla Helsinki is where the city’s busy pace gives way to the calm of a Finnish forest. The scents, music and interiors are all inspired by nature – even the gua sha combs are made from Finnish birch. The treatments use Unna Nordic products, made just over seven kilometres away in Herttoniemi, with the spa’s staff involved in their development. We tried a back and hot stone massage as well as a hand massage, all delivered with skill and care. The location is easy to find, and the welcome is warm and clear.

Time Out tip: After your treatment, head next door to St. George Bakery for a moment of calm and an excellent selection of pastries.

Yrjönkatu 11. Facials from €89.

Head a little outside central Helsinki and you’ll find rooftop bathing at Valo Hotel & Work in Ruskeasuo. A popular conference hotel and co-working space, its wellness area doubles as a place to catch your breath between meetings or unwind after a working day. The terrace features a cold plunge, a hot tub and two log saunas with views over the city. Indoors, there’s a swimming pool and a steam room. On Friday and Saturday evenings, there’s also a bar serving spa-goers. The log saunas bring a cosy cabin feel, while the cold plunge recalls an icy dip – a very Finnish experience. Up on the rooftop, you’d never guess the busy Mannerheimintie runs just below.

Time Out tip: The terrace and saunas are fairly small, so if you’d rather avoid crowds (like most Finns), visit during weekday daytime hours.

Mannerheimintie 109. €25–35. From 19.30 age limit 16. On Friday evenings and all day Saturday, the wellness area is reserved for hotel guests only; at other times, entry is available with a ticket.

Chi Wellness Spa is an Asian day spa with two locations right in central Helsinki. The menu includes massages, facials and spa treatments, and you can also book a couples’ massage. The massage we tried was fully holistic, working from toes to earlobes, with just the right amount of pressure to ease tight muscles. The highlight? A head massage at the end that melted away the last traces of tension. The softly lit treatment room and calm Asian music create an atmosphere that transports you straight to sunny Asia. The facilities are clean and polished, and after your treatment, water and tea are offered.

Time Out tip: Don’t rush off – stay a while to enjoy a cup of tea and the calm before stepping back into the city buzz.

Bulevardi 32. Massages from €48.