The wood-heated sauna at the AaltoAlvari Aquatics Centre will reopen on 1 September

The atmospheric wood-heated sauna at the AaltoAlvari Aquatics Centre in Jyväskylä will once again be heated regularly from 1 September 2026. Public mixed-gender sauna shifts are held on Tuesdays and Fridays from 15.00 to 20.30.

Equipped with two large Aitokiuas stoves, the sauna offers an unforgettable sauna experience even for expert sauna-goers. AaltoAlvari, with its saunas, is situated on the University of Jyväskylä campus, which is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Aalto Works complex.

AaltoAlvari’s wood-heated sauna’s public sauna shifts 1 September–15 December 2026

• mixed shift Tuesdays 3.00 pm–8.30 pm
• mixed shift Fridays3.00 pm–8.30 pm

As the sauna is heated depending on the weather, those attending public shifts are advised to check whether the shift is going ahead on the morning of the sauna day via the Timmi online booking system. The shift will appear in green on the Timmi calendar when the sauna is heating as planned.

Wood-heated sauna’s Timmi online booking system

To use the sauna during public sauna shifts or by booking it for private use

You can enjoy the sauna at AaltoAlvari during weekly public sauna shifts or by booking it for private use.

Participation in a public sauna shift costs €2.50 in addition to AaltoAlvari’s standard admission fee. Sauna-goers will receive a separate wristband from the cashier, which is scanned at the reader by the sauna door. The wood-heated sauna is located in the oldest part of AaltoAlvari, near the men’s changing rooms. During public sessions, visitors use the sauna in their swimwear.

You can also book the sauna for your own use for a period of three hours, for example for a social evening, a special occasion or another private event. Private bookings must be made no later than 14 days before the start of the booking. Bookings can be cancelled free of charge seven (7) days before the booked date. Sauna bookings and cancellations must be made in writing to [email protected].

AaltoAlvari wood-heated sauna’s price list

• Public sauna shifts: €2.50 + AaltoAlvari admission fee
• Private event on weekdays: €300 + AaltoAlvar admission fee / 3 hours
• Private event at weekends: €450 + AaltoAlvar admission fee / 3 hours

You may also use your own sauna whisks in the sauna. However, sauna-goers must ensure they wash thoroughly before entering the pools and make sure that no leaves or other debris are carried into the pools on their skin. Sauna whisks are not available for purchase at the AaltoAlvari ticket office.

A historic sauna experience as part of AaltoAlvari

Opened in 1955, AaltoAlvari is the world’s only swimming pool designed by the architect Alvar Aalto. The aquatic centre, which has been expanded over the years, is now one of Finland’s largest in terms of pool surface area. Its best-known features are the waves that run every half hour and every hour, as well as two water slides, which make AaltoAlvari an exceptionally exciting swimming pool.

The wood-heated sauna is part of the swimming pool’s original, historically significant building and offers visitors the chance to experience a slice of AaltoAlvari’s authentic history whilst enjoying traditional wood-heated sauna shifts. AaltoAlvari is situated on the University of Jyväskylä campus, which has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Site status as part of the Aalto Works complex. At The Wood-Heated Sauna, visitors can enjoy a sauna shifts in a unique setting where Finnish sauna culture, architectural history and World Heritage come together.