Travel + Leisure was the first to stay at Jänkä Resort & Ranch in Finland.

“How does that feel?” asks Siiri, as the spikes of the juniper branches relieve the itch on my back and the spicy scent surrounds my body. “Peaceful,” I respond, so relaxed that one-word answers are ...

Deep underground in a disused iron mine and under the bluish glow of a flashlight, a small crowd emerges from a sauna, steam rising off their bodies as they plunge into a crystal clear turquoise lake.

The sauna (which means “bath” in Finnish) is a ritual -- almost even a rite -- which Finland’s 5.5 million inhabitants carry out at least once a week. A sociable event that once lent a sense of ...

It's got more to offer than just wellness.

It is so hot that my lungs feel like burst bubblegum. A stranger is whipping my naked back with a branch. I am 12. It is so humid that my nostrils burn like mustard. Two humming wizards are whacking ...