Hugon Savusaunat in Rautjärvi, Finland (opens in new tab)

On the shore of Lake Rautjärvi in South Karelia, within the Saimaa lake district, two octagonal smoke saunas stand among the pines — hand-built by a local farmer and entrepreneur using traditional techniques, and now among the most authentic smoke sauna experiences available to visitors anywhere in Finland. From the door of the Hiisi sauna, the Hiidenniemi peninsula stretches across the lake. The saunas are called Horna and Hiisi — both names drawn from Finnish mythology, referring to the und...