HELSINKI – November 02, 2026 -- Pack a swimsuit for Helsinki's Christmas Market: from 27 November to 22 December, visitors can warm up in a real wood-burning Finnish sauna in the middle of the stalls. The market, called 'Tuomaan Markkinat', sits at the foot of the steps of Helsinki Cathedral.
A wood-fired sauna sits between the porridge and mulled wine stands
Furuvik Saunas is bringing the sauna to the market. Owner Tea Lindberg says offering a wood-fired sauna is a way to welcome visitors with the same hospitality Finns show their own guests. Visitors can alternate between spoonfuls of 'puuro' (Christmas porridge), sips of 'glögi' (mulled wine) and time in the heat.
Finland has more than 3.2 million saunas for just over 5 million people. Heating one to around 100 degrees Celsius while it is freezing outside is a long-held habit. On Christmas Eve, many families fire up the sauna just before dinner, a tradition called 'joulusauna'.
Market vendors compete to create the 'hittipuuro'
Each year, stallholders try to make the market's hit dish, known as the 'hittipuuro', or 'hit porridge'. Some stick to the classic of cinnamon, browned butter and plenty of sugar. Others add a twist, like a previous year's miso brown butter caramel porridge. Visitors act as the jury, and the longest lines show the winner.
Not every vendor serves porridge. Past stalls have sold Korean corndogs made of reindeer meat. Many vendors are local restaurants, so a favorite stand can lead you to its permanent location for a full meal.
An ice rink will circle the Havis Amanda statue a block away
A block from the market, an ice skating rink will surround the 'Havis Amanda' statue in the market square. Finns gather at the statue to celebrate international wins, including gold at the International Hockey Championships or the Olympics, and Finland's 2006 Eurovision victory.
Other rinks pop up in neighborhoods across the city. One of the most picturesque lies below the twin steeples of Johannes' Church in the Ullanlinna district. When the sea freezes, locals cut holes in the ice for 'avanto', or ice swimming.
Helsinki works as a stopover on the way to Lapland
More than a million visitors head to northern Europe each winter, and many pass through Helsinki, home to Finland's busiest airport. Domestic flights and overnight sleeper trains to Lapland depart from the city. Visitors with a few spare nights can see the home and studio of designer Alvar Aalto, a UNESCO World Heritage site, or book a candlelit Christmas lunch with cured salmon, reindeer and casseroles.