There are all kinds of myths about nudity in Sweden. How did it start? Why have the normally self-conscious, shy Swedes adapted to be fabric-abstaining fanatics? Is everyone a nudist in Sweden? Does everyone use the sauna naked? The same is also true in Swedish.

And the health benefits of the Swedish sauna are much talked about. But for foreign visitors, who might not be used to baring all in front of other people, the whole thing can feel a little… awkward. So: is it okay to wear swimming gear in a traditional Swedish sauna? Not having clothes sticking to your skin just makes the whole sauna experience a bit more comfortable, and some purists even consider it unhygienic to bring swimwear into the sauna. So how do you know what you should do?

This was the first sauna I ever visited in Sweden, and I will always remember it with the thrill of being in a foreign sauna for the first time, in a foreign country, on my own. The whole area looked completely isolated from the hustle and bustle of city life, serenely waiting in the arms of nature. Walking on, I had to enter one of the many wooden cabins, following the signs to the sauna. I was told by the lady at the reception to leave my boots outside the changing room, which looked like a high-school gym changing room to me. Minimum luxury, maximum practicality.