16th European Sauna Marathon
The 16th edition of Europe's largest social sauna festival. Friday features the Sauna Village on Otepää's central square with shared rituals, concerts, folk music, and street food. Saturday is the main orienteering race between saunas. Teams of four, car and driver required.
Participants at the European Sauna Marathon in Otepää. Photo: European Sauna Marathon / Otepää Sport.
The 16th European Sauna Marathon returns to Otepää on March 5 to 6, 2027. The event bills itself as "Europe's largest social sauna festival and one of Southern Estonia's most legendary winter events."
Friday opens with the Sauna Village on Otepää's central square, where visitors can enjoy shared sauna rituals, concerts, a folk music party with traditional musicians, and street food. Saturday is the main orienteering game, where four-member teams visit as many mapped sauna locations as possible within the time limit. A car and driver are required.
Registration takes place on March 6 at Tehvandi Sports Hall from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. The marathon starts at 11:00 a.m. from Otepää Central Square. The finish line at Tehvandi Sports Hall remains open until 6:30 p.m. An official afterparty runs from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., free for participants with wristband.
The event draws participants from 20 countries. The Guinness World Record for longest running annual sauna marathon event recognizes Otepää's unbroken run since 2007.
For the full deep dive on how sauna marathons are spreading across Europe, see our Analysis of the format.
