Seto smoke sauna, Setomaa

Condé Nast TravelerAug 3

Writer Ash Bhardwaj rolls Easter eggs with the Seto people and discovers how ritual, memory, and community outlast political borders.

Traditional sauna where windows are closed to build heat.

9 things in this story

Seto smoke saunaSightTraditional sauna where windows are closed to build heat.
JumalamägiSightSacred hill topped with a carved idol of Peko.
PekoPublic artworkSeto god of crops, fertility, and beer.
Old Jüri’s soap shopPlaceShop making soap using traditional methods and holy water.
Petseri MonasterySightCrucial pilgrimage site for the Seto, near the Russian border.
Seto ToursPlaceOffers information and guidance for visiting Setomaa.
Elsewhere
Iti LeiväküükRestaurantObinitsa, EstoniaCafé serving hansa liquor and traditional Seto food.
Transfiguration ChurchSightObinitsa, EstoniaPale-green church at the edge of Obinitsa.
Kirsi FarmHotelMeremäe, EstoniaHomestay and converted farmhouse serving traditional meals.

Seto smoke sauna