A guide to German bathhouse culture

On the night the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, a 35-year-old Angela Merkel – German chancellor from 2005 to 2021 – famously didn’t rush to the border. Crossing to West Germany, where Merkel had never been, could wait.

Why? Thursday was sauna day. 

In the perspective of Merkel – the poster child of German pragmatism and unflappability – revolution can always wait until after a good sweat. The story lifts the towel, ever so slightly, on the bare truth of German bathhouse culture. Visiting public saunas is not only about relaxing, it’s about sinking into the local culture, too.

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The naked truth: the history of German bathhouses

In the former East Germany (GDR), bathhouses (Volksbäder) – public facilities for hot baths, steam, and sauna – were a socialist luxury. As most East Germans didn’t have full bathrooms at home, going to a public sauna was necessary hygiene. And, with Volksbäder located everywhere from sports clubs to factories, it became a social and leisure activity, too. On a meta level, perhaps steam rooms even provided East Germans with some psychological relief – evaporating social pressures, and obscuring the state’s watchful eye, if only for a short while.

After German reunification, saunas became a beloved relaxation ritual fundamental to any visit to the growing number of spa complexes and fitness studios nationwide. Closely aligned with Germany’s enduring Freikörperkultur (FKK) movement, or “free body culture” nudism, saunas became a means for attaining good health and exercising one’s personal freedom.

What are bathhouses in Germany like today?

Nowadays, German bathhouse culture infuses age-old naturism with modern wellness practices. Think saltwater pools with underwater speakers playing ambient, chillout beats. Or, saunas festooned with healing crystals and color light therapy.

In Germany, the most beloved part of the sauna experience is catching an Aufguss (literally, “pouring on”). An Aufguss is, essentially, a communal steam where a Saunameister (sauna master) pours water and essential oils onto hot stones.

The sizzling, hissing liquid opens up a sensory experience. Whipping a towel or a large fan, the Saunameister distributes the hot air throughout the sauna in timed intervals (usually two to three rounds, totaling about 15 minutes), ensuring everyone works up a sweat. Some of the toughest sweats come courtesy of even the most petite Saunameister. The best of them can wield and shake huge handfuls of birch whisks with Goliath strength – not to mention the rhythm and flow of Olympic gymnasts.

Popularized in Finnish-style health resorts, the Aufguss is today a beloved German spa ritual widely regarded as a toxin buster. During the sweat, some sauna-goers will apply salt scrubs or mud masks for optimal vigor. And, at the end of a particularly challenging Aufguss, it’s not unusual for the entire sweaty sauna crowd to break out in cheers and applause.

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What do I need to know before I go? 

If you’re planning on visiting one of Germany’s bathhouses, be prepared to go naked. Inside sauna rooms, swimsuits are not just taboo, they’re not allowed. Today, textilfrei or “nude zones” in bathhouses reference hygiene, and the common belief is that clothing traps toxins and heat.

Don’t worry, though, this doesn’t mean you’re naked everywhere. “Nude zones” are typically limited only to sauna and steam rooms. Elsewhere in spa complexes, bathrobes are mandatory.

Sitting naked in a sauna – especially during an Aufguss where benches become a sea of bare, sweaty appendages – might be uncomfortable at first. However, culture shock tends to subside quickly in an experience that’s truly devoid of eroticism. Saunas are an egalitarian, co-ed experience. They’re first-come, first-served, and you share the space respectfully with people of all ages and characters.

When attending an Aufguss, check the starting time on the bathhouse’s daily Aufgussplan (ceremony plan). A German sense of punctuality is key as the sauna doors close promptly. Arriving a few minutes early is even better as space gets limited (especially on the lower benches, which tend to be less hot).

What are sauna rules and basic etiquette?

Besides preparing to be textilfrei (nude) in the sauna, taking a shower before entering is protocol. 

Having your own towel inside is another must. In keeping up good hygiene, a towel must always be between the wood and your skin (aside from where the bottoms of your feet touch the floor). If you forget, the Saunameister will usually gently remind you – that is, if another sauna guest hasn’t already done so.

Leaving the sauna is traditionally followed by a cold shower to stimulate circulation. Sometimes, there are buckets of ice outside for scooping up handfuls and cooling down.

Of course, a natural part of being in the sauna is catching glances of other naked bodies. However, that should never cross the line of staring or displaying overt exhibitionism.

Last but not least, the sauna is a quiet zone. Any volume of talking is extremely frowned upon.

What do I need to bring? 

Bathhouse essentials include the following: a bathrobe, at least two towels (one for sitting on inside of saunas and at least one for drying yourself), and flip-flops. These items can also be rented (or, in the case of flip-flops, purchased as disposables), though the individual costs can add up.

Many Germans bring their own water bottle and fill up at fountains instead of buying plastic bottles. Some pack their own lunch; though, most bathhouses usually have a small canteen, kiosk, or on-site restaurant (keeping with the cultural tradition of saunas as accessible, prices are usually quite fair).

Tips for visiting German bathhouses

The most important part of the sauna experience is always listening to your body. If the heat is making you feel unwell, you can (and should) leave the Aufguss at any time. Sitting in on an Aufguss can certainly be intimidating, from the theatrical performances of some Saunameister who really take a sadistic pleasure in making people sweat, to the eagle-eyed Germans checking on everyone’s towel-to-skin ratio – above all, always do what’s best for you.

If you would rather avoid crowds, the best time to visit German bathhouses is weekday mornings and afternoons. Evenings and weekends are especially popular. Some bathhouses will allow you to pre-purchase tickets with a specified time slot; this is strongly advised, as you might otherwise have to queue (depending on whether the facility’s at maximum capacity).

The best bathhouses across Germany

In Berlin, bathhouses reflect the capital’s trendiness and progressive vibe. Crowd favorites include Liquidrom, where the spa’s grandiose saltwater pool boasts subaquatic speakers providing music with every float (sometimes classical music or even live DJ sets), enhanced by multicolored, changing lights. Meanwhile, the Stadtbad Neukölln, a public neoclassical bathhouse built in 1912, offers candlelight and women-only naked swims, which are great for nudism newbies.

Around an hour by train from Berlin, in the neighboring state of Brandenburg, several bathhouses keep up the GDR-era ethos of being family-friendly and widely accessible leisure.

In Ludwigsfelde, the crystal-themed Kristall-Saunatherme keeps saunas and wellness areas laden with rose quartz and other positive auras (some areas are family-oriented). Also in Brandenburg, you’ll find Tropical Islands, the world’s largest indoor waterpark, situated in a former airship hangar. Saunas and swimming pools flaunt retro, East German kitsch across the world’s largest indoor rainforest, complete with real flamingos, turtles and butterflies, even overnight tents, cabins and a sandy beach.

Elsewhere in Germany, former Roman outposts retain aspects of medieval bathhouse culture. In southern Germany, Kurorte (health spas) and thermal baths include the Müller’sches Volksbad in Munich. The stunning, 1901-built art nouveau public bathhouse, abounding in marble pillars and ornate frescos, is home to a renowned Römisch-Irisches Schwitzbad (Roman-Irish sweat bath). The region’s mineral springs have long supported a deep spa culture, anchored by historic bathhouses and wellness resorts across Baden-Württemberg (for example, in the capital, Stuttgart) and Bavaria.

Meanwhile, Cologne, once an important Roman regional capital, today holds one of Germany’s most beautiful bathhouses. Opened in 1912, the Neptunbad is an art nouveau vision of elaborate tiled mosaics and stained-glass windows. The highlight is floating in the circular Kaiserbad (Emperor’s bath), where classical symphonies resonate beneath the surface.