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Sauna season in full swing. That means that hardly any soaking news. Just eye-candy.
We will start of with some general sauna news.
First off, from the other side of the big ditch. From Bloomberg (Jan. 16):
'Bathhouses are booming. The Altar and Lore Bathing Club are both opening in New York this year. The Community Sauna Baths is planning 20 locations in London by 2028, while groups Othership and Bathhouse will open a combined nine high-design locations in the US by the end of 2027. Spanish bathhouse and spa group Aire Ancient Baths, a longtime luxury player, opened a second Manhattan location and a Toronto bath in 2025, and it plans to open in Los Angeles in 2026. Therme Group, which develops massive facilities that can hold hundreds of people at once, recently raised €1 billion ($1.2 billion) to expand across Europe and is developing locations in Washington, DC, and Dallas.The bathhouse trend, as one founder put it, is a new idea that is thousands of years old. In countries like Hungary and Turkey, baths and hammams have long been a part of everyday life. But in the US, bathhouses have more often been associated with old-school Russian banyas, Korean spas filled with grannies or places for cruising....The New Sauna Wave, as the rise of social bathhouses is known, was gaining ground in Europe before the pandemic acted as a global catalyst. In Oslo in 2016 a group of Norwegian anarchists built a floating badstue out of a drift boat in a fjord (the cold plunge), knowing that they wouldn’t get permits to build legally. The sauna was public (it cost about $20 to drop in) and became so popular that the politicians who frequented it helped secure retroactive permits. The Oslo Sauna Association today operates 29 saunas, has 20,000 members and serves 300,000 visitors per year. (It’s now anarchist mostly in spirit.)“People just needed something to be real and the total opposite of sitting at the screen or your cellphone,” says co-founder Ragna Marie Fjeld. Many people in Oslo live alone, and social isolation is a problem. Unlike neighboring Finland, the country didn’t have a social sauna culture, Fjeld says, and there weren’t a lot of public places where it was easy to strike up conversations with strangers.Saunas fill a gap, like a cigarette break outside a pub might have, a time-limited shared activity that makes it simple to connect with total strangers. “In the sauna it’s very easy,” Fjeld says. “You can just say, ‘It’s very hot.’ ”
BBC also chimes in (Jan. 13):
'As saunas gain global popularity, a hypnotic offshoot involving theatre, music and towel-twirling known as "Aufguss" is attracting wellness-seekers across the world.My fellow sauna-goers and I drip with sweat while a semi-nude man prances around the room with arms extended, twirling a white towel like a matador rousing a bull. The aromas of patchouli and grapefruit tangle in the cloth, and as oil-infused ice sizzles on the scorching rocks in the centre of the sauna, the exposed performer flicks and spins his towel, fanning hot steam towards our faces. We raise our arms, submitting to the power of the heat'.
Zooming in.
Travelbook have an overview (Jan. 23) of Germany's best wellness places to experience their textile free sauna culture. Includes 1 hot spring (Bad Wildbad). Good overview:
'Oft beschränkt sich in Schwimmbädern der Bereich, in dem man sich frei nackt bewegen kann, auf die Sauna-Landschaft – doch es geht auch anders. TRAVELBOOK zeigt 11 deutsche Thermen und Bäder, in denen FKK erwünscht ist.In der Sauna liegt eine feuchte Wärme auf der Haut wie ein wohliger Mantel. Beim anschließenden Abtauchen prickelt die Kälte durch den ganzen Körper. Doch dann folgt für echte FKK-Fans der Alptraum: Um noch eine Runde schwimmen zu können, muss man sich in Badeanzug oder -hose quetschen. So schnell ist sie vorbei, die Freude an der Nacktheit. Aber es geht auch anders! Viele deutsche Thermen und Bäder haben das Bedürfnis ihrer Gäste nach Nacktheit auch beim Schwimmen erkannt und gehen mit besonderen Angeboten auf die Wünsche von FKK-Fans ein.Angefangen bei textilfreien Abenden bis hin zu Thermen oder Bädern, die ausschließlich für Nudisten bestimmt sind. Für Unentschlossene oder Pärchen, bei denen einer FKK mag und der andere vielleicht nicht, gibt es auch Anlagen, in denen Besucher die freie Wahl haben zwischen textilfrei und Badekleidung'.
You might have to use translator ...
The naked sauna experience 🌿In Estonia, going into the sauna 𝘢𝘶 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘭 is quite common - especially when you’re among family, friends, or when men and women go separately. Of course, sometimes we’ll wear swimsuits (particularly in mixed-company or public saunas), but more often it’s just a towel… or nothing at all 🔥Around the world, we’ve seen all kinds of sauna attire: swimsuits (very common), workout clothes, and even shoes (yikes!). However, we definitely recommend letting your body sweat freely, so skip the extra layers whenever you can. The less between you and the heat, the more authentic the experience - and your skin will thank you.How do you prefer to sauna? Do people in your country usually wear swimsuits, towels, or nothing at all?. . .#sauna #saunalife #saunatradition #wellness #benefits
GB's Metro (Jan. 16) on an spa experience (in the UK):
'I had volunteered to spend my morning at Banya The Bath House, in London’s Belgravia, before really thinking it through. I’ve never lasted more than a few seconds in a sauna, nor have I ever been inclined to throw myself into the sea in order to feel ‘invigorated’....I’m not quite sure what’s just happened to me, but I do know that I enjoyed it, and I’ll definitely be going back.So, is it worth it? 100%'.
Marvel
Therme Erding is sort of a hot spring. But the news to share concerns their sauna set-up. Anyway, the Therme got new owners. But their users are concerned.
From / on Reddit (Jan.):
'My husband and I frequented the Therme regularly for 14 years (nude area). Also went there once with a hen party and once or twice with friends and family (slides area).Over the years I recommended the place (nude area) to countless people because of its flair and atmosphere and despite the rising prices (because hey, everything everywhere is more pricey these days huh).Well that ends now.I highly advise everyone who’s planning on going to read the recent 1 star google reviews before they get taken down. It’s a shame what the place has become: profit over everything, families feel exploited and not safe because they let too many people in. Sauna customers feel robbed too: Kelo-Sauna (an absolute highlight) is (amongst other places) not part of the nude area any more. Also fewer possibilities too lie down and relax because fewer lounge chairs and all are either reserved or occupied.If you heard people marvel about that place it most likely referred to the past. Do your research and my advice: don’t go. We might have a voucher left but I don’t know if I want to use it! I don’t think we will be back'.
Some of these 140+ comments:
'Unfortunately, I must confirm. Therme Erding went downhill fast after it got sold to Therme Group. Nude area getting smaller and smaller, while prices rise. Bonus program (stamp card) cancelled. Too many people; if you're not in the sauna 15 minutes before an infusion, there's no room left. 30-minute queue for the Banja and Keltenthronsauna'.
or:
'As others have pointed out, the management is changing things to maximize profit while ignoring the requests of their regular visitors. With our community at r/munichtechsauna, we visit spas regularly and can highly recommend Phönixbad nearby. In 2027, a new Vabali Spa is being built near Olching, and we have high hopes for that too'.
So the new owners need changes: the investment needs to be paid back asap.
Now even the INF have decided to step in:
'The International Naturist Federation (INF-FNI), working in close cooperation with the German Naturist Federation (DFK), has written to Therme Erding in Munich following reports that the world-famous spa and sauna complex is substantially reducing its textile-free (naturist) capacity in favour of expanded clothed areas.In its letter, INF-FNI expressed concern that such changes represent a retreat from Germany’s long-standing tradition of Freikörperkultur (FKK), which has been an accepted and valued part of social life for decades. The Federation highlighted recent evidence from European surveys showing growing interest in naturism, particularly among younger adults, and underlined the cultural, social and wellbeing benefits of non-sexual social nudity'.
More on lesser experiences. The Stuttgarter Nachrichten (Jan. 14) reports:
Nach Alkohol und Pöbeleien setzt eine Therme in Brandenburg seit mehr als einem Jahr auf ein besonderes Sicherheitskonzept. Und sorgt damit bundesweit für Aufmerksamkeit....Ein "biologisches Geschlecht" dürfe seither das andere um maximal 20 Prozent überwiegen. Anderenfalls erfolge ein "temporärer Einlassstopp für das überwiegende biologische Geschlecht", sagte Schauer. Vielfalt und Herkunft spielten dabei "ausdrücklich" keine Rolle, betonte er. "Seit wir das machen, funktioniert es sehr gut."
Other measures mentioned: groups of 3 or more have to announce their visits. Mind-boggling that these sort of measures are needed.
A quick update on the previous Eurosoaking post which noted how German law means all who partake in the German sauna culture can be filmed / photographed legally. The petition to demand change is at 71.000+ signatures; nearly double that of a month ago. And in an email (Feb. 16) the initiative takers share:
'Wir haben großartige Neuigkeiten: Dank über 65.000 Unterstützer*innen unserer Petition, konnten wir gleich drei Bundesländer (Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen und Saarland) überzeugen, gemeinsam mit uns und dem innn.it Team eine Bundesratsinitiative zu starten.🎉 Und auch Bundesjustizministerin Hubig (SPD) & Bundesfamilienministerin Prien (CDU) unterstützen unsere Forderung und haben eine Reform bis zur Sommerpause angekündigt – parteiübergreifend!Unser Ziel: Sexuell motivierte, heimliche Nacktaufnahmen müssen unter Strafe gestellt werden!Vielleicht hast du uns im Fernsehen gesehen? ARD, ZDF, RTL, Sat. 1, NDR, WDR… alle Medien haben von unserer gemeinsamen Pressekonferenz im Justizministerium in Hannover berichtet – der Raum war knackevoll!
So it looks like this is heading in the only way possible.
Magic
Then some more on European sauna culture
This from Germany Reddit (Jan.): what's it like? 50 answers.
Another Reditt discussion from January (Jan. 8), this on the European spa experience / culture. Experiences from allover Central, Northern and Western Europe. What happened to Southern Europe?
Reditt on Dutch sauna culture (Jan. 25):
'We’re not scared or ashamed of naked bodies at all, but where I’m from we just don’t go to saunas or wellness places fully naked. So the whole SPA + sauna thing in the Netherlands on a nude day is pretty new to me....I’m going with a friend (also a woman) and I’m just trying to understand how to behave there without being awkward or rude....From what I think I understand: you usually walk around wrapped in a towel. When you go into the sauna, you take everything off, put your towel down and sit naked on it. But is it also ok to stay wrapped in a towel inside the sauna, or is that weird/not allowed?
Answer:
'It’s a magical place for relaxation, safe, clean. And it’s a liberating feeling to be nude'.
Some more personal insight, but still staying in the Netherlands.
There are actually quite a few reels with the same sort of cultural clash.
An insta reel from safiyah_cooper (Jan. 6) on her experience in Amsterdam:
'Wasn’t I in for shock? This is a tradition here for the Dutch is to go into the sauna in your birthday suit I must say it was a no from me but each to their own it just gave me the shock of my life🫣😂'
With many comments. Including her own:
'I didn’t actually go in because I didn’t want to be the only one with a bikini on and I wasn’t comfortable to go naked so I gave it a miss'.
Then an experience from Austria. Pavlinasundrich (Feb. 12):
'Cultural practices around saunas, stream rooms and hotsprings regularly trip me up'.
How it ended?
'Got yelled at!
100+ comments, most: yes, naked is the (only) way to go.
Other Euro sauna culture.
Flip_estonian (Jan. 26) posts this question:
'Being invited to an Estonian sauna means you’re friends. Going in naked is normal, and the real magic?
60+ comments, if you're interested.
mark_waldron (Feb. 14):
'Would you get naked in this Event Sauna? 😅 It’s on the 4th floor of a spa as part of @neuhaus.zillertal hotel where we stayed a couple of weeks ago for our MOVE Winter Retreat.The spa was pure luxury but this event sauna experience was something a bit different 😁They’d have different themes each night, such as rock, classic ballads or love song!The rest of this floor was great too though, loads of chill out areas and a veranda with a VIEW! 🏔️More footage of this spa to come as there was so much to see and do!
Nearly 30 comments.
Ikaria, Nana to agrimi's blog
Ikaria Lefkada, naked thermal bathing in the sea
The winter months see some odder activities pop up. Skagen's Winter Bathing festival (wild sea swimming and sauna, just finished). Ikaalinen's sauna carnival (also just finished). Schaffhausen's Sauna Marathon (this weekend!).
Or this.
A Norwegian Film Festival (Nor-Way) took place in Berlin last month complete with pop-up sauna's / hot tubs before the cinema hall:
COME TOGETHERNOR-WAYMore than 30 Films from 100 Years+ Gratis Sauna for all Films15.- 25.01. Still 8 DAYS of the wonderful Norwegian Films
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