First time at a sauna? A step-by-step guide

The first visit is the only hard one. You don't know where the towels go, whether people will be naked, or how long you're meant to sit there. This guide takes you through a typical visit from the front desk to the walk home, so nothing comes as a surprise.

Before you go

• Choose the right place. A big public spa has plenty of staff and signs. A small community or floating sauna is friendlier but has fewer instructions on the wall. Both work for a first visit.
• Check the clothing rule. Nude, swimwear, or your choice. It's on the website, usually under "house rules" or "FAQ".
• Eat lightly. A big meal just before makes the heat feel heavier. A small snack an hour or two before is fine.
• Don't drink alcohol. Alcohol in the sauna raises the risk of low blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat and accidents. In one study of sauna burns treated at a large Finnish hospital, 40% happened after drinking.
• Pack. Two towels, flip-flops, a water bottle and a swimsuit if needed. Our sauna packing checklist covers each kind of venue.

Arriving and changing

At the desk you pay and get a wristband or key for a locker. Ask the two questions every first-timer has: where are the showers, and is there an Aufguss or a hosted session today? Staff get asked this all day.

In the changing room, put everything in the locker except your towels, flip-flops and, if needed, your swimsuit. Leave jewellery and your phone behind.

Then shower properly with soap. This is expected everywhere, and it's the one rule nobody forgives. Dry yourself off afterwards: wet skin takes longer to start sweating.

Your first round

1. Open the door, go in, close it quickly. A quiet hello or a nod is normal.
2. Spread your towel and sit on a lower bench. Heat rises, so the bottom bench is the gentlest seat in the room.
3. Sit back and breathe slowly. You'll feel the heat on your face first. After a few minutes your skin starts to sweat.
4. Stay 5–10 minutes. Leave earlier if you want to. There's no prize for staying.
5. Sit up for a minute before you stand. Your blood pressure drops in the heat, and standing up fast can make you lightheaded.

If someone ladles water on the stones, you'll feel a wave of heat a few seconds later. It passes within a minute or two. If it's too much, move down a bench or step out.

Cooling down and resting

Outside the sauna, cool off. A cool shower is enough for a first visit. If there's a cold plunge, you can try it, but go in slowly and keep it short. Many people start with their legs and arms. Our guide to cold plunges explains what the cold does.

Then rest for 10–20 minutes. Lie down, drink water, let your heart rate settle. In German spas you'll often see people sitting with their feet in a warm footbath at this point. It warms cold feet and helps you stop sweating. The rest is part of the routine, not a break from it.

Your last round and leaving

If you feel good, do a second round, a little longer or a bench higher. A third is optional. Most people feel pleasantly heavy after two or three. Our guide on how long to stay in a sauna has the full timings.

Before you leave, shower, rest a little longer than you think you need and drink another glass of water. You may keep sweating for a while after you get dressed, so don't rush straight out into the cold with wet hair. Moisturise if your skin feels dry.

If you feel nervous

That's normal, especially if the sauna is nude. Three things help:

• Go at a quiet time. Weekday mornings and early afternoons are often calmer than evenings and weekends.
• Go with a friend who has been before, and copy them.
• Pick a swimwear venue first if nudity worries you. Plenty of cities have both. Our guide on going naked in a sauna explains how the nude ones work.

Remember that everyone else is there to switch off. Nobody is watching you.

Common first-timer mistakes

• Going straight to the top bench.
• Staying in too long to prove something.
• Skipping the shower before, or the towel under you.
• Walking in or out in the middle of an Aufguss.
• Bringing a phone into the sauna.
• Forgetting to drink between rounds.

For the rest of the unwritten rules, read our sauna etiquette guide.

Who should check first

Talk to your doctor before your first sauna if you're pregnant, have a heart condition or high or low blood pressure, or take medicine that affects your heart, blood pressure or sweating. Don't go with a fever, and don't go after drinking. Children can use a sauna briefly with an adult, on a lower bench.

This guide is general information, not medical advice.

Find a sauna for your first visit

Search by city on Find My Sauna to see what's near you, with the clothing rules, sauna types and photos for each venue. A few friendly places to start:

Hold Space

Munich · Swimwear sauna

Sauna Lorrainebad

Bern · Riverside saunas

Bains des Rives

Lausanne · Lakeside saunas

Frequently asked questions