What is Aufguss? The sauna ritual explained

If you've been in a big European sauna and seen a crowd pile into one cabin at exactly the same time, that was an Aufguss. It's the high point of the sauna day in Germany and Austria, and it has spread far beyond them: you'll find it from Tallinn to Tokyo.

What happens in an Aufguss

In a Finnish sauna, anyone can throw water on the stones. In German-speaking countries, bathers usually leave the stones alone, and the steam is handled by the Saunameister (sauna master) at set times. The schedule is posted on a board, and some cabins show a light or sign over the door while a session is running.

The water hits the stones, the steam rises to the ceiling, and the towel brings it back down to you. That's the whole idea: to move the heat so that everyone, from the top bench to the bottom, feels it. Our guide to German sauna culture covers the other house rules you'll meet at the same place.

Step by step

1. Find a seat before it starts. Popular sessions fill up, so arrive a few minutes early. Lay your towel down so that no skin touches the wood.
2. The master introduces the session, often naming the scent and how many rounds there will be.
3. First pour. A few ladles of water go onto the stones. Then the towel work begins, and a wave of heat rolls down the room.
4. Second and third pour. Each round adds more water and more heat. Some masters fan each bather individually in the last round.
5. The end. In Germany, people often applaud. Then everyone heads out to cool down: fresh air first, then a cold shower or plunge.

The towel work

This is where sauna masters show their skill. A good one moves the air in a steady rhythm so the heat comes down evenly instead of in a scalding blast. Common moves include long sweeping waves from the stove towards the benches, fast circles with the towel swung overhead like a propeller, and a sharp snap that sends a single gust at one person. Some masters use a big fan or two towels at once.

Fanning is a craft with its own training. The German Sauna Federation's sauna master course covers infusions, fanning technique and scent blending, as well as hygiene and emergency care.

Scents and extras

The water is usually mixed with a few drops of essential oil or a sauna scent: eucalyptus, mint, citrus, pine and lavender are the classics. Some sessions use honey, salt or fruit. At the end of a salt Aufguss, for example, you may be handed salt to rub into your damp skin. Undiluted essential oils should never go straight onto hot stones, so masters mix them into the water.

Some sessions use ice instead of poured water: a ball of frozen scented water placed on the stones melts slowly and releases steam bit by bit.

How hot does it get?

The sauna itself is usually 80–100 °C (176–212 °F). vabali in Berlin runs several of its Aufguss saunas at about 80 °C, and the Arena sauna at Europabad Karlsruhe at 100 °C. What changes during an Aufguss is the humidity. Each pour adds steam, and moist air carries heat into your skin much faster than dry air, so 85 °C feels far hotter with the towel going than it did a minute earlier. The upper benches get the most. Our guide to sauna temperature explains why the top bench is always hotter.

Etiquette

• Don't come in late. Once it has started, opening the door lets the heat out and is considered bad manners.
• Stay to the end if you can. Getting up mid-session disturbs the others and lets heat out.
• But do leave if you feel unwell. Your health beats politeness. Go between rounds if you can, quietly, and nobody will mind.
• If it's too hot, move down a bench, or tell the master you'd rather skip the individual fanning.
• No talking while the master is working.
• Shower before you come in. A full sauna is no place for yesterday's sweat.

Show Aufguss and championships

Aufguss has grown into a performance art. In a show Aufguss, the sauna master adds music, light, costumes and choreography, and some sessions tell a story. Big sauna parks have built theatre-style saunas for it: SPAWORLD in Osaka has a sauna theatre for 140 people.

There are competitions too. Germany's national championships, run by the German Sauna Federation, have two formats: a show category, and the Modern Classic Cup, which leaves out the show and judges fanning technique, the build-up of heat, scent and music, in a sauna for at least 90 people. Winners qualify for the Aufguss World Championship (Aufguss WM), organised by an association based in Bielefeld. The 2026 championship was hosted by the Satama Sauna Resort & Spa in Germany. Other countries run their own national rounds: Belgium's 2025 final was held at Saunatopia, near Antwerp.

Who should be careful

An Aufguss is the most intense heat most people will meet in a sauna. If you're new, sit on a low bench and skip the hottest sessions. Ask your doctor first if you have a heart condition, high or low blood pressure, or are pregnant. Don't go in after alcohol, drink water between sessions, and leave if you feel dizzy or sick. See how long to stay in a sauna for safe timings.

This guide is general information, not medical advice.

Where to try one

Find My Sauna lists 408 places with Aufguss sessions or other sauna rituals. These cities have the most:

Meri Sauna

Leipzig · Event sauna, sessions all day

Europabad Karlsruhe

Karlsruhe · Gladiator Aufguss at 100 °C

Saunatopia

Antwerp · Hosted the Belgian final in 2025

Frequently asked questions