What to wear in a sauna (and what not to)
By the Find My Sauna team·
Updated ·
7 min read
Turn up in a swimsuit at a German sauna and someone may politely ask you to take it off. Walk into a London spa sauna without one and you'll get a very different reaction. What you wear depends far more on where you are than on any universal rule.
The short answer
Wear what the venue expects. In the UK, Ireland, North America and most hotels and gyms that means a swimsuit. In Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, saunas are usually nude and swimsuits are often not allowed. Scandinavian public saunas vary, so check first. Everywhere, sit on a towel, leave jewellery and glasses outside and wear flip-flops between rooms.
Your options
Swimsuit
The default in most of the English-speaking world. A plain swimsuit or swim shorts is all you need. Pick one without metal zips, buckles or rings, as metal gets hot quickly. Rinse it after the sauna, since sweat and heat wear the fabric out faster than a pool does.
Towel only
In many European spas you go into the sauna naked and wrap a towel around you between rooms. Inside, you don't wear the towel. You sit or lie on it so that no bare skin touches the wood. A large towel matters here, long enough for your whole body if you want to lie down.
Nothing at all
Traditional in Finland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Japan and elsewhere. It feels strange for about two minutes, then nobody notices. Everyone is there to relax, and staring is very bad manners. You'll still need a towel to sit on.
Sauna hat
A felt or wool hat looks odd, but there's a reason for it. It keeps the hottest air off your head and hair, so many people find they can stay in a little longer and comfortably. They're common in Finland, the Baltics and Russia, and you'll see them more and more elsewhere.
What not to wear
- Jewellery and watches. Metal heats up fast and can burn your skin. Leave rings, chains and earrings in your locker.
- Glasses. They fog up instantly, and metal frames get hot. Leave them by the door.
- Gym clothes and T-shirts. Cotton soaks up sweat, and most venues don't allow everyday clothes in the sauna for hygiene reasons.
- Sauna suits and plastic wraps. These trap heat and stop sweat cooling you down, which raises the risk of overheating.
- Make-up, oil and heavy lotion. Wash them off first. They block your skin's sweating and leave marks on the wooden benches.
- Shoes. Flip-flops are for walking between rooms. Leave them outside the sauna door.
Rules by country
These are general customs. Individual venues set their own rules, so always check the sign at the entrance or the venue's website.
| Where | What people usually wear |
|---|---|
| Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands | Nothing in the sauna, often mixed. Swimsuits are often not allowed. Bring a large towel and a robe. |
| Finland | Traditional public saunas are usually single-sex and nude. Newer mixed saunas, like the ones on the Helsinki waterfront, usually ask for swimwear. |
| Sweden, Norway, Denmark | Harbour and floating saunas usually ask for swimwear. Older bathhouses can be single-sex and nude. |
| UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia | Swimsuit, almost always. |
| Japan (onsen and sento) | Nude and single-sex. Your small towel stays out of the water. Some places still turn away visitors with tattoos. |
| South Korea (jjimjilbang) | Nude in the single-sex baths. In the shared sauna rooms you wear the T-shirt and shorts the venue gives you. |
| Turkey and North Africa (hammam) | A cotton wrap called a peshtemal, usually provided. Underwear or a swimsuit underneath is common. |
| Russia and the Baltics (banya) | Often nude or wrapped in a sheet, with a felt hat. |
Mixed and single-sex saunas
Many nude spas in Germany and Austria are mixed, and some set aside a women-only sauna or a women's day each week. If that matters to you, check the venue's opening times before you go. Where saunas are single-sex, the changing rooms and saunas are fully separate, and some venues have a mixed area where swimwear is required.
If you aren't comfortable being naked, look for a venue or a session that asks for swimwear. Lots of cities have both. You don't have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable.
What to pack
- two towels: a large one to sit or lie on, and one to dry off
- flip-flops or pool slides
- a swimsuit, if the venue asks for one
- a robe, for longer visits to a spa
- a water bottle
- a hair tie, shampoo and moisturiser for afterwards
- a sauna hat, if you have one
Many spas rent out towels and robes, so check before you carry everything across town. Once you're packed, read how long to stay in a sauna for your first visit, and sauna vs steam room if your spa has both.
Where swimwear is required
Find My Sauna lists 209 places where you'll need a swimsuit. These cities have the most:
Sauna House
Copenhagen · Swimwear required
Löyly
Helsinki · Swimwear required
Vabali Spa Berlin
Berlin · Textile-free saunas
Frequently asked questions
Do you wear anything in a sauna?
It depends on the venue. In the UK and North America people wear swimsuits. In Germany, Austria and the Netherlands saunas are usually nude. Wherever you are, you sit on a towel.
Can you wear a swimsuit in a German sauna?
Usually not. Most German saunas are textile-free, and staff may ask you to take your swimsuit off. Check the rules of the venue if you are unsure.
Can I wear a T-shirt in a sauna?
Most venues do not allow everyday clothes in the sauna. Cotton holds sweat and is less hygienic. Wear a swimsuit or a towel instead.
Should you wear flip-flops in a sauna?
Wear them between rooms and in the showers, then leave them outside the sauna door.
Can I wear jewellery in a sauna?
Better not. Metal heats up quickly and can burn, and the heat can damage some stones and finishes.
