In this article, The Best Sounas in Barcelona, we will show you the city’s most prominent saunas and why you should visit them. However, we will also advise you on how to behave while staying with them and what to expect.
Are you hungry for more information? If yes, let’s go on together.
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Introduction to gay saunas
Saunas have a long history dating back to Ancient Rome, where they served as more than just a place to unwind. Public baths, known as “thermal” in Rome, were also social gathering spots. Gender separation was expected, and Roman men likely engaged in activities similar to those enjoyed by the gay community today. Over time, saunas have become famous for gay and bisexual men to relax, socialize, and have fun.
Barcelona honors this Roman legacy with its saunas filling every day from dusk till dawn – and indeed morning till dusk as the majority have 24/7 open hours. Barcelona, abundant with gay tourism, plays a role, and its saunas have become an international reference standard – with designs from quality interior designers and clean, reliable facilities. Within them, you’ll always find tourists from all over the world mixing with hot local men – and what more could you want?
If you’re planning a trip to Barcelona and looking to explore the city’s saunas, I’ve got some great recommendations for you. Barcelona has a variety of saunas that offer unique experiences, from luxurious and modern to small and cozy. Despite the pandemic’s challenges, four saunas have remained open and are worth checking out during your visit. So, get ready to relax and enjoy some well-deserved pampering!
Sauna Bruc
Sauna Bruc is the perfect spot for you! Located near the port and Urquinaona, it may be smaller than other saunas in Barcelona, but it more than compensates with its exceptional attention to detail and style. If you’re seeking a truly relaxing and indulgent experience, Sauna Bruc is undoubtedly the right choice for you.
Inside there are the usual dry and wet saunas, jacuzzi, steam room, dark rooms, glory holes, and cubicles, but their Pride and joy is their hydromassage pool that uses pressurized jets incredible to massage those hard-to-reach zones on the back – the wall contains pictures of male pop idols like Elvis to add the touch of culture often lacking in other venues. The sauna has stylish chic with its blue interior, plants, and artwork. The bar especially exudes a more laid-back vibe than you’d typically expect from a sauna, and it serves drinks and snacks at very reasonable prices.
The entrance fee stands at 14 euros, making it one of the cheaper saunas in Barcelona. Like Condal, they host themed parties like naked nights and a 2-for-1 offer for mature men – should you want to bring your partner. Some nights even host local DJs to add a club-type vibe.
©Sauna Casanova
Sauna Casanova
Eixample – better known to the locals as “Gaixample” – is Barcelona’s principal gay area and where you’ll find most of the saunas, sex clubs, and cruising bars of the city. Sauna Casanova lies in Gaixample, on the street of the same name. It’s the most famous bathhouse in Barcelona – making it the busiest. Recently renovated, it is enormous – at 1400 square meters – also making it a giant sauna in Barcelona and the biggest in Spain.
Casanova has a massive jacuzzi, which fits more than twenty guys – at a pleasant squeeze – and its other facilities across three floors include dry and wet saunas, a steam room, big dark rooms, a maze in the basement filled with cubicles, a fetish area equipped with a swing, a video room and even an actual swimming pool – not that a lot of swimming goes on there. In the center of Casanova is a lively and somewhat stylish bar – by sauna standards – making it a great place to socialize as much as find action.
The men are generally of the younger muscled variety, although everyone is likely to find someone to their tastes due to the influx of tourists. During the weekends, there is a flurry of activity as the nightclubs close and partygoers are looking for a way to close the night – saunas serve as the unofficial afterparties of Barcelona. You can expect a long line to enter during big parties like Barcelona’s (in)famous Circuit party, or Pride. Worth the effort, though, as the atmosphere on such occasions is palpable, and with the hotness on offer, you’ll no doubt find someone(s) with which to form the kind of memories you won’t easily forget. The only real negative is the cost: 21 euros on average, or 23 on holidays.
Sauna Condal
Sauna Condal is best known for welcoming everybody. It is a firm favorite of bears, chubs, and older guys – who mix with a few of the more typical muscular guys you’d expect to find in saunas. It also tends to draw those of the kinkier persuasion. Perhaps this variety is due to the themed nights they organize, like bears, leather, and naked nights. Its four floors include enormous darkrooms, fetish areas, and the usual saunas and jacuzzi.
Sauna Condal has a lot of tradition and character, making the people – and staff – feel a little friendlier with a more local feel. The entrance can be found close to Plaza Catalunya through a discreet cul-de-sac in the Gothic neighborhood.
Sauna Thermas
Thermas is a 900 square meter sauna in Barcelona, complete with two pools, a jacuzzi, cabins, a cruising room, and a bar. It’s open 24/7 and part of the Grupo Pases sauna chain, known for exceptional service. Be mindful, as some may not seek genuine connections.
Best Gay Saunas in Barcelona – codex of behavior
The gay saunas in Barcelona are perfect places for tourists and locals to come together. They are undeniably more direct and based in reality than apps like Grindr. Not to mention more comfortable and relaxing than cruising areas. However, there are specific rules in saunas, which are in no way unique to Barcelona.
Approaching guys can be nerve-wracking as no one likes rejections. But you can use various tactics. Visitors who don’t speak Spanish may find language an issue sometimes. Fortunately for you, most people in Barcelona speak at least some English. But sex is an international language, so that you won’t need excellent language skills there! Good ways to hook up with your prey of choice are leaning on the wall opposite them and waiting for eye contact to approach, sitting in the jacuzzi, pool, bar, etc., and chatting to men before inviting them to a more private space. Learning to take no for an answer and moving swiftly from rejected advances is more critical. Ultimately there’s always someone for everyone in saunas.
©Sauna Bruc
It’s important to set boundaries politely. Don’t tolerate harassment. Keep the sauna clean and use the provided facilities. Return your towel and flip-flops when leaving. Be determined and brave to achieve your goals. Enjoy your day!
Final wordings
Here are our top choices of The Best Saunas in Barcelona. What do you think? Do you have any other saunas on your list? If so, please share this info with us in the comments below.
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