Sauna, naked or wearing a swimsuit?

[Itisnoteasybeingdifferent]

Inspired by the conversation about the NDN sunbating topless Nd underlying attitude to nKedness.

To start. We prefer to go naked as they do in Austria, which means we don't go to saunas in the UK. It is interesting the notoces say "for health reasons, no swimsuits". Though to be fair, Austrian saunas are much much hotter than UK ones which also say the same notice.

[Hassled]

I think if you went naked into a sauna in the UK there would be some sort of a riot. It just doesn't ever happen. Or at least not in the hotel pool/gym type saunas I've used.

[AwakeCantSleep]

I'm a German, and sauna lover. I'm with you on the nakedness. I cannot comprehend what is attractive about having wet swimwear cling to one's body in a very, very hot environment. The skin should be able to breathe properly.

I do sometimes use a sauna here, but find the lack of proper sauna etiquette in the UK very frustrating. Most people don't even use a towel, just plonk down in their dripping wet swimwear. I've seen people (in clothing) come into a sauna and drape their wet swimsuits over the benches to dry!

There normally isn't a properly cold shower for afterwards either (lukewarm really doesn't work). Or a quiet, pleasantly warm relaxation space. I'm always looking forward to a sauna visit back home

[ForalltheSaints]

I think if you went naked into a sauna in the UK there would be some sort of a riot. It just doesn't ever happen. Or at least not in the hotel pool/gym type saunas I've used.

Unfortunately true. I'm used to saunas in the Netherlands and without swimwear is the norm. Only aware of a very few places in the UK where you can have a sauna naked, other than at the portable ones you get at some festivals. Only three i am aware of- Clover Spa in Birmingham, one in Brighton and one near Alexandra Palace in London.

[Littlecaf]

Swimsuit. No nudity here, we're British.

[Westfacing]

When I was a gym-member it was male or female days in the sauna - I wouldn't go into a mixed sauna.

I was naked or wearing knickers and sitting on a towel.

[treaclesoda]

I'm so British. I just couldn't go naked in public. I wouldn't even walk around my own house naked. In fact, I don't even like the feel of being naked

[Yika]

Naked - since living in Germany :)

[titianlove]

I'm Scottish (Glaswegian) and I can't even begin to comprehend the reaction to walking into a sauna naked in Glasgow 😂😂😂😂😂😂

That said YANBU, I don't really care about nudity in the setting you've described.

[titianlove]

And I walk about the house (upstairs) naked if I'm getting changed as does my husband.

[FlyAwayPeter]

Naked. But generally in the UK, people wear swimming costumes, which I find a bit yukky. But I also notice that a lot of UK users don't shower first ...

But I'm lucky - the saunas at my gym are in the men's and women's change rooms and quite a few women are sensible and sauna naked (with towels). So it's seen as quite acceptable.

And far far better than one young woman with whom I shared the sauna who entered fully clothed in her gym gear (including trainers), post-workout, without a shower beforehand.

I had to leave the sauna, straightaway it was so smelly - I did say to her as I left that it was usual to shower beforehand.

And I had a word with the gym supervisor, who did then see to putting up some nicely worded notes about no shoes, and take a shower beforehand.

[FlyAwayPeter]

Or a quiet, pleasantly warm relaxation space. I'm always looking forward to a sauna visit back home

One of my best nights out (and best night's sleep afterwards) was a Friday night at a huge sauna complex with my German friends - there were about 10 different types of sauna, a pool at blood heat that was both inside & outside, cold water plunge pools, hot tubs, and so on. And deck chairs to lie on in between, and a café ...

The thing that night was that you're not really naked very often - just in the sauna or pools. The rest of the time, you wear your towelling robe, and people are quite modest - I didn't see any "flaunting" of bodies. And it was mixed sex.

So grown up & oh, the relaxation - I felt relaxed to my very bones.

[CountessYgritte]

Flyawaypeter - where is this amazing sounding place?
You are going to say Germany aren't you

[FlyAwayPeter]

Yup It was bigger than most shopping centres here (think, the Trafford Centre of saunas. With a café.

[bananafish81]

Porchester spa in West London certainly used to have naked days - women only days, men only days, and mixed days where bathing suits were mandatory

It had three different warm rooms of different temperatures with wooden sun loungers, a few different saunas and steam rooms, a plunge pool, and a room above the main spa with sun loungers to hang out - and a cafe with a lovely lady who made tea and scones and sandwiches

Oh and it's council run so it certainly used to be very reasonable. Absolutely shat all over most of the London day spas - for a third of the price. It was a proper Roman style baths (it hopefully still is, I just haven't been in years) - and also had therapies like massage and body scrubs for peanuts as they were done at subsidised prices

It wasn't plush but super clean and very much for all walks of life. Pensioners and women in their 20s (as my friend and I then were) alike. Although we were the squares in our swimsuits and the pensioners were happily strolling around naked!

[Lipstickandlashes]

I've just come back from a spa break in Amsterdam that sounds very like the place that Fly mentioned - huge complex that goes inside and outside into woodland; 20 odd different saunas including one with a real fireplace in it.

People of all ages, sizes and both sexes, all naked and no one batting an eyelid. Just enjoying a really relaxing day. The only place you wear robes is in the cafe/bar and restaurant.

It actually made me realise how unhygienic swimming costumes are.

[FlyAwayPeter]

[TheNaze73]

I think it depends on the sauna.

[ElphabaTheGreen]

I saw a woman in a sauna in Britain once. Completely naked, legs akimbo towards the glass door, epilating her nethers. I was too traumatised to riot.

[StiickEmUp]

THe sauna in Brighton is naked because people have sex in it 😅

[Ineedmorelemonpledge]

I'm in Switzerland and yes it's nudity. My Friend and I got screamed at for wandering into the Sauna garden with cossies on.

As we are both British we couldn't sit nude together chatting.

I have been alone but it was mixed and I didn't feel too comfortable but I have huge norks. It wasn't the splayed muftis and family jewels that bothered me, but the eye raising stares at my chest.

[LanaKanesLeftNippleTassle]

I hate the attitude to nudity in this country.

It's really weird and repressed! (I'm a brit btw!)

I love being naked, and do so as much as possible, including beaches/saunas/anywhere I can really, but especially in my garden in the sun!

We see nude = sex here, which is a horrible way to see what is, essentially, our natural state!

[user1486669405]

Don't all these naked sauna sessions end up in massive orgies?

[Westfacing]

Banana unfortunately Porchester Spa is no longer council-run (probably still council-owned). It's now managed by a private leisure company - with prices to match.

[ForalltheSaints]

Don't all these naked sauna sessions end up in massive orgies? No, not at all. I've seen an MEP and an Olympic medallist in ones abroad. Mothers and daughters on occasions.