Best Saunas in Germany

Friedrichsbad, Baden-Baden

Baden-Baden, Baden-Württemberg • Roman-Irish bath • Since 1877

Friedrichsbad is not just a spa — it is a cathedral of bathing. Built in 1877 in the Renaissance Revival style, this Roman-Irish bathhouse has been offering the same 17-station ritual for nearly 150 years. The thermal water rises from 2,000 meters below the earth's surface, naturally heated to 68°C, rich in minerals that Romans discovered two millennia ago.

The 17-step circuit takes about three hours and guides you through warm air baths, hot air baths, thermal steam, full-body brush massage, thermal pools of varying temperatures, and finally a cream rest wrapped in warm towels. The architecture is breathtaking — vaulted ceilings, marble columns, mosaic floors, and a central dome that makes you feel like you are bathing in a palace. Because you are.

Mark Twain visited in 1878 and wrote: “After ten minutes you forget time, after twenty minutes you forget the world.” He was not exaggerating. Friedrichsbad is a place where time genuinely dissolves. It is one of the great bathing experiences on earth, and it should be on every sauna lover's bucket list.

Caracalla Therme, Baden-Baden

Baden-Baden, Baden-Württemberg • Modern thermal spa • 5,000 m²

Just steps from Friedrichsbad sits its modern counterpart. Caracalla Therme uses the same ancient thermal water but presents it in a contemporary setting. The spa spans 5,000 square meters of pools, grottos, and jets, with the water naturally heated to 68°C and cooled to comfortable bathing temperatures.

The upper floor houses the textile-free sauna landscape, which is where the experience really shines. Multiple saunas at different temperatures, a cold plunge pool, relaxation rooms, and regular Aufguss sessions. For those who want the Baden-Baden thermal water experience without the formality of Friedrichsbad, Caracalla is the answer. My tip: do Friedrichsbad in the morning, have lunch in town, then spend the afternoon at Caracalla. A perfect Baden-Baden day.

Therme Erding, Munich Area

Erding, Bavaria • World's largest spa complex • 27+ saunas

Everything about Therme Erding is superlative. It is the largest spa complex in the world, spanning 185,000 square meters (yes, you read that correctly). The sauna area alone — called the Saunaparadies — features over 27 different saunas, from Finnish-style wood cabins to massive event saunas that seat over 100 people for Aufguss performances.

The scale is overwhelming in the best way. There is also Galaxy Erding (a water park with slides), the VitalTherme (thermal pools), and the VitalOase (adults-only thermal area). You could spend an entire day here and not experience everything. The Aufguss sessions in the large event saunas are particularly impressive — choreographed performances with towel artistry, essential oils, and music that turn a sauna session into theater. It is very German, and it is spectacular.

Vabali Spa, Berlin

Moabit, Berlin • Balinese-themed urban spa • SAUNA37 Award Winner

In the middle of one of Europe's grittiest cities, Vabali Spa Berlin is an unexpected oasis. The concept is Balinese-inspired: thatched-roof pavilions, tropical gardens, koi ponds, and carved stone everywhere. It sounds like it should not work in Berlin, but it works beautifully.

The sauna offerings are extensive — Finnish saunas, bio-saunas, steam baths, infrared cabins, and several outdoor saunas set among the gardens. The Aufguss program is one of the best in Berlin, with multiple sessions throughout the day. The food is excellent (rare for a spa), and the relaxation areas are genuinely peaceful. Vabali won a SAUNA37 award, and it is one of those places that proves a sauna does not need to look Finnish to deliver a world-class experience.

Vabali Spa, Hamburg

Hamburg • Balinese-themed urban spa • SAUNA37 2026 Award Winner

The Hamburg outpost of Vabali follows the same Balinese-inspired concept as Berlin but with its own character. It earned a SAUNA37 2026 award, recognition of its excellent sauna quality, stunning design, and outstanding Aufguss program. The facility features multiple saunas at varying temperatures, extensive outdoor areas, and the same high standard of food and service that has made the Vabali name synonymous with premium urban wellness in Germany. If you are visiting Hamburg, this is the sauna destination.

Liquidrom, Berlin

Kreuzberg, Berlin • Underground temple • Underwater music

Liquidrom is unlike anything else on this list, or anywhere else in the world. The centerpiece is a saltwater floating pool housed inside a former cistern, with underwater speakers that play electronic music and ambient soundscapes. You float in warm, salty water in near-darkness, with colored lights shifting slowly overhead, while music reverberates through your body. It is deeply strange and deeply wonderful.

The sauna area is also excellent, with a Finnish sauna, a panorama sauna, a Kelo sauna (built from naturally aged Arctic wood), and various steam baths. But the floating pool is what you come for. On weekends, Liquidrom hosts DJ sessions where the music in the pool shifts to electronic sets. It is Berlin at its most creative: taking an ancient tradition and remixing it into something entirely new.