Saunarivm – The Roman temple in Pankow

Our first sauna for this year was founded in Berlin-Pankow in 2001, but has lately been in the local newspaper headlines due to a danger of needing to close their business –apparently their landlord has some better plans for the premises. Luckily, at least for the time being, we are still able to visit Saunarivm.

Saunarivm is designed in the kitschy style of a Roman temple (all the way to their name) and has a Finnish sauna, a Tepidarium (60° C) and a Dampfbad. There is also a restaurant with a lot of seating space, and two separate outdoor areas.

We arrived at six in the evening, switched to our sauna gear and checked the Aufgussplan: menthol Aufguss at 18:30, and another one right after at 19 sharp. Quite a tight schedule, but we would at least try to attend both.

Turned out though that the menthol Aufguss was merely the Saunameister putting a bunch of ice cubes on the rocks, freeing up a mentholy, eye-stinging scent to the room.

The seven o’clock Aufguss wasn’t strictly traditional either: four steam rounds with a meditation theme. The setting for the meditation was a sound from a small gong-like instrument after each round of steam, and it was up to each participant how to reach for their inner zen. Four Aufguss rounds proved pretty tough for us, and we were happy to escape once it was over.

The rest of the hourly Aufgusses were of more traditional nature, three rounds with various scents. The ritual was performed skilfully each time. No complaints. The Aufgusses today were definitely on the hotter side, even to the extent that we decided not to sit on the highest seat during the two last ones.

Despite being one of the larger ones around, the sauna room was packed full during each Saunameister visit until 21. One has to be at least five minutes early to get a seating of their liking, or wait for the summer when Germans always inexplicably pause their sauna visits.

This sauna is directly under the plane descent path to Tegel airport. It depends completely on you if you’ll find this a prime opportunity for airplane spotting or a nuisance disturbing your cool-down meditation. In any case, if Saunarivm manages to stay open, the noise will go away as soon as Tegel closes later this year (if it does – Berlin airports tend to disregard all schedules).

Pros:

• A rather large Finnish sauna with a very nice Aufguss
• Roomy restaurant and outdoor areas
• Friendly personnel

Cons:

• Aufgusses tend to be a bit crowded
• Kitschy style may offend your sensibilities

Conclusion:

A bit more spacious than your average Berlin Kiezsauna, with very enjoyable hourly Aufgusses. Saunamafia recommends!

 

Saunaclash revisited

Time flies! And it seems that Saunamafia is having more and more challenges getting together to sweat and to write. But we’re still here and will continue our hobby as long as unvisited saunas remain in Berlin. One peculiarity of 2019 has been that, despite our busy schedules, we’ve visited the Saunabad in Prenzlauer Berg at least three times without managing to publish the review. So, writing that shall be our new year’s resolution then (after one more visit of course).

Back to the topic however: the late autumn Saunaclash festival. We already reviewed the event in 2018, and it was such a success that we cleared some room from our calendars for a revisit. The festival took place in mid-October 2019, and we took part on a sunny Saturday evening.

As always in sauna festivals, our mission was simple. Seven saunas, visit all of them. Here are our thoughts:

Modulbox “mo_sauna”

Reviewed in Saunaclash 2018. A compact wooden box placed on a trailer. As last time, the sauna was again scalding hot. We entered this sauna first and got in just when it was still tolerable, and left when the heat just became too much. Heat likely calmed a bit after the sauna got a full stream of visitors; too bad we didn’t have time to try it again at the end of the evening.

Fasssauna on the left, Modulbox on the right.

Sweat’n’roll aka Fasssauna

A new one! As the name suggests, this is a big barrel. The sauna had no lighting inside, so it was almost pitch black. The oven was heated just to the right temperature, and this was pleasantly warm despite being fully crowded. With an enjoyable Aufguss this was our surprise favorite this evening!

Kleiner Wagen

Reviewed in Saunasplash 2019. Just as unique as last time, and definitely hot enough. We could sit only on the far side of this sauna as the oven was hot enough to fry our leg hair on any closer proximity.

Kleiner Wagen

Zarennest

Zarennest

A small unassuming Russian tent sauna also seen in Saunaclash 2018. Aufguss is very sharp, and heat stays in surprisingly well. As a nice bonus we found the bath broom whipping thing: vasta/vihta/venik in the tent.

Saunahoch13

Reviewed both in Saunaclash 2018 and Saunasplash 2019. This sauna is always pretty cool, both in appearance and warmth. One can basically sit, chat, and enjoy the mild heat almost indefinitely.

Firefit

The legend, classic red firetruck, seen in the previous sauna festivals. This time it felt a bit too cool, and didn’t top the favorite list of the evening as it usually does. Just goes to say how dependent the sauna experience is on heating and crowd turnover rate. Still, Firefit remains one of our biggest all time favourites.

Firefit waiting for visitors.

Polygon

Familiar from Saunasplash 2019, this tent sauna delivered again a surprisingly good Aufguss.

The evening included additional program such as DJs, a wonderful Antifascist yodeling duo, and a massive warm pool that we didn’t dip into this time. Beers were available for a couple of euros.

Antifascist yodeling duo

Evening lights

We were the first ones to arrive, and had to leave just as the event was reaching its peak. As a downside we probably missed the best party, but on the other hand had a much easier time to fit in the small saunas – almost no queuing needed. You should choose your visiting time carefully: for sauna enjoyment early, for party mood later.

Saunasplash – Das Saunafestival

Sauna enthusiasts of the world, unite!

This was the founding slogan behind Saunasplash, an event gathering sauna lovers from Berlin’s environs to join for mobile sweating at the Plötzensee beach. Eight saunas on wheels and hundreds of laid-back visitors over a sunny September weekend – an event not to miss.

Antti and Kalle were sent as Saunamafia representatives as the only ones available this weekend. The task: try them all. Without further ado, let’s cover the findings.

Helpful map of the area

Le Camion

We started with the familiar Le Camion which we’ve already covered in our earlier reports from Ostbloc and Saunaclash. Good temperature as always, and we managed to catch an Aufguss too. A great start!

Hoch 13

Second sauna was also familiar from last year’s Saunaclash. An unconventional construction made of slatted frames. Today the sauna left us cold as it didn’t really get hot enough even during Aufguss. This didn’t bother too many visitors though, as a waiting queue had formed by the time were done.

BanyaMobil

A 7,5 ton Saunatruck formerly known as Fluchtkunst. A very big sauna room with two benches and lots of wasted space around. This sauna was very hot, by far hottest one in this event, which was quite surprising considering that the Harvia stove seemed rather small for the space. One of our favorites today as the heat differed so much from all the other options.

Polygon

A small, basic tent sauna with a surprisingly enjoyable Aufguss. The seating was a bit rickety, likely just a consequence of the tent being on beach. Be careful not to burn your leg hair sitting next to the oven!

Polygon is built inside a supporting frame

Russian Banja

A very tidy, professionally built sauna trailer with a big Harvia stove. From inside the sauna looks basically just as a normal Finnish home sauna. Lacking a little bit in character compared to the other saunas in this event, but a very nice Aufguss.

Firefit

Already visited at the Saunaclash last year. The best mobile sauna ever, and seems like the customers also know this. Firefit is always heated to exactly the right temperature, and the self-served Aufguss is just as it should be: one can enjoy a long sauna session without getting exhausted.

Rosa

Rosa is a mobile sauna with a large panoramic window, built in an 814 Mercedes truck, yet again with a Harvia stove. The seating is the tallest and most spacious of this sauna collection. Temperature was a bit too cool when we visited but this was just because the stove hadn’t been fed. Hopefully we’ll be able to try again in some later event.

Kleiner Wagen

A Sauna built in an old caravan. The stove isn’t a traditional one with stones, but rather a regular wood-fired heating/cooking stove. A small water bowl placed on top was giving an ongoing Aufguss. The owner also prepared hot chocolate on it! Very cute.

Kleiner Wagen after nightfall

This event was an absolute blast! Great hippie-like environment with light installations, music, food and beer by a peaceful lake as close to Berlin’s heart as possible, filled with saunas one nicer than the next one. Just as with the previous year’s Saunaclash, the clientele was considerable younger than usually seen in Berlin’s numerous saunas.

It’s terrific to see a community growing around such an esoteric hobby as mobile saunas. We’ll for sure visit the upcoming sister event Saunaclash in October!

The oaky delight

We tried to visit this Russian sauna already a year ago, but as we arrived to the location on the southern outskirts of Berlin, we realized it was closed due to the summer pause. This time we wanted to make sure our trip is not in vain and called the place beforehand. We got a confirmation, and on one sunny Sunday afternoon, drove down to Sauna Meteliza.

Meteliza has a quite traditional setup: two sauna rooms, a cold pool, a Ruhereaum, a bar and an inner yard for relaxing. The place was in a very good condition, either renovated recently or not that old to begin with.

Only one of the two saunas was heated up today due to the low number of guests. Perhaps it was too sunny outside – for some incomprehensible reason sauna is a winter time activity in Germany. The lack of any crowds gave the sauna a laid back, almost a lazy atmosphere.

As we entered the sauna area, we got greeted by the super friendly owner Ivan, who was very eager to explain how things work here. Similarly to the Sauna Berezka we recently visited, this place doesn’t have the hourly Aufguss rituals, but the customers are welcome to steam up the room themselves. What we were very excited about, is that they also offer the traditional oak bath brooms (vasta or vihta in Finnish, venik in Russian), and we were able to buy one even without pre-reservation. As instructed by Ivan, we let the venik soak in a bucket of warm water for half an hour before the first round.

 

Sauna was heated up to 100 degrees which seems to be the lower boundary in Russian places, so very little steam was needed. The high temperature gave a bit different feeling from the traditional 80°C Finnish or German sauna – a continuous, unrelenting heat instead of fluctuations between high and low steam levels. It’s of course up to personal preference which one feels better, but at Saunamafia reviews we don’t discriminate!

For one of our fellows it was his first whipping experience with a bath broom ever. And it was a great one! The heat feels more intense while being beaten and the smell of oak leaves gives an additional flair to the procedure. As best sauna friends we shared the broom and also treated one another’s back. We can recommend to try it out when you have a chance, it’s definitely worth it! After three rounds of Aufguss, the broom was still in a good shape. Ivan insisted to take it home and reuse it at least one or two more times. Currently it’s waiting for its next mission in Mark’s bathroom and releases a nice continuous smell in the meanwhile.

Meteliza has also a separate room for billiards, and the friendly owner let us play a game of the Russian variant during one of our cool-down breaks. To be honest, the Russian version of the game is so hard we weren’t even close to finishing it before it was time for the next round.

After a nice Sunday sauna experience we went to the Croatian restaurant next door and had a nice and (for most of us) meat-heavy dinner.

Entrance fee is 17 EUR for three hours (or 22 EUR for a day pass), and beers were 4 EUR each.

Pros:

• Do it yourself Aufguss
• Veniks for sale
• Very laid back atmosphere

Cons:

• A bit hard to reach

Conclusion:

Very good Russian sauna at the southern end of Berlin. Wouldn’t be our first choice with a significant other, but works great with friends.

Historic sauna in a multi-culti Kiez

Stadtbad Neukölln is one of the most, if not the most, beautiful public swimming pools in Berlin. It was opened in 1914 and looks like an ancient thermal bath with decorative pillars and mosaic walls. It is also a maze. You’ll first head to the second floor changing room through a control gate, and then continue to third floor to the actual sauna area. Here you’ll find a restaurant with Ruheraum, six different saunas, a small relaxation pool, and staircase access to a rooftop terrace for cooling down.

 

 

We entered the first of the saunas – we aren’t actually sure which one it was, but something with pretty lights. The temperature was a bit too low, so we switched to the next one pretty soon. This time we hit the main attraction, the Finnish sauna, and that’s where we spent the rest of the evening (minus the required cool-down periods).

The sauna, and hallways in general, seemed rather empty on a first look. This completely changed as soon as it was time for the Aufguss: the sauna room was packed full in no time. Everyone found a seating spot, but for sure there wasn’t too many places left over. The Finnish sauna fits perhaps 30 people pretty comfortably.

The Saunameister introduced himself before every Aufguss and explained he is Syrian (but actually of Turkish Arab, Lebanese Jordanian origins). The Aufguss this evening was a bit on the milder side – especially the towel fanning didn’t really reach the topmost row too well – but still got our sweat flowing nicely. The Saunameister compensated for this with an additional, tougher round of steam for those who were still yearning for more after the main Aufguss. Plus there were special treatments in some of the Aufgusses: we got to rub ourselves once with salt and another time with honey.

The Aufguss takes place once per hour, and this dictated our evening as usual. The last one is already at nine o’clock (sauna closes at ten thirty), so come early enough to get your money’s worth. We were extra lucky this evening: as we expected another Aufguss at ten, the Saunameister showed compassion and did an extra round just for us.

Even though the members of Saunamafia are not Ruheraum enthusiasts, it is worth mentioning that this sauna has a lot of space to calm oneself down between Aufgusses. However, as usual, we spent our time tightly in the restaurant area whenever not sweating in the sauna room.

The outside area is functional and nothing special, and the rooftop is surrounded by walls, so no view. We assume it is a nice place to cool down and hang out in spring or summer. This evening it was cold and raining, so our smokers just took a puff and back inside we went.

We also visited the indoor swimming pool in the big hall (remember to bring your swimmies!). It’s big enough for small-scale swimming if not too crowded, and is in any case a very nice way to cool down in between the Aufgusses. The small hall was unfortunately not open, it looks very good on pictures though.

Compared to your usual neighbourhood saunas, this one has a bit different clientele – younger, and more varied in general. The pool surely plays a big role in this, as you don’t have to be a hardcore sauna fan to spend your evening here.

Price for an unlimited sauna time is 19 EUR (three hours go for 16 EUR), and the beers in the restaurant were a couple of euros each.

Pros:

• Gorgeous architecture
• Many (six) sauna options
• Access to outside cool-down area
• The only (?) public pool with sauna beers available

Cons:

• Aufguss can get very full

Conclusion:

Nice public sauna with restaurant & bar plus proper swimming pool in historic surroundings – urban and diverse clientele. Good place to go with friends as well as with your significant other.

 

The far east sauna paradise

Sauna Idyll Biesdorf is located quite far out in the eastern Berlin. A tram drive from Mitte takes about 50 minutes, but offers a great chance to dive into the GDR-era Plattenbau architecture of Marzahn on the way. The sauna itself is located a bit further away, in an Einfamilienhausgebiet in Biesdorf. Here, in one of the far east districts of Berlin, a house has been turned into a hidden sauna Oase, welcoming guests already since 1990.

Entering the building we found ourselves standing alone in a small room with two doors both leading to an empty Umkleide. We were a bit confused – maybe there is another entrance somewhere? Mark solved the puzzle by getting out of his shoes, selecting one of the changing rooms and wandering through to the other end. He got wet socks, but we found the sauna premises and met a very friendly lady who promised to to give us a tour as soon as we had showered and changed to our Bademantels.

The sauna area fills the cellar level of the building. Downstairs there are two saunas, a Ruheraum with a fireplace, and a bar area. In addition the whole backyard is reserved for guests: a covered Wintergarten, pool, and a nice small sauna hut on the yard. The grand highlight: this sauna is wood-heated with a Finnish Harvia oven! This is exceptional in Berlin, and already by itself makes this sauna worth a visit.

This place has no Saunameisters, it’s all self-service. Of course it doesn’t prevent guests from performing their own Aufgusses and introducing new scents, like the ‘Finnish tar’ which may remind you of old ships. Very nice, but let’s get to the meat of this blog post now and review the saunas:

1. The highlight first – the wood-fired sauna hut outside. This sauna fits about ten people comfortably. Guests keep the fire up themselves by adding more firewood when necessary. The Aufguss came out very soft, but this will depend on how hot the oven is kept. Overall feeling was very cozy indeed.
2. The big Finnish-style sauna inside, a solid sauna experience. Nice and clean with plenty of space, around 90 degrees warm. The steam was a bit lost in the large room, so Aufguss felt somewhat lazy.
3. The small Finnish-style sauna inside. This sauna room was hotter than the others, perhaps because of its size. The compact, elongated architecture made Aufguss move nicely against the topmost seats, providing a tight, warm puff of steam. Very good!

Throughout the evening we enjoyed friendly and relaxed atmosphere from both staff and guests alike. During the chit-chats with other guests we were particularly delighted by a small lesson about East German ice hockey history from a former Weißwasser hockey player. Insider tip: ask for the special non-alcoholic red drink at the bar.

We visited this place during the school winter holiday week. It’s thus a bit hard to say how full the sauna usually is – plenty of space this time, but could be we were just lucky with the timing.

Pros:

• Wood heated sauna cabin
• Do it yourself Aufguss
• Friendly, down to earth atmosphere
• Tasty pils from Thuringia!

Cons:

• Little far outside (but a good public transport connection)

Conclusion:

Definitely one of the best and most unique saunas in Berlin. Some of us think it is the (current) number one place. You can go there with friends or your significant other. Worth a visit, even if it is a bit hard to reach.

The original Russian experience

For the first sauna of 2019 we chose Banja Berezka, a Russian sauna we had planned to visit for a long time. We were looking forward to find the truth about this place, but since they already close at 21.00, it took some time to find a fitting evening.

First feel was a very Russian indeed: the old man at the counter spoke pretty rough German (like some of us too). We got the locker keys and were told not to expect a Saunameister, another sign of the Russian experience to come.

Quick shower and to the sauna. Berezka has two identical sauna rooms, only one of which was heated up today. The control panel outside was showing a full 100 degrees, sounds good already! And indeed, one scoop of water was definitely enough to make us crouch a little bit. But even if it was very hot, it wasn’t exhausting, but rather pleasant. Very nice!

The good thing about not having a Saunameister and an hourly Aufguss is that the Sauna never gets too crowded. People are exchanged on a regular basis, and you can always expect a proper (self made) Aufguss when entering the sauna room.

Unfortunately we didn’t know that we’d have to preorder a vasta (those bunches of leafy branch whips to smack oneself within the sauna) – remarkably not birch as is usual in Finland, but made of oak branches. The other guests knew about this option and really treated themselves with a good leafy beating. We will definitely try it out the next time.

The bar area was a good spot to cool down while having a beer. The TV was showing a handball match (maybe this is a kind of sports bar sauna place, we can’t know for sure based on just one visit). But we enjoyed the atmosphere: friendly people coming and going from and to the sauna, eating dry fish snacks or pelmeni and having chats in Russian. Felt like an authentic sauna for locals – don’t come here for a cozy spa experience with your significant other.

For our smokers there was a little inner yard, mostly used as a parking place. So just okay for a quick puff, nothing to make you stay longer. Berezka also has a typical Ruheraum, and a cold water bucket for those who are missing a dip into an ice hole.

We rushed our last sauna round to be out of the door before the closing time at nine. When we left, the bar was still full of people drowning more pelmeni in smetana and downing vodka shots. Looked like the party was about to start only now. Maybe next time we will hang out a bit longer, and try to get into the inner circle.

Entrance is 10 EUR per person, and beers were about 2 EUR each.

Pros:

• Very hot, but also very pleasant Aufguss
• Do it yourself Aufguss
• Vasta
• Cheap
• Authentic atmosphere

Cons:

• The least romantic sauna in Berlin (could be also a Pro)

Conclusion:

A sympathetic Kiezsauna optimal for enjoying sauna the Russian way (which is very close to the Finnish way).

 

Saunaclash at Freie Internationale Tankstelle

The owner of the great Le Camion mobile sauna gave us a tip of an upcoming sauna festival “Saunaclash” in Prenzlauer Berg. We were eagerly awaiting for what would a sauna festival in the middle of a city look like, but also somewhat confused after reading the event website — a yodeling workshop and DJ? What on earth are they planning?

Festival took place at the Freie Internationale Tankstelle, an old fuel station turned into a cultural space — fuel for souls instead of automobiles. We went in on the second day with mixed expectations. A familiar sight of the turquoise Le Camion greeted us when entering, and at the entrance we got instructions how things work: five saunas, no rules. After a quick tour of the area we changed to our Bademantels and went to check out the heat level of Le Camion first.

We were pretty early and the sauna had plenty of space. There were two buckets of water in the absence of Saunameister: one with plain water, one with strong birch flavor. As apparently is usual, Le Camion was heated up to quite a high temperature, and a light Aufguss was enough. Very good.

Our second sauna for the evening was built in a trailer. This “Heat Cube” was even too hot when we first entered. The benches inside were so hot that the heat burned our butts through the towel. We decided to keep it short and try the sauna again later in the evening, and the second visit a couple of hours later was indeed very pleasant. Even though the sauna interiors look pretty plain, the overall sauna experience is very nice.

The third sauna “Firefit” is the heart and soul of FIT Tankstelle, a sauna built inside an old firetruck, owned by a Berlin-based artist Dida Zende. We had heard many stories of it, and were happy to finally put it into a test. Like Le Camion, the Firefit also has a Finnish wood-burning stove which ensured a damn good, soft and relaxed Aufguss. We were in no hurry to leave the truck even after many rounds of water on the stones.

Next up: an unassuming tent. We had to peek inside first to make sure it actually was a sauna. We entered expecting a rather cool interior that can’t hold its steam, but were quickly proven wrong. The tent had a simple arrangement of two benches and a sauna stove that had no trouble filling the space with heat, even to a burning level if you weren’t careful with the scoop. Nice surprise!

Last of the five was a yurt style dome tent called “Saunahoch 13”. Rather stylish for a tent, the benches were arranged in a circle around the sides with a hot stove at the center. Easily fits ten to fifteen people. As with the other saunas, we provided our own Aufguss — very balanced, and the steam didn’t escape as fast as you’d expect to happen with a tent. This sauna hosted also the previously mentioned sauna-yodeling workshop, which turned out to be just as peculiar as it sounds. (We didn’t attend, but got to enjoy the spectacle as the walls of Firefit aren’t soundproof.)

We were mightily impressed by the atmosphere. Rules were very relaxed; everyone provides their own Aufguss to their liking, no rules of keeping it quiet, and very unique program including an antifascist yodel duo, an ambient music DJ, Finnish tango, and a massage workshop. Visitors were much younger than you’ll usually find in Berlin’s sauna scene, likely drawn in by the countercultural vibe.

A night to remember for sure. We’ll be back next year!

Mobile Hippie Heat

Mark had caught a whiff of a mobile sauna by the Spree, so we made sure we visit the place before it continues its journey. The sauna, Le Camion, was parked next to Ostblock bouldering hall, and was open once a week during May. Sadly this means you won’t be able to catch it there any more, but be sure to check the website for the latest updates on its whereabouts!

Le Camion is a self-built mobile sauna in a Mercedes LP 808 Truck. It was inspired by the mobile sauna culture in Finland (almost anything, from phone boxes to combine harvesters, can be turned into a sauna). In 2017, the sauna even participated in the 100 Mobile Saunas Parade in Teuva, an event celebrating the 100th year of the Finnish independence.

While the inspiration comes from Finland, the French Saunameister kept the German customs and provided a traditional Aufguss with scents and fanning towels. The sauna fits six people comfortably, or fifteen in total. This evening was definitely on the more crowded side, but this just provided for a better experience anyway.

We were also welcome to do our own Finnish style self-service Aufguss in between, a luxury rarely found in Germany!

The sauna is very well equipped. It has a big Harvia wood-burning stove, a changing room, a small shower and a cold water basin outside the vehicle. Free drinking water is offered for the thirsty sauna goers.

The ambience at Ostblock was truly unique and very relaxed. People were gathered next to the Spree river to grill and chill while a DJ played some electronic music in the background. There was a Venezuelan guy selling “brain freezers”, a special type of syrup-flavoured ice, outside the sauna. A fire drum was lit up after sunset. One could describe the atmosphere hippie-like, a total antithesis of the uptightness sometimes endured in saunas in Berlin.

Payment was donation based, and refreshments were available from the next-door bar at the climbing center.

Pros:

• Friendly host and awesome atmosphere
• Unique environment
• The Finnish Harvia woodstove ensures a state of the art Aufguss!

Cons:

• Already gone 😦

Conclusion:

One-of-a-kind mobile sauna. Don’t miss Le Camion if it visits your neighbourhood!

Escaping noise at Olivin Wellness Lounge

Since the members of Saunamafia had been quite busy lately, we decided to pick a sauna that is open until late, and in a central location. Olivin Sauna seemed like a good fit as it is located next to Kollwitzkiez in Prenzlauer Berg. It was a rainy Tuesday evening after work, and we arrived one by one, each according to their own schedules.

This sauna, or at least the clientèle, is particularly strict about the quietness of the place. Waiting for the second Aufguss a fellow sauna-goer suggested we could keep it a bit more quiet; this took us by surprise as we aren’t that loud to start with. When in Rome, though, so we kept silent for the rest of the Aufguss.

We got reminded of the peace and quiet again later in the evening, out in the inner yard where we were murmuring our latest news during the cool-down period between Aufgusses. At this point we had to conclude that Olivin is strictly a place for relaxation, which one should keep in mind when planning a visit with friends. This was perhaps even more pronounced in the lounge area where you could hear faint snoring during the breaks — these guests can take it really easy.

Aufgusses somewhat varied. One felt like a tough one to endure, while another was a bit on the light side. We were unable to pinpoint what made the difference, even though we tried different seating spots and kept the door open or closed before the Aufguss to gather some data. The sauna itself is roomy, but has a bit too much wasted space above the upper level seating, which means the sharpest bite of the steam was lost over our heads.

As already mentioned, there’s a (very quiet) inner yard with recliner seats and lush vegetation. The showers are a highlight as there is an animated projection on the glass wall, and a cold water basin next to it. No other saunas except for the Finnish version are available, which isn’t that big of a loss anyway.

Entrance fee is 14 EUR, and a normal selection of beers and drinks is available at the counter.

Pros:

• Peace and quiet
• Classy interior without kitsch
• Very central, easy to reach

Cons:

• Being social not allowed. Talk, and you’re immediately reminded not to.

Conclusion:

Tidy and atmospheric sauna in the middle of Prenzlauer Berg. Has a tad too much of a wellness lounge feeling for us. You have to be careful not to disturb other customers, as they are very sensitive to people talking.