FKK Saunas are a type of sex club that are widespread in parts of Europe. They are one of the better illustrations of how legalized prostitution can work in a civilized society. Men and women meet inside and agree to a price for sexual services. Then the money is exchanged for the agreed upon services. Of course things are a little more complicated than that. But only a little! Below I will explain how FKK saunas work.
FKK clubs are most commonly found in Germany. There are also others in Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. It makes sense that FKK saunas are common where there are many Germanic people. FKK is an acronym for the German phrase Freikörperkultur. Freikörperkultur translates to “free body culture”. The original FKK culture was based around nudism or naturism.
Things changed after the Nazis banned the naturist movement. When the war was over the non-sexual nudist movement recovered and became one of the biggest in the world. After the Berlin Wall fell a more sexualized nudist movement mixed with money and combined to created some nude sex clubs. Thus the “FKK sauna” was born.
Most FKK saunas are quite large and elaborate. But there are also some smaller facilities scattered around. There may be less than 100 genuine FKK saunas in the world. Over the years I have written about or reviewed many of them. The list of FKK saunas covered here includes:
While this list is hardly exhaustive it does paint a fairly good picture of what the FKKs are like across Europe. The seven FKK I have reviewed here are scattered across three countries. They all operate in more or less the same way. But there are some local peculiarities and individual distinctions.
The basics of FKK clubs
So how do FKK saunas work? It is quite simple really. The FKK saunas themselves are basically just meeting places. Most are nice with big spacious rooms, plenty of seating, free bars, buffets, swimming pools, theatres, showers, locker rooms and outdoor recreation areas. The clubs charge an entrance fee that allows access to all of this. Women pay an entrance fee and so do the men.
The difference is that the women pay the fee so that they can come inside and find customers. The men pay a fee so they can come inside and meet the women selling sex.
An average entrance fee is between 50 and 100 Euro ($59-108 USD). This entitles a customer to an entire day inside the club. It also includes access to all the grounds along with free food and drinks. A few places might charge extra for a special drink or a bath robe. But that is almost always included.
Once male customer enter they shower and put on a robe or a towel. Or they can stay nude. Money is kept in the lockers. The women hang around the club either topless, nude or in lingerie. It depends on the clubs and the day of the week. Most commonly though the women remain nude. This gives customers a good view of the ladies up front. From there the guys and gals can approach one another and make an agreement for sex.
The women, the prices, the places and the sex
A FKK can have between 10 and maybe 100 women inside at any given time. Nearly all of the women are attractive and fit. I can’t say I have seen many if any truly unattractive women in an FKK sauna. It’s more common to be surrounded by dozens of extremely good looking women with sexy bodies. The vast majority of the women are White Europeans. Most are from Romania and Maldova though there are ladies from other countries like Spain, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Russia and the Ukraine around too. A few women from countries as far flung as Brazil and Thailand can also be seen at times.
Although the women are technically freelancers they do have to abide by the rules of the club. A sort of set pricing is usually in place though there is some flexibility. For example at most clubs the price for a blowjob and sex is usually set at 50 or 60 Euros. So every woman in those clubs will perform those acts for that amount of money. But women may ask more for something like kissing, anal sex or taking a cum shot to the face. So there is room for negotiation.
Admission fees include full use of the facilities. So guys do not have to pay money to use a room with a woman. Most people have sex in the private rooms which are typically as nice or nicer than the average hotel room in Europe. Some will have their sex right out in the open. Since these are technically nudist clubs it is accepted and allowed. It’s not out of the norm to see a woman riding some customers dick in the porn cinema section of an FKK. Before Germany passed a law requiring condoms for all sex services it was quite common to see guys getting uncovered blowjobs in those same theatres. The “kino” cinema at Oase almost looked like a Japanese blowjob bar at times.
After customers have sex they go back to their lockers to fetch the money. They hand that over to their provider then shower and head back out into the club. It is literally a case of “rinse and repeat”. Some customers hang around in the FKK saunas all day. Others do a session and leave. There are no rules or requirements in that regard. Still since the facilities can be so nice and expansive it makes sense that a lot of guys put them to use. In the summer the lawns and pools get a lot of use. Most customers also spend some time at the bar and the free buffet. To the surprise of many the food can actually be quite good!
There is not a lot more to say about the FKK saunas in Europe. They are not such complicated venues. Some may be stunned that such places openly exist and even advertise on the sides of taxi cabs and buildings. Yet for people who have grown accustomed to the presence of these places it must seem shocking that most of the world still relegates sex workers to illegal lives hiding in back alleys and the shadowy corners of the internet. The FKK saunas are not perfect as some recent events have demonstrated. But they are a model of what is possible when a society accepts the existing of the world’s oldest profession and makes a plan around that knowledge.
After you pay the entrance fee, is it good for the whole day, and you can leave and come to the premises at your leisure? Should you tip the girls on top of the regular fee?
Has there been any changes to attendance capacity because of the pandemic? Like, is there a limit to how many people can be in the building, or are there less women working in them now than before the pandemic? Are customers allowed to wear face-masks to avoid covid?
I think the prevalence of smoking is much higher in Europe than US, Canada, etc., so are there smoke-free areas in the FKK? Or is smoking not allowed at all?
Thanks for the entertaining and informative posts throughout the years. I’d be interested in reading more about how the scene has changed because of the pandemic and if things have gotten worse because of it.
A single entrance fee is usually good for an entire day. Tipping is not required or expected in Europe. Fees are normally explained in advance. There are no new rules about the number of people allowed inside. Numbers are roughly back to what they were in 2019. I doubt there are any rules prohibiting masks but I don’t see anyone wearing them. Some FKK are smoke free or have smoking rooms. Mainhattan for example has a smoking room. Samya is smoke free. Sharks and Oase allow smoking throughout the place. They all usually allow smoking outside. The majority of women working in the FKK are smokers. Cheers.
Thanks for answering all my questions, Rockit. I remembered two more I hope you’re able to answer: when you pay the entrance fee, do you have to show identification? In the case of an international traveler, that would likely be a passport, so I’m sure many visitors would not want their IDs copied or recorded. The other question is about if the street prostitution scene in Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne are safe enough to patron, or is it too risky? I don’t know if women are still allowed to stand in streets to ply their trade, but I understand that used to be the case in the past.
I have never shown identification or heard of anyone else showing it. Nor have I heard of anyone’s information being recorded. There is lots of prostitution in Germany. That includes street prostitution and apartment based prostitution. I don’t know what is safe and what isn’t. There is risk to everything in life. Some people have choked to death on a mouthful of food. Cheers.
I’ve been on this incredible erotic tour in Germany for the past three weeks, and it’s been quite the adventure! I’ve checked out a bunch of FKK clubs across the country, like Manhattan FKK and Palace in Frankfurt, Club Mondial in Cologne, Artemis Sauna Club in Berlin, and not to forget Atmos Saunaclub and Saunaclub Harmony in Hamburg.
Now, about the ID situation, I noticed none of these clubs asked me for any form of identification. It could be because I don’t exactly look like a spring chicken anymore ), so maybe they just assumed I’m of age. But, for those of you who might have a more youthful appearance, I’d suggest keeping a form of ID handy, like a snapshot of your passport on your phone. Just in case, you know?
Overall, my experience at these clubs has been pretty chill. The staff at the front desks are laid-back, and some are really easy to talk to. They’re usually busy handling customer queries and handling transactions. But hey, they haven’t given me any trouble about ID or anything like that.
And oh, before I forget, if you ever find yourself in Hamburg, you’ve got to check out Saunaclub Harmony. Seriously, it’s a must-visit! You’ll meet some incredibly cute and pretty German girls there who work part-time. It’s an experience you won’t want to miss.
Also, a quick note from my perspective as an Asian solo traveler in Germany and I haven’t faced any serious issues related to racism or anything like that. Sure, there have been a few light-hearted instances where I’ve been jokingly called a ‘running banana’ by some girls in the club, especially when I’ve turned down their services. But hey, as long as it’s all in jest and there’s no physical harm, I’m not one to take these jokes to heart.
I understand that these women are hard-working, beautiful, and attractive, and they maintain themselves well. They’re doing a tough job, one that often comes with its own set of societal judgments and challenges, both psychologically and physically. So, I’ve got a lot of sympathy for them. It’s not an easy path, and I believe in seeing the person beyond the job.
So, that’s the scoop from my end. Safe travels, be nice to each other, and enjoy the experiences out there!
Thanks for the detailed and in depth comment Michael. There is a lot of great information here. I haven’t had a chance to review Saunaclub Harmony. It sounds like quite a place. Cheers.
Hi Michael,
Thanks for chiming in. Do you remember the prices at each club? I think before the pandemic, the basic rate was about 70 for 30 min, but I imagine it’s more now. You also hit quite a few establishments, so you paid the entrance fee for all of them, or is there discount for multiple visits, etc.?
Hi Rocket, how is the scene in seoul in 2023, any recommendations for BJ bar and some red light areas which are still active
Hi Aakash. I don’t make recommendations. I simply report on information. Cheers.
Would a couple have fun at a club like this? Especially the female? Are there many couples?
I’ve never seen a couple inside an FKK. Some clubs apparently accept couples and even single women. Others do not. Cheers.
In general, what days and time of days are best to visit a FKK club?
Normally if the place is open there are women working. Cheers.
do they take credit cards or is it cash only?
Some take credit cards. All accept cash. Cheers.
Hi, I plan to go to Frankfurt and go to FKK Mainhattan. I have a simple question, you must only use bathrobe or towel, may I use Briefs as well?
Thanks
I have never seen anyone in briefs. I am not sure if there are any rules around it. Cheers.