Sauna Bruc opened in 1980, which puts it among the oldest gay men's spas in Barcelona — and in a city that has seen venues come and go at some pace, that matters. The founders had already been running a gay bar in the city before they decided to add a sauna to the operation. The venue moved from its original premises to its current address on Carrer de Pau Claris in the Eixample, and has been extended more than once since.
The wet area is organised around a 27-square-metre hydromassage pool held at 27°C with salt chlorination, with a full circuit of water jets covering the lower back, neck, knees and abdomen. A jacuzzi for up to eight people sits alongside it. A Finnish dry sauna and a steam room are both available, along with six shower cubicles and a locker room with more than 150 lockers.
The private rooms each carry the name of a European city — Berlin, London, Paris, Rome, Lisbon, Sitges — which makes giving directions to someone a slightly more interesting exercise than usual. The more recently added Egyptian-themed wing brings additional rooms into the mix, including two with adjustable lighting and a large communal sex room upstairs. The darkroom has its own name: Passeig de la Vall Fosca. There is also a video room with two recliners and glory holes, for those in less of a rush.
The bar runs tapas, sandwiches and drinks, with a 42-inch TV running alongside. Outside, the Jardí del Fum is a planted patio with an electric heater for cooler evenings. Water quality at the pool and jacuzzi is independently certified on a rolling basis by the Ajuntament de Barcelona and the certificates are kept current on the venue's website.
