Bilbao
XQ.28 (Calle Nicolás Alcorta 5, +34-94/422-3920; www.tnet.es/users/XQ28, xq28@tnet.es; open Sun-Thu 5-11 p.m., Fri-Sat 5 p.m.-8 a.m.)
This place is quite difficult to find, but it is worth the try. It is one floor above street level, next to a sex shop in a high-rise building on Plaza Zabálburu. You must climb a flight of stairs from street level to find the sauna. The entrance has a white door and two fake neoclassical columns to each side, but no sign whatsoever indicating that it is a sauna. Ring the bell to get in. Very clean, recently refurbished, nice ambiance, very cruisy, big dark room, wet and dry saunas, music videos, lots of private rooms. The crowd is better looking than in Oasis (see below) but with a little more attitude as well, which probably comes with the more expensive admission fee. Best times to go are Sundays 5-8 p.m. and Thursdays 5-8 p.m., thanks to reduced admission fees for all customers (except on public holidays).
Oasis (Calle Atxuri 43; +34-94/433-6630; open Mon-Thu 5 p.m.-10 p.m., Fri 5 p.m.-8a.m., Sat 5 p.m.-Sun 10 p.m.)
This is a sauna with a rougher ambiance than XQ.28, but a surprisingly sweet staff. It is also cheaper than XQ.28. Video room, cabins, steamroom, gym, darkroom. The best time to go is Sunday afternoons, and it is busy all weekend, so best arrive early. A lot of middle-aged men, but very active.
Granada
Tic Tac (Horno de Haza 19, near Plaza de los Lobos)
You have to ring a doorbell and pass through two padded doors just to get into this place, which is a little unnerving. This is a local bar that attracts a very wide range of ages, with a dark backroom behind velvet curtains that sees plenty of action. Very cruisy, with a rather seedy atmosphere.
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