Catania'deki En İyi Gay Saunalar

Gay Saunas in Catania: The Honest 2026 Guide

Looking for saune gay a Catania, or for the prezzi delle Terme di Achille? Here is the short version. Catania has two men-only gay saunas, a few hundred metres apart near the Catania Centrale railway station. Terme di Achille on Via Tezzano is the steady, well-reviewed one, open every day from 14:00 to 22:00. South Factory Club (SFC) on Via Fischetti is bigger, but visitors are split on it and its hours change. Both are private members' clubs, so expect to be asked for a tessera (membership card) at the door. Bring your ID and some cash.

Catania is built from its volcano. Churches and palazzi are made of black lava stone, Etna smokes quietly above the rooftops, and the Liotru, a lava-stone elephant carrying an obelisk, stands in Piazza del Duomo. Breakfast is a granita with a warm brioche, and the evening passeggiata runs up and down Via Etnea. The sauna scene is small, local and mostly an afternoon thing.

Legal in one line: sex between men has been legal in Italy since 1890 and civil unions have existed since 2016, but there is no full marriage or joint adoption. Gay saunas operate legally as private members' clubs, which is why you need a card.

Terme di Achille prices, hours and the card (prezzi e orari)

This is what most people search for, so here is everything we could confirm, and what we couldn't.

• Hours: every day, 14:00 to 22:00. The sauna's own website ("aperti tutti i giorni dalle 14.00 alle 22.00") and its ARCO club page give the same times. A visitor once found it already closing at about 20:30, so don't arrive in the last hour.
• Entry price: the sauna does not publish a price list, neither on its website nor on its ARCO page. Prices reported by visitors: €15 on a weekday without a card (2025), €20 for one visit (August 2025), and €10 on a weekday in 2023. Older guides list €10, with €5 for under-25s, but those figures are years old. For 2026, budget €15–20 for entry, plus the card if you don't have one.
• Card: ARCO lists Terme di Achille as a member club with "ARCO membership required". You can get the card at reception on your first visit. Visitors report that the yearly card brings the entry price down, and that without a card your passport or ID may be kept at reception until you leave.
• Payment: several 2025 reviewers say it is cash only. An April 2026 visitor said some customers were allowed to pay by card, but bring euros in small notes to be safe.
• Included: towel and flip-flops (visitors say both are provided), a locker, a free buffet, and an apericena (aperitivo with food) on Sundays and public holidays.
• Contact: phone 095 746 3543, email termediachillesauna@hotmail.it, website saunatermediachille.it. The old address termediachille.it no longer loads. Calling is the only reliable way to get today's price.

Useful phrases at the desk: Quanto costa l'ingresso? (how much is entry?), Quanto costa la tessera? (how much is the card?), Si paga solo in contanti? (cash only?).

The card you'll need: ANDDOS, now ARCO

Italian gay saunas and cruise clubs are run as private associations, so entry is for members. Many guides and some venue listings still talk about the ANDDOS card. Since 2018 the main network has been ARCO, with its OnePass app, and people still use both names. ARCO currently lists these cards:

• AllClubs: one year, valid at every ARCO club in Italy.
• Young: the same, at a reduced fee for under-27s.
• Travel: 90 days, reduced fee, only for non-Italian citizens. This is usually the one tourists want.
• OneClub: one year, valid only at the club that issues it.
• Element: 90 days, valid only at selected clubs.

Fees are set by each club, and ARCO notes that "not all clubs issue all types of card", so ask which ones Terme di Achille offers. You join in person with photo ID. Full details are on ARCO's cards page.

In Sicily, three venues are on ARCO's club list: Terme di Achille and the cruise bar Codice Rosso in Catania, and Maxximum Time in Palermo. SFC is not on the list. It runs its own yearly membership, so a card from SFC won't get you into the ARCO clubs, and an ARCO card may not get you into SFC.

The verified saunas

Terme di Achille: the reliable one by the station

Terme di Achille, at Via Tezzano 13, is a couple of minutes' walk from Catania Centrale and has been a men-only gay sauna since 2005. Some older guides and GayOut records call it "Sauna Zeus", which is the same place under an old name. It has two floors and isn't large, but it's well kept. Its website lists:

• a Finnish sauna, a Turkish bath, aromatherapy and a hydromassage pool with chromotherapy;
• upstairs: a darkroom, a labyrinth, glory holes, relax cabins, a video room and a massage room;
• a lounge bar, a reading area, a smoking area and air-conditioned rooms;
• a free buffet, and the Sunday and holiday apericena.

What visitors say: reviews through 2025 and 2026 are mostly warm. They mention clean rooms, friendly staff, hot showers and a hot pool, and a mixed-age crowd that one visitor put at roughly early 30s to early 70s. It gets busiest on Sunday afternoons and some weekday afternoons around 17:00, and is quiet at other times. Reception may speak only Italian. Two reviewers praise the in-house masseur, and one April 2026 visitor complained about how he was treated at the door. Google rates it 4.1 from about 160 reviews.

South Factory Club (SFC): bigger, but check first

South Factory Club, known locally as SFC, is at Via Fischetti 10, a quiet side street near the seaward end of Via San Giuliano, about 500 metres from Terme di Achille. It describes itself as one of the largest gay saunas in southern Italy:

• ground floor: a large hydromassage pool (said to hold about 20 men), a Finnish sauna and a Turkish bath;
• upstairs: private cabins, a video room, massage rooms, a labyrinth, darkrooms, a sling and glory-hole rooms;
• a bar, a smoking area and an outdoor courtyard;
• a naked party on Fridays, according to Travel Gay and misterb&b (call to confirm it is still running).

Hours: open daily from the afternoon, but listings disagree: 14:00–21:00, 14:30–20:30 and 14:00–22:00 all appear in 2025–2026 sources. Its website now shows only a mobile number, 351 815 7808, and southfactoryclub@gmail.com. Some directories still list an older number, 346 472 8512. Phone or message before you go.

Prices: a July 2025 review gave €12 Monday to Thursday and €15 Friday to Sunday. Listings mention reduced prices for under-25s, and a yearly membership card issued with ID.

Know before you go: SFC's reputation goes up and down with its management. In spring 2025, several reviewers praised a new manager and found it clean, warm and lively. From October 2025 to March 2026, visitors reported a cold pool, no heating, broken showers and very few customers, and some left within minutes. A June 2026 visitor found everything hot and clean again. It appears to be trading in 2026, but conditions vary, especially in winter.

A dry alternative: Codice Rosso

Codice Rosso, at Via Conte Ruggero 48, is a men-only cruising bar with cabins, darkrooms and slings, plus occasional theme nights. Travel Gay says it opened in 2005 and calls it Sicily's first cruising bar. It is an evening venue, typically Wednesday to Sunday from 21:00, later on Saturdays and closed early in the week. Check current nights before going. It's an ARCO club, so the same card works, which makes a late-afternoon sauna followed by Codice Rosso the classic Catania combination.

About "Sauna Zeus": some guides still list a "Sauna Zeus" in Catania, sometimes at Via Dottor Consoli. We found no separate venue under that name in 2025–2026. Its Google listing is the same as Terme di Achille's. Catania has two saunas today, Terme di Achille and SFC.

When to go

• Time of day: both saunas are afternoon and early-evening places that close by 21:00–22:00. The best window is roughly 16:00 to 19:30. After dinner, go to Codice Rosso instead.
• Day of the week: Sunday afternoon at Terme di Achille is the busiest time of the week, helped by the free apericena. Weekday afternoons are steady with locals. SFC is livelier on Fridays and weekends.
• Season: summer brings more tourists, and many locals head to the beaches at weekends. Winter is quieter. Before a winter visit to SFC, phone and ask whether the pool and heating are working.
• Holidays: on 3–5 February, during the Festa di Sant'Agata, the centre is packed and some streets close. Around mid-August (Ferragosto) some businesses close for a few days, so call first.
• Pride week: Catania Pride takes place in late June. The 2026 parade was on Saturday 27 June. The 2027 dates have not been announced yet.

Getting there and around at night

Terme di Achille is right by Catania Centrale. The Alibus from Fontanarossa airport stops at the station, and so does the metro, which runs through the centre. SFC is an easy walk of about 500 metres from Terme di Achille. Both are around 20 minutes on foot from Piazza del Duomo, or a short taxi ride.

The streets around the station and the port are quiet and poorly lit late at night, and petty theft happens. After dark, especially if you're heading on to Codice Rosso or back to a hotel in the old town, take a taxi or a ride-hailing car rather than walking long distances alone. Keep only the cash you need on you and leave the rest in the sauna locker or at your hotel.

Apps

Grindr is the main app in Catania and the quickest way to see who's at the sauna or nearby, especially in summer when tourists arrive. Romeo (PlanetRomeo) is used by older locals and visitors from northern Europe. The ARCO OnePass app holds your digital card and lists club events. As anywhere, meet new contacts in public first, don't share your hotel room number straight away, and be careful with anyone who rushes you or asks for money.

The law

• Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in Italy since 1890.
• Same-sex couples can enter civil unions (since 2016). There is no full marriage or joint adoption.
• Discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation is prohibited.
• Saunas and cruise clubs operate legally as private associations, which is why membership cards and ID are required. You must be 18 or over.
• Sex in a public place is an offence in Italy and can bring heavy fines, or criminal charges near places used by minors. Directories, our cruising map among them, list outdoor spots around Catania, but the saunas and Codice Rosso are the legal, indoor options.

Health: testing, PrEP and urgent care

• Free HIV and STI testing: the infectious diseases clinic (Malattie Infettive) at Ospedale Garibaldi-Nesima offers free, anonymous testing with no appointment on weekday mornings, Monday to Friday (local press, October 2025). Ospedale Cannizzaro, the university HIV centre and the public consultori familiari also offer testing.
• Community testing: Arcigay Catania and LILA Catania run rapid-test days and outreach, especially around World AIDS Day (1 December). Check their social channels for the next date.
• PrEP: in Italy, PrEP is prescribed by infectious-disease specialists at public hospitals, such as Garibaldi-Nesima in Catania, and has been dispensed free through the national health service since 2023. Visitors should bring their own supply. If you have a possible exposure, PEP is available through hospital emergency departments, ideally within a few hours and no later than 72 hours.
• Emergencies: call 112. Pharmacies keep a rotating late-night rota. Look for the farmacia di turno notice on any pharmacy door.
• Condoms and lube are usually available at sauna reception. Drink water. Saunas and alcohol don't mix well in the Sicilian heat.

Safety and etiquette

• Cash and ID: bring euros in small notes and your passport or ID card. You'll need ID for the card, and Terme di Achille may keep it at reception if you don't have one.
• Lockers: lock everything, including your phone, and wear the key on your wrist. Photos and phone use are not allowed in the wet and play areas.
• Consent: a hand gently moved away or a simple no, grazie means no, and both are respected. You can always leave.
• Language: reception staff may speak only Italian. Asciugamano means towel, ciabatte flip-flops, armadietto locker, bagno turco steam room and idromassaggio hydromassage pool.
• Discretion: Catania is welcoming in the centre, but more traditional outside it. Saunas don't advertise loudly, so ring the bell and wait.

Nearby alternatives in Sicily

• Palermo: Maxximum Time, in the old town near the Teatro Massimo (ARCO gives Piazzetta San Giuliano 10), is an ARCO club with a Finnish sauna, Turkish bath and cruising area, so the same card works there. Palermo is about 2.5 hours away by car or bus. Palermo also has newer cruising nights, but no other sauna that we could confirm.
• Messina, Siracusa, Taormina: we found no gay sauna operating in 2025–2026. Taormina has a summer gay scene, but no sauna.
• Beaches: for a summer day out, see Foce del Simeto and Le Capannine south of the city. Further away, Marianelli in the Vendicari reserve near Noto, about 100 km south, is eastern Sicily's best-known naturist beach and is popular with gay men. Naturism there is customary but not officially authorised, so be discreet.
• In town: for a drink before or after, Hasta Siempre on the Scalinata Alessi is the historic LGBTQ+-friendly meeting place, and Industrie is another option.

A Catania afternoon

The saunas open at 14:00, so make a day of it. Start at the Pescheria behind Piazza del Duomo while the stalls are still shouting, then have pasta alla Norma, with aubergine and salted ricotta, for lunch. Walk up Via Etnea towards Villa Bellini, with Etna at the end of the street on a clear day, and stop for a granita with a brioche col tuppo. Pistachio or almond are the classics. Take the sauna in the late afternoon, then have aperitivo around Piazza Bellini and the Teatro Massimo. Later, the streets around Castello Ursino are known for grilled meat. If you want to stay central, Hotel Biscari and Palace Catania are both within easy reach of the station and Via Etnea.

At a glance

• Terme di Achille: men-only sauna since 2005, Via Tezzano 13 by Catania Centrale. Daily 14:00–22:00. About €15–20 reported, no official price list. ARCO card required, cash recommended. Sunday apericena.
• South Factory Club (SFC): men-only sauna, Via Fischetti 10. Daily from the afternoon, times vary, so call 351 815 7808. €12 Monday to Thursday, €15 Friday to Sunday (2025). Own membership card. Mixed recent reviews.
• Codice Rosso: cruising bar with no sauna, Via Conte Ruggero 48. Evenings, Wednesday to Sunday. ARCO card.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Terme di Achille in Catania cost?

Terme di Achille doesn't publish a price list. Visitors in 2025 reported paying €15 on a weekday without a card, and €20 for a single visit. Older guides list €10, with €5 for under-25s, but those prices are out of date. Add the cost of the ARCO card if you don't have one, and bring cash: several visitors say it's cash only. Call 095 746 3543 for today's price.

What are the opening hours of Terme di Achille?

Every day from 14:00 to 22:00, according to the sauna's website and its ARCO club page. Arrive before about 21:00, because the last hour can be quiet or the sauna may close early. Sunday and public-holiday afternoons are the busiest, with a free apericena.

Is there a gay sauna in Catania?

Yes, two. Terme di Achille at Via Tezzano 13, by Catania Centrale station, is a men-only sauna on two floors that has been open since 2005. South Factory Club (SFC) at Via Fischetti 10 is a larger men-only sauna with a big hydromassage pool, but its recent reviews are much more mixed.

Do I need an ANDDOS or ARCO card for the saunas in Catania?

Yes. Italian gay saunas are private members' clubs, and the main network today is ARCO, which many people still call ANDDOS. Terme di Achille is an ARCO club and issues cards at reception with photo ID. Non-Italian citizens can take the 90-day ARCO Travel card, and under-27s can get a reduced-fee Young card. SFC is not an ARCO club and issues its own membership.

Is South Factory Club in Catania still open in 2026?

It appears to be. Visitors were still posting reviews in March and June 2026, and its website still lists a contact number, but we could not confirm its current hours. Reviews since late 2025 often mention a cold pool, no heating and few customers, while others praise the staff and cleanliness. Call ahead, especially in winter.

Where can I get tested for HIV in Catania?

The infectious diseases clinic at Ospedale Garibaldi-Nesima offers free, anonymous testing on weekday mornings without an appointment. Arcigay Catania and LILA also run rapid-test days. PrEP is prescribed at public hospital infectious-disease clinics.

Keep this page honest

Sauna prices, hours and managers change, and in Catania they change without notice. If you visited recently and paid a different price, found different hours or found a door shut, tell us through the report link on the Terme di Achille or SFC listing, or write to us via the gay Catania guide. We re-check this page regularly and date every change.

Last verified: November 2026, based on the venues' own websites, ARCO's club and card pages, and visitor reviews from 2025–2026. See the full gay Catania guide for bars, beaches, hotels and organisations.