A toasty new city sauna and cold plunge just opened on Centre Park Road

Brace yourself.
The mania for stress-blasting sauna/cold plunge combos shows no sign of abating. In fact, a brand new spot just opened in the city and it’s ideal for anyone who loves an invigorating hot/cold session but can’t be bothered driving to the beach.
WildWood Sauna is now open on Cork’s Centre Park Road, so you can team your feel-good experience with a coffee and lunch or brekkie in The Black Market or the Marina Market.
Forget the post-work pints, ditch the Deliveroo – saunas and cold plunges are the new hot (and freezing) ticket in town. We’re talking sweating it out in scorching temperatures followed by a refreshing (read: teeth-chattering) dip in an icy bath.
A fan of all things wellness himself, owner John Barry from Glanmire set out in search of a handy spot to set up a sauna near the city.

“I have long been a fan of cold water therapy and the Wim Hof community but having experienced the hot/cold contrast at different beaches in Cork, I immediately loved not only the health benefits but the inclusive and wholesome community around saunas,” John told Yay Cork.
Location, location, location…
“I am an entrepreneur at heart and have a whole drawer at home that is full of different business plans and ideas but when the idea for a sauna and ice bath business came to me it was something I couldn’t let go! While it’s hard to beat a sauna after a sea swim, living 40 minutes from my closest beach, it wasn’t something I could do regularly and so the WildWood Sauna concept was born.
With a bit of luck, he discovered the perfect location on Centre Park Road, right across from the Marina Market.
View this post on Instagram
“Saunas really are for everyone and at WildWood Sauna, I hope to have an inclusive and vibrant space where everyone will feel welcome and leave energised; whether you are a first-time user, a seasoned sauna pro, an athlete or a team looking to enhance recovery or someone who is looking to meet some new people!” he added.
Along with the sauna, WildWood’s ice baths are chilled, temperature-controlled and filtered. They also have dunk buckets to help you cool off in a flash, if ice baths aren’t your thing.
“With the space we have here at Wildwood, we are hoping to do some fun events down the line, in collaboration with some other great local businesses,” John said.
Weekend bookings (€15) are live now and you can choose and reserve your session time here.

