RBTH correspondent Ilaria Parogni visits the first-ever Russian banya in London and shares her impressions and thoughts on one of Russia’s favourite activities. I have a confession to make. Despite having lived in Russia for a while in the past and writing about this country for a living, I had never been to a Russian […]
Americans repurify in a sweat lodge. The Turkish make it a social affair in the hammam, whereas Celts favour a vapour bath. But in Russia, one can find merry banter, nakedness and the ritualistic flicking of birch branches in the steamy environs of a banya. I’ve never tried the latter, but luckily for me, the first […]
If the idea of being thwacked by branches and leaves as part of your spa treatment doesn’t scare you, consider signing up for the latest spa trend inspired by a thousand-year-old tradition out of Russia. According to trendspotters at Condé Nast Traveller UK, after Ayurvedic and Turkish baths, Russian banyas are poised to be the next […]
Brace yourself for this year’s hottest new spa craze… twigged it yet? The traditional Russian banya is a sauna with a difference: the steam is wetter and therefore easier to bear, making it more hydrating and, ultimately, more detoxifying. But there’s more to it than that. At East London’s hush-hush and super-smart Banya No 1 […]
