Benedict Cumberbatch’s turn as Greville Wynne – the British engineer who helped MI6 smuggle secret intel out of Soviet Russia – in The Courier has shone a light on London’s Cold War past. While the USSR and KGB might be gone, our capital still has a few souvenirs from the era – not to mention

A visit to the steam room is a traditional ritual that has been a part of different cultures and national customs since time immemorial. It has long been recognised that this type of bathing ritual strengthens the immune system, improves the cardiovascular system, speeds up the metabolism, removes toxins and rejuvenates the skin. In fact,

Are you wondering whether you can bring your children to the banya? Well, this article offers some tips and recommendations on how to introduce the banya to the younger generation. In fact, there are no strict conditions regarding the age at which children can be brought to the banya. Nevertheless, most paediatricians believe that a

According to Russian tradition, on every visit to the banya people should say “S lyogkim parom”. The literal translation of this phrase is “with light steam”, but in reality people are telling each other to enjoy their bath session. Since ancient times the Russian bathhouse has been considered the place to cleanse the body and

Borsch is a perfectly balanced soup in traditional cuisine. It combines vitamins and minerals, organic acids and enzymes, folic and pantothenic acids, and mineral salts and carotenoids, and the ratio of proteins, carbohydrates and fats is close to ideal. The mix of vegetables is rich in fibre and acts as an excellent sorbent, gently removing

To enable you to obtain maximum benefit from your session in the steam room, we have compiled a list of dos and don’ts to ensure you have a relaxing and safe time. Dos Here is a range of recommendations that will enhance your visit: Do dress appropriately Before entering the steam room, we advise you

Tree twigs massage, also called Parenie, is an essential ritual of the Russian banya. Although some of our clients have described this treatment as “torture”, they soon come to realise that Parenie can help them achieve complete bliss throughout their whole body. It increases blood flow, improves the metabolism and opens the skin pores. As

Let’s face it, we are all living hectic lives, and every day we face the prospect of experiencing anxiety and mental and physical stress. You may be wondering what any of this has to do with banya. Well, recent research has found that banya and hot steam can have a positive effect on the nervous

It is interesting to note that when we spend some time in the steam room, we think about how to escape the heat rather than the actual benefits of the banya. In fact, we need to remember that the heating and cooling we experience will activate physical, chemical and thermal processes, which will in turn

Did you know that Russians celebrate New Year twice? Although this may seem strange, the reason is that the Old New Year, which is an unofficial holiday in Russia, is still observed despite the fact that the Gregorian calendar (new style) replaced the Julian calendar (old style) in 1918. In ancient times, the life cycle