The original version of this artwork was first published in 1988 on the cover of the widely popular magazine Ogon’ok and it made the artist famous in the Soviet nation, but perhaps not in the best sense. Soviet readers were indignant and demanded punishment for the manifestation of pornography and the disrespect for the braces.

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

Blimey, the world of natural highs is changing. There are now nine states in America in which recreational weed is legal. Anyone over 21 can enter a smoke shop where a trained “budtender” will guide you through pre-rolled joints, marijuana flowers, weed-oil vapes, cookies, gummies or brownies each marked “giggly”, “lucid”, “sleepy” etc. This legislation

The assignment was to discover the ultimate truth about hangover cures. Who does one ask about such things? I tried Andrei Fomin. After all, I reasoned, Andrei used to run nightclubs all over London – Propaganda in Wardour Street, that was him – plus he has a lot of witchy knowledge about herbs that his

Jet lag can occur any time you travel quickly over two or three time zones and symptoms are likely to include disturbed sleep, daytime tiredness and difficulty concentrating. It may take a few days to fully recover and the more time zones you’ve crossed while travelling, the worse you’re likely to feel. Evidence shows that

What do Justin Bieber, Kate Moss, Bridget Jones and Jamie Laing all have in common?They’ve all enjoyed getting hit with hot birch, oak and eucalyptus twigs by a lovely semi-naked Russian man at the Banya No.1 Russian Bath Club near Old Street.
We were greeted with towels and an extremely flattering felt hat and, once we’d…

She’s been in the modelling industry for over 30 years and is as in demand as ever. But Kate Moss proved she still enjoys a spot of pampering, as she was spotted exiting a luxury Russian spa on Monday. The 43-year-old supermodel kept a low profile as she exited the Banya No. 1 luxury spa

As a Russian banya is a unique experience for many people, we have decided to run through the most frequently asked questions to explain how it works. Why do I need to wear a hat inside the steam room? Steam and high temperatures are good for the body, but not for the vessels inside the

Some days are cold and some days are hot… but the best days, involve a banya stop! Recently we asked ourselves this very profound question: what shall we do today? It was a Wednesday that happened to have coincided with Christmas. Us being the non-Christmas observing type, we had to decide on what oh what

During this challenging period when hand sanitisers and anti-bacterial soaps are all sold out, we can offer you Siberian Body Wash treatment that can actually disinfect your body. Siberian Body Wash – the treatment where fragrant bundles of birch twigs are used for a deep, exfoliating treatment. The silky bubble wash removes the dead skin

Can you recall the feeling of your muscles aching after physical exercise? Whether you are a professional athlete or simply a casual gym-goer, you will have definitely experienced this sensation. While many people believe that this type of pain is completely normal and is caused by overtraining, it is in fact a result of ‘under-recovery’.

If you were to find yourself, as I did, prostrate and naked on a bench in an infernal steam sauna, your face mashed into a pile of birch leaves as a hulking Russian banschik beats you with bundles of oak branches, you might question your life choices — which is precisely the point of the

A traditional Finnish sauna is very similar to a Russian banya. However, there are some extremely significant differences. For example, a Finnish sauna is usually something you can find in any sports club or spa. By contrast, a Russian banya is all about the unique experience, which is why it always stands out on its

Here at Banya No.1 our signature treatment is Parenie – an invigorating thermal treatment using leafy and fragrant bundles of birch, oak and eucalyptus twigs performed in a steam room. In Russia, this bundle is simply called Venik. The treatment we offer is quite intense. And, no, it’s not about the slashing you with Venik,

While Banya No.1 opened as recently as 2012, the story of Russian bathhouses in London goes back much further. It all began in Odessa in the 1820s during the Russian Empire. This is when the first anti-Jewish pogroms (targeted anti-Jewish riots) occurred. The reason for these violent attacks was that there had been rumours that