The banya is an old Russian ritual: hot steam in a wooden room, then cold water, then a long rest with tea, repeated until the body is fully restored and the mind clear. Its most famous address is the Sanduny Baths on Neglinnaya Street in Moscow, open since 1808 in an ornate building completed in 1896; the baths and their restaurant still operate today.

If you prefer complete privacy, we book a private banya at a country lodge or a spa suite at your hotel, with an attendant who knows the ritual and guides you through it.