Before You Die: Take a Real Russian Banya by Rose Baring
Take a real Russian banya. Find a remote wooden bath-house in a clearing in the forest, in winter. Take a bottle of vodka (as good as you can afford) and a bunch of dried birch twigs or veniki. Settle into the fug of the steam room for as long as you can, sloshing the water over you and washing meticulously. Encourage the pores to open by thwacking your skin with the water-softened twigs. Now take a deep breath and go out and roll in the snow! When you have done this a few times, get dressed at leisure and down the vodka.
Featured Hotels in Russia
The Savoy
"Understated by Russian terms, though still opulent, this luxury hotel is one of the very finest in Moscow."
See all hotels in Russia >
Price from:
See all hotels in Russia >
Corinthia Hotel St Petersburg
"Recently renovated to update its opulent décor to match the splendour of its 19th-century exterior, this luxury hotel is conveniently situated near the city's many attractions."
See all hotels in Russia >
Price from:
See all hotels in Russia >
Hotel Astoria
"For history, prestige, luxury and location, Rocce Forte's sumptuous luxury hotel, the Astoria, is hard to beat."
See all hotels in Russia >
Price from:
See all hotels in Russia >