Venues offering Russian Banya

A Russian bath (banya) is a bathing tradition based on sweating in humid heat, created by pouring water onto heated stones in a wood-lined hot room, then cooling off with cold water and resting. The heat comes from the stones inside the stove in the room; water poured onto the stones creates an intense, soft wave of steam. The distinctive element of the tradition is the venik, a bundle of birch or oak twigs used by lightly tapping it on the body.

How is a Russian bath used?

A Russian bath is used in rounds. After showering and drying off, you go into the hot room; an attendant or the bathers pour water onto the stones to increase the steam. It is traditional to wear a felt or wool banya hat to protect the head from overheating. Once the body has warmed up, the venik treatment begins: the bundle of twigs, softened beforehand by soaking in water, is first moved over the body to direct the hot air onto the skin, then used with light, rhythmic strokes on the back, legs and arms. When the treatment is given by an attendant, the person usually lies face down on the bench.

After each round you cool off with a cold shower, a bucket of cold water or a cold plunge pool, then sit and rest and drink water or herbal tea. The rest between rounds is as important as the time spent in the hot room. The logic of the cycle is the same as in the guide explaining how to use a sauna.

How long does a visit take?

In a Russian bath, one round in the hot room usually lasts 5-15 minutes and is repeated several times with rest breaks; the whole visit can take 1-2 hours. If it is your first time, sit on the lower bench, where the temperature is lower, and keep the first round short. Rather than pushing yourself to stay longer, go by how your body responds.

Who is it suitable for, and who should not go in?

A Russian bath suits those who enjoy humid heat, are familiar with the sauna and want to experience the hot-cold cycle. The heat and the venik may help reduce muscle tension and help you relax; circulation temporarily speeds up.

The rapid switch between hot and cold puts a strain on the heart and blood vessels. If you have cardiovascular disease, a heart rhythm disorder, uncontrolled high or low blood pressure, epilepsy, advanced varicose veins or a history of thrombosis, do not go in without your doctor's approval. It is not recommended during pregnancy. Do not go in with a feverish illness, after drinking alcohol or straight after a heavy meal. For people taking blood thinners and those with sensitive skin, venik strokes can cause bruising or irritation; in that case ask for the strokes to be kept light or skip the venik. If you feel dizzy, have palpitations or feel sick, come out immediately.

How a Russian bath differs from a sauna, steam room and hammam

In Turkey, a Russian bath is mostly offered not as a separate facility but as one station in the same programme as the sauna, steam room, kese and foam wash at hammam and spa venues. Venues may use the name for different treatments: some have only a humid wooden hot room, others the traditional treatment with a venik.

What to ask before booking

• Whether the venik treatment is included and whether it is given by an attendant
• How long you can use it, and the arrangements for women and men
• Whether there is a cold plunge pool or cold water for cooling off
• Whether a banya hat, towel and slippers are provided by the venue
• Whether the Russian bath is included in the hammam package or charged separately