Traditionally bathhouses were literally public places to bathe (wash). Today bathhouses are wonderfully equipped leisure centers with a high level of service where you can spend a whole day relaxing. Most of them have sports and massage facilities, mini-pools and solariums. In many bathhouses you will find a hairdresser, make-up stylist or a manicurist. There are many bathhouses in the city. Many health centers, sports clubs, hotels and even casinos have bathhouse facilities.

There are more than 60 Russian baths (bani) in St. Petersburg. Baths of the highest class often have a sauna room, showers, a small swimming pool, and private "deluxe rooms" for couples.

Russian Baths vs Saunas. Russian "baths" are steam baths (parilka,), while Finnish "saunas" have hot dry air from heated rocks, onto which you can occasionally ladle water, sometimes scented with pine pitch. In some locations both "banya" and "saunas" are available. Men and women always attend separately designated facilities and therefore bathing suits are not customary in the saunas or pools. Private reservations for groups are available.
For the men's baths look for muzhskoe otdelenie, the women's baths look for zhenskoe otdelenie. Sometimes the men and women attend separate days. Deluxe saunas for mixed bathing are available for private rental.

The Complete Russian Bath Experience. Bring a towel, shampoo, plastic shoes and a special brew of home-made teas (some bring beer). Before entering, buy a "venik" (leafy bunch of birch twigs). Start with the dry sauna (about 200°F), then go to the steam room (parilka) where water and eucalyptus oil are regularly ladled onto heated rocks to create steam. Now to drive out all the toxins, dip your "Venik" into a bucket of hot water to soften them a bit and flail yourself (and others). After five to seven minutes, you escape and fling yourself into the cold pool. Then, tea and talk a bit before starting it all over again.

Here we list only traditional (but quite modernized) Russian baths. For just saunas, see SAUNAS.