VUE

ucked away in a 19th century textile factory in lower Manhattan, a subterranean sanc- tuary beckons visitors seeking old world relaxation and a place to hit the pause button on the city that never sleeps. Aire Ancient Baths' Tribeca location is a refuge from our busy lives–a place to unplug from the modern world and lean into the ancient ritual of bathing. Appropriately located in an old, historical building, Aire transports guests to ancient times when bathing was much more than a means of cleansing the body. Long before baths were private rituals and citizens had tubs in their own homes, many civiliza- tions such as the Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, and Ottomans utilized communal baths. As the body was cleansed, so too was the soul; the ancient thermal baths were places to soak, release tension, and socialize with friends and neighbors. Bathers would begin their experience in the apodyteri- um (a small room to undress and store belongings), and then move on to a time-tested progression of warm to cold bathing—a soak in a warm bath followed by a dip in hotter waters, a steam session, and finally, an icy cold submersion. A stone's throw from an ancient cathedral in the historical neighborhood of Santa Cruz, Aire's original location is in Seville, Spain and serves as a recourse of relaxation and rejuvenation amidst a busy Spanish city. Cofounder of Aire Ancient Baths, Armando Prados, grew up in the south of Spain and wanted to recreate the ancient rituals of his homeland, where hundreds of communal baths once united the local community through traditions of relaxation and restoration for the mind and body. With the success of the Seville location, Aire opened up several more establish- ments across Spain and eventually traveled overseas to the United States, where they now have spas in both New York City and Chicago. B Y M E L I S S A S O R G E V U E N J . C O M 99

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