AIRE ANCIENT BATHS

Steeped in the bathing rituals of the ancient Roman, Greek and Ottoman civilisations, Aire Ancient Baths (beaire.com) offers transporting pleasure. In the cavernous basement of an historic building in Chicago’s River West area, you can pamper yourself like it’s 500 BCE with a thermal-bath circuit featuring pools set to varied temperatures (hot, cold, warm and – eek – ice), plus a saltwater “flotarium” in which you can bob weightlessly. Or really sink your teeth into the Aire experience with a solo soak in red wine.