"Turkish Baths - Luxurious!" Hammams Tip by illumina

If you go to Turkey and fail to experience the delights of a hamam, I can only say that you're missing out on something very, very special.

I went to the 16th century Çemberlitas Hamam for my birthday, and it turned out to be one of the highlights of my trip. Sadly they were too busy for me to have the massage with oils, but for 20 Euros I had the use of the "hot area" for as long as I wanted, plus a 15 minute scrub by one of the attendants.

Men and women are segregated, so there are two separate areas. You are given a towel and slippers, and you undress in the locker room, wrap the towel around you, and move into the warm room which is transitional to the hot bath room. There are water dispensers here if you get thirsty from the heat.

The bath room itself is lovely, with a beautiful domed ceiling with many stars cut into it to allow the light in (see my photo of the changing room ceiling, but with many more stars!). It has 4 little semi-private bathing areas where you can go and sit next to a fountain and scoop up cool water in the bowls provided and pour it over yourself - wonderfully refreshing in the heat!

The hot stone is in the centre of the room, right under the 'roof lantern', and you spread your towel out and lie down to enjoy the heat beneath you. After a while of relaxing and sweating, if you have a token for a scrub, the attendant will call you over, take your token (and soap and scrubbing mitt) and proceed to give you a thorough wash, including taking you over to the basins of water and washing your hair. The lady who washed me found it most amusing when I got soap in my mouth and had to splutter it out!

All in all, it was possibly the most luxurious experience of my life, and I fully intend to go back and get the full works including massage with oils at some point! I'm told that men might be treated a bit more roughly with lots of back-cracking involved, but being female, I couldn't say!

As you leave, you can buy some olive oil soap, and one of the bath mitts that they use there - a lovely souvenir.

Address: Divanyolu
Directions: On Divanyolu Street - the main street with all the trams running up and down from Hagia Sophia. It's next to Constantine's monument, before you get to the Grand Bazaar.
Website: http://www.cemberlitashamami.com.tr/