English
Travelling to Istanbul and not enjoying a relaxing Turkish bath is like going to London and not trying a typical English breakfast, a sin! The Turkish baths, known as Hamams, are the quintessence of Turkey. While the pearl of the Danube collects eastern and western scents to combine them together in a unique essence, the Hamam could be the Turkish equivalent of Western spas.
The Turkish bath is a place to relax, where you combine the wellness with some body treatments. Here several elements are combined: the dry heat, the moist heat, the cold, the massages and the peelings.
In fact, the word Hamam means “the place that heats”. These look a lot like the former Roman baths, not only in their structure, but also in their socio-cultural function. Though now a bit of this tradition has been lost, much of the Arab social life used to be developed in the baths; moreover, it was common for the bride to celebrate her bachelor party at the Hamam.
Usually in the Turkish baths men do not mix with women as in most of the Western spas. The Turkish bath is like a wet sauna, but with a closer practice of the Roman bath: one must first relax in the warm room – a room heated with hot air; then you go to an even hotter room, called hot room and then you dive into a cold pool. Then, you receive a full body wash and a massage; to finish, you access the cooling room where you take a further period of relaxation.
There isn’t a limited time to enjoy the hamam, but it is not advisable to extend it over an hour, as it is more than sufficient to regenerate the skin and to relax the mind. The Çemberlita? Hamam is one of the most famous of Istanbul; it has a privileged location in the historic city centre, situated very close to the incredible Grand Bazaar.
If instead you want to enjoy a swim with the whole family, the Suleymaniye Hamam is the only traditional mixed Turkish bath. Other examples of famous baths are the Galatasaray Hamam and the Cagaloglu Hamam.
Discover the largest city of Turkey, located at the Bosporus Strait and do not miss a chance to visit one of these hamams. Your body and mind will thank you. And to get an equally comforting stay, rent the best Apartments in Istanbul. You´ll feel like a sultan!
