What To Expect From A Traditional Bath in Turkey

A visit to Istanbul in 2025 will not be complete if you do not experience a traditional Turkish bath. It is among the most unique experiences you should try in Turkey. It will allow you to relax as well as cleanse your body while soothing your mind. The following guide will show you what takes place and how you should handle yourself when you are undergoing a Turkish bath.

The Turkish Hammam

A Turkish bath, or hammam as they are commonly known, dated all the way back to Roman times. Later, they existed as a part of Ottoman culture as well, and people went to wash their bodies, as well as socialize and discuss various things.

A hammam has various rooms. First, there is a cold room where you change clothes. Then, you proceed to a warm room to prepare your body for the heat. Finally, you go to a hot steam room. It is where you are washed and scrubbed. After that, you rest in a quiet room with tea.

The building is commonly characterized by marble floors and domes. It is filled with warm light. There is a relaxing atmosphere. Some of the well-known hammams are Cagaloglu Hammam, Cukurcuma Hammam, or Hurrem Sultan Hammam.

Visits to hammams may be included as part of your Private Istanbul Old City Tour.

Step-By-Step: What To Expect

1. Arrival and Changing

Once you are there, you select the service you want to get. Services may include a simple bath, body scrub, or massage therapies. Payment is completed, and you are given a key to a locker as well as a towel referred to as a pestemal. You wear this towel around your body, and you usually wear swimwear or underwear underneath. Such clothing is kept safe inside a small cabin locker.

2. Warm-up Session Inside the Steam Room

Then you proceed to the warm marble room. The body temperature relaxes your muscles. You sit around a basin. Pour water all over your body with a small basin termed tas. Lie down on the warmed-up marble stone sitting at the center. It is gobek tasi. The marble stone heats your body and causes pores to open.

3. Scrub & Foam Wash

An attendant will scrub your body. Men are scrubbed by a tellak, while a natir handles scrubbing a female customer. They will scrub the body with a kese, a sort of glove. It is very rough. After scrubbing your body, and you’ll receive a soap wash. The attendant will fill a ‘long cloth’ with foam. They will cover you with bubbles. Later, they will give you a quick soft massage.

4. Rinse & Cool Down

They then wash your body with foam. They wash your body with warm water afterwards. You are then relocated to a cold room next. You dry your body with warm towels. Many hammams offer you Turkish tea or water afterwards if you take a bath.

5. Exit & Refresh

You go back to the cabin and change into your clothes. You sit for a few minutes to relax. You drink water to keep hydrated. You may feel calm and sleepy afterwards.

Turkish Bath Etiquette

Do

• Follow gender rules. Many hammams have separate areas or times for men and women.
• Keep your towel on when moving between rooms.
• Use slippers to walk safely on wet floors.
• Tip your attendant after service. Ten to twenty percent is enough.
• Stay quiet and enjoy the calm atmosphere.

Don't

• Do not use phones or cameras inside. Privacy is important.
• Do not rush the process. Take your time.
• Do not forget to drink water.
• Do not go fully nude unless it is allowed in that hammam.

Tips

• Bring an extra swimsuit or underwear.
• Avoid eating heavy meals before your bath.
• Ask the staff if you have health issues or are pregnant.
• Remove jewelry before entering.
• Arrive early to enjoy the quiet lounge.

A hammam visit usually takes around one hour. Prices vary. Historic hammams are often more expensive than modern ones.

A Turkish hammam is more than a spa. It is a deep part of Turkish culture. The heat, marble, and water help you relax after a long day. The body scrub makes your skin smooth.

You may visit a hammam after exploring other locations, including the Hagia Sophia, Sultan Ahmet Blue Mosque, or Topkapi Palace. Some good hammams are found at Sultanahmet, Taksim, or Galata areas. While exploring other destinations, including Best of Istanbul Tours or Istanbul Combo: City Highlights and Bosphorus Cruise, tourists may visit a Turkish bath in historic areas.

When you are traveling to the beautiful city of Istanbul, do not forget to include a hammam experience as a part of your activities. Please contact us to organize your ideal Turkish bath experience in Istanbul. We offer you tradition, body relaxation, and the romance of a Turkish hammam.