My Turkish Bath Experience: A Cultural Gem with a Few Nuances

Hello!

I'm super excited to share my experience with you about a really cool cultural attraction - the Turkish hamam.

I've been to a lot of hamams in different cities, and in Istanbul, you can find the most expensive and beautiful ones. Many have been restored, while some still have moldy domes. The bonus is that these cheaper ones are often less crowded, and the first time my husband and I went, we ended up in one of those. However, the mold does put a damper on the experience, making you question the effectiveness of the ritual.

So, this time, we decided to go for a restored one, even though they're pricier. To figure out which one to choose, look at the price - usually, the cheaper ones are the ones with mold. Also, check the reviews on Google Maps.

We chose Gedikpasha Hamam for its combination of reasonable price (70€) and authenticity. It's one of the oldest hamams in the city, built as far back as 1457. That's a pretty impressive date, by the way - it's the same as my internet password.

Mini museum next to Gedikpasha HamamNow, let me tell you about our experience. We arrived in the evening without a reservation and were given a later time slot. They offered us to sit on comfortable couches in the alcoves and brought us tea.

Turkish tea in special cups

Sofas in the relaxation area near the entrance to the hamamGedikpasha hamam relaxation area near the entrance About 30 minutes later, we were called in when we'd had a chance to fully enjoy the ambiance and pleasant music, accompanied by the sound of the fountain. A key feature is that, unlike traditional hamams where men and women bathe separately, this hamam has a dedicated area for women with a large hot stone, changing rooms, and everything. It's not always the case, even in other traditional hamams, where the heat from the stone is shared.So, my husband and I were quickly ushered off to different areas, barely having time to separate our belongings. Next, in the changing room, we found all sorts of disposable items - underwear, towels, slippers - nothing else was needed. They even had hair dryers, so I didn't have to bring a hair dryer.

The changing rooms looked like this, I climbed up to the second floor via a wooden staircase with narrow stepsNext, I headed to a very authentic toilet, and finally, to the main marble stone - you lie down, relax, and get steamed. I was with some girlfriends, but then I even had a chance to relax alone. The atmosphere was great, with high cupolas, a large central stone, and several others. About 10-15 minutes later, the attendant called me to a separate room for a foam massage and a scrub on a slightly cooler stone, but not cold - that's important, as I'd had a cold stone in my previous experience and gotten a bit chilly.But let's get back to Gedikpasha. I have to say, the massage was quite intense. My masseuse, Sofia, who's from Istanbul by the way, managed to find and work out all the sore spots, and she did it a few times too. After the massage, I asked to stay on the hot stone for a bit longer, but that was already against the rules.

Next, I sat on a couch in a room with a hammam, which also had a dome. Then, I dried my head off in the locker room (they had everything I needed, so I didn't have to bring anything). Finally, I left the first area near the exit, where there was music and a fountain, and I was greeted by my husband with a cup of tea and some scherbet cookies.

We were a couple, and we just had tea together, but in other hammams, it's not like that. The lobby had a great atmosphere, with a fountain and string music. The service in the reception area was top-notch. They even changed our tea from cold to hot when it got too cold, without us asking!

Gedikpasha Hammam in the reception area, scherbet drinkMy husband had a different experience - in his section, there was a sauna, and he got steamed there, while I was invited to the hot stone, but not to the sauna. He managed to sneak in a few minutes on the stone before the massage, which was surprisingly done in a separate area, not on the main stone like it usually is.The result - our experience was interesting and pleasant, but there are some nuances. You don't have much freedom to stay on the hot stone for as long as you want; they call you, and you have to go. The massage was a bit rough for my taste, and I've had better experiences. You have to lie naked, and I even got a bruise in the area near my breast, but I only noticed it later.

In general, the plus side is that you get to see the architecture, but the minus side is the ritual itself. I prefer hammams at hotels in Kemer, where everyone lies together on the stone in their swimsuits, and the masseuses take turns washing them in a more gentle way and even sing songs. They didn't sing in this hammam, unfortunately, but the acoustics were great, and I wouldn't want to hear it. However, the hotels don't have the original architecture, so I've always wanted to visit places like this.

I'm glad we visited a few traditional hammams, as not all of them are the same. It's been a really interesting experience, and I'm happy to share it with you.

Naturally, I hope this helps you make up your mind, and thank you to everyone who made it to the end!