Historic Hamams (Turkish Baths)

The number of hamams in Istanbul mushroomed in the 18th century when the realization hit that they were big business. Mahmut I had the Cagaloglu Hamami built to finance the construction of his library near the Ayasofya, but new constructions were limited later that century because the hamams were using up the city's resources of water and wood. Only about 20 hamams have survived.

The most visited hamams today are the palatial Çemberlitas Hamami, Vezirhan Cad. 8 (off Divanyolu at the Column of Constantine; tel. 0212/522-7974; 40YTL/$35/£15 for the traditional bath, massage, and kese, a scrubbing using an abrasive mitt; 28YTL/$24/£11 bath only; daily 6am-midnight with separate sections; MasterCard and Visa accepted), which was based on a design by Sinan, and the 18th-century Cagaloglu Hamami, Yerebatan Cad. at Ankara Cad. (tel. 0212/522-2424; 36YTL/$31/£14 bath and kese; 68YTL/$59/£26 if you opt for the "Oriental luxury" treatment; daily 7am-10pm for men, 8am-8pm for women), which allegedly saw the bare bottoms of Franz Liszt, Edward VIII, Kaiser Wilhelm, and Florence Nightingale, and even had a part as an extra in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

The recently restored Süleymaniye Hamami, Mimar Sinan Cad. 20 (tel. 0212/519-5569; open daily 7am-midnight), part of the Süleymaniye mosque complex, is another architectural and social welfare wonder of Sinan and Süleyman the Magnificent. Pickup and drop-off from hotel is included in the price of admission, which includes the massage and kese (30€-35€/$42-$49/£21-£25 depending on the pickup location). One caveat: This hamam is coed.

In Beyoglu, the Tarihi Galatasaray Hamami, Sütterazi Sok. 24 (from Istiklal Cad. in front of the Galatasaray High School, it's the second street to the left of the gate; tel. 0212/249-4342; 40YTL/$35/£15 admission plus 5YTL/$4.35/£1.90 if you want the massage and kese; daily 7am-10pm for men, 8am-8pm for women), was built by Beyazit II as part of the Galata Sarayi school complex. The men's section is generally accepted as gay.

Probably the most spectacular hamam is the decommissioned Haseki Sultan Hamami, in Sultanahmet Park. Built by Sinan in 1557 on a symmetrical plan that provided two separate sections of identical domed halls, the hamam was decommissioned when it was found that the elongated layout resulted in too much heat loss. The Haseki Sultan Hamami is now a beautifully restored exhibition center for Dösim and is used for textile and carpet displays.

If you're looking for luxury and personal attention, more in the lines of a modern day spa treatment, you'll want to visit a hamam at a hotel instead. My personal favorites are Les Ottomans, Sumahan, the Ritz-Carlton, and the Çiragan Palace.

Steam Heat: Taking the Hamam

In characteristic socially conscious fashion, the Selçuks were the ones to adopt the Roman and Byzantine tradition of public bathing and treat it like a public work. Lacking baths or running water at home, society embraced the hamam, which evolved into not only a place to cleanse body and soul, but a social destination as well. Even the accouterments of the hamam took on symbols of status: wooden clogs inlaid with mother of pearl, towels embroidered with gold thread, and so on. Men gathered to talk about politics, sports, and women, while the ladies kept an eagle eye out for suitable wives for their sons.

The utility of the hamam evolved and fell out of daily use, probably because the neighborhood ones have a reputation for being dirty, and the historic ones come with a hefty admission charge. But when experienced properly, a visit to a hamam can be a cleansing one -- for both mind and body. And as the spa trend takes hold in Istanbul and as new, private (hotel or club) hamams materialize, Turks are once again embracing the pampered pleasure of this tradition.

What to expect? The main entrance of a Turkish bath opens up to a camekan, a central courtyard lined with changing cubicles surrounding an ornamental marble fountain. Visitors are presented with the traditional pestamal, a checkered cloth worn like a sarong (up higher for women). Valuables are secured in a private locker, provided for each customer, although it's a good idea to leave the best of it at home.

The experience begins past the cooling section (and often the toilets), into the steam room, or hararet. For centuries architects worked to perfect the design of the hararet: a domed, octagonal (or square) room, often with marvelous oculi to provide entry for sunlight, and with intricate basins at various intervals and a heated marble platform, known as the naval stone, in the center. Often the hamam is covered with elaborately crafted and ornately designed tiles.

Hamam protocol goes like this: You will be asked to lie on the naval stone by an attendant (who may be male or female). Many first-time visitors have questions about how much clothing to take off; in segregated hamams it's customary and acceptable to strip (this is a bath, after all), although I personally would reschedule if confronted with a male attendant. Step one is the scrubbing using an abrasive mitt (kese) aimed at removing the outer layer of dead skin and other organic detritus. The actual bath is next; the substantial and slippery soap bubbles create the perfect canvas for the accompanying massage. This is primarily where you will notice the difference between a private hamam (where you are the only "client") and one of the more commercial ones. In the commercial ones (listed above, all of which I have nevertheless frequented repeatedly), don't be surprised if your massage feels more like a cursory pummeling. After all, how many clients complain? (Not me.) The private hotel hamans have more of a long-term stake and therefore provide high quality service. The difference is like night and day.

The final act of the ritual is the rinsing (you may even get a relaxing facial massage), followed by a definitive tap on the shoulder followed by "You like?" -- an indication that your session is over. At this point you are most likely dehydrated and sleepy, which is when the purpose of that cold room with the lounge chairs becomes evident. Refreshments are available and the price list is usually displayed nearby. (Refreshments are usually included in the price of a hotel hamam.) In the commercial hamams you can go back into the hararet as often as you like, whereas in a hotel hamam a session lasts 45 minutes to an hour.

Whether you opt for the $30 version or the $75 hotel service, definitely sign up for "the works" at least once in your life and you'll forever comprehend why it was indeed good to be the sultan.