The Turkish Bath is a most wonderful, relaxing experience. Not only is it good to ease the stresses of modern life, but for the skin treatment that it offers too. Where better to experience this procedure than the oldest Hamam in Turkey, the Çemberlitas Bath? Built in 1584 and only modified slightly through the centuries, it is here that you will experience an authentic Turkish Bath, which still segregates males and females.
This was the custom in the 16th century and continues to this day in some Hamams. The building is awesome when you first encounter it. It is advised to arrive a little earlier than your rendezvous time, in order to walk around and admire this 16th century building, still displaying its former glory as though it was built yesterday.
The building has been in constant use throughout this time, with very little change to its infrastructure. Decorated with beautiful antique tiling and with its gentle ambience, the outside world melts away and there is only you, your companions, the warmth and the masseuse.
In 2024, price of Istanbul Turkish Bath Experience is 35 € per person without oil massage and 50 € with oil massage.
Once you have duly admired your surroundings it will be time to begin.
You will be handed a robe and directed to the changing rooms, whereby you may leave your outer clothes and any valuables in a locker. It is recommended that you wear your bathers for modesty throughout the experience.
Once changed you will be directed to the Hot Room. The modern equivalent of the Hot room is a sauna. Here you will relax and lie out, allowing the toxins to leave your body through your open sweat glands. This usually lasts around 15 minutes.
The next stage is to take you to the main room, wherein lies the belly stone. You may watch others have their turn by sitting along the outer wall of the room, cooling yourself where you wish, with the basins along the wall and by using the traditional dishes to pour cool water over yourself. When it is your turn on the hot stone, you will be made comfortable while the masseuse washes the perspiration from your open pores.
Then begins the scrub. A fresh mitt is used for every individual. The masseuse continues to remove the loosened top layer of your skin with the mitt. This is invigorating as well as a beauty procedure. Fresh skin glows differently once the excess dead cells are removed.
Once completed, your body is rinsed once more. Your next stage continues with a foam massage. A bar of soap supplies all the foam to what appears to be a long pillowcase. With incredible lightness you are covered from head to toe with the foam, massaged into your newly scrubbed skin, before being rinsed off.
If you have chosen the second option of your Turkish Bath the following will occur. If not this is where you leave and go back to your locker to change.
A waiting period ensues before your final treatment.
When your freshly scrubbed and washed skin has rested you leave for the smaller massage rooms, whereby an aromatic oil massage ensues. This normally lasts around 15 to 20 minutes.
As your Turkish Bath experience ends, you return to your locker to change and return to your hotel.
