She tells me “down” in a kind, but directive voice. I’m soaking wet, soaped and oiled up from head to toe, walking on a floor of slick marble. I have no choice but to obey. Down, I go. Face down that is.
I lie down on the warm marble, in only my bikini bottoms, ready to get the scrubbing of my life. Dead skin, you are dead to me. It’s time to shed and start anew, like a snake emerging from its old skin, or better yet, a butterfly from its cocoon. After releasing what feels like kilos of dermis, I walk out, smoother than before, cleaner than I think I’ve ever been, and ready to take on the world… for at least a few hours at least.
A hammam is a true Middle Eastern experience, a hangover from the Roman baths during their empire over much of the world. A hammam, which literally means bath in Arabic (and can also be used to ask for the toilet/bathroom), is a public bathhouse – necessary before houses had plumbing. It also turned into a social event, with women and men going to the bathhouse (separately) to clean themselves and also catch up on the latest gossip. You could find pre-wedding parties there, men conducting business en naturale, women socializing freely outside of the home. Wikipedia even notes that some women have used a hammam to “size up” future brides for their sons. There’s no citation for it, but honestly… I could see that happening…
With the emergence of private plumbing, the use of bathhouses reduced extensively, and yet bathhouses continue to be present – and used – across the Middle East, central Asia, even Eastern Europe. It’s an experience that one should not forget to enjoy when visiting this region. But it’s also a process and can feel…uncomfortable? new? interesting?
Either way – just go. And here’s your 101 guide for what to expect when you visit a hammam.
Step 1: Strip
Unfortunately, hammams are not free to use (hey someone has to pay for all that water, and then of course there is the staff… would you want to scrub someone else for free?? Yeah, me neither). So start off by choosing your service and paying at the front desk.
I usually choose the standard Turkish hammam (this is what I am detailing below), but you can frequently choose other add-ons, such as a longer massage, a hair shampoo and/or blow out, mud baths, sometimes even waxing! You do you.
After paying, you will be ushered into the dressing/undressing, or cold, area. A few things to note:
All hammams, in my experience, are gender-segregated. In some, where the hammam is only one space, they will have separate hours for men and women (with a deep cleaning in between). Men scrub men, and women scrub men. We used to joke that the men who scrub you in Türkiye are mustached, hairy with pot bellies. Not being a man myself, I can’t confirm if this is the case… Men, what say you?
Step 2: Soak
Now, head into the hammam itself. The most traditional hammams are beautiful, with intricate Arabesque tiles, marble slabs and basins, lighting in the ceiling that can look like stars or stained glass. Be sure to take a moment to just appreciate a culture that aims to make bathing such an aesthetic experience.
First, you will be ushered to a shower for a quick rinse. Be sure to rinse from head to toe. It’s meant to be the first step to get the grime off of you.
Then, you will head to a pool, what looks like a hot tub. And that’s kind of what it is. The attendant will ask you to soak for up to 10 minutes, but my experience is that you can soak for as long or as little as you like. Ten minutes is a good start though – remember, you are aiming to loosen the skin.
I’ve had some great conversations with women in the pool at this stage. Lots of “do you speak Arabic” and “where are you from”. It’s lovely and social.
You will also usually be provided with a water at this stage also. Feel free to ask for it if not. You will be sweating. A lot.
Step 3: Steam
After the pool, head to have a quick oil rub-down (sometimes this step isn’t done), and then to the steam room. It’s a normal steam room, but with an added twist. My regular hammam uses this moment to hand you a hibiscus slushie, an icy drink made with sweetened hibiscus tea, which goes down perfectly in the sweaty steam.
Stay in this room until they come grab you, but feel free to leave if it gets too much.
Step 4: Scrub
A quick rinse in the shower leads to the main event. The scrub on the marble slab.
Following the direction of your attendant, get ready to have layers of skin rubbed off using a rough exfoliating mitt. This scrub will happen top-to-bottom, with almost no body part left unscathed. If you are wearing full bottomed bottoms, expect they will be pulled down, pushed in the crack (yes, that one), to get to all the areas. It’s an oddly releasing feeling to have your armpit scrubbed as intensely as your kneecap and the heel of your foot.
If you are wearing a bikini top, they will try to keep as modest as they can, but the aim is to scrub all areas, so don’t be surprised if its moved (or removed) completely for a moment or two.
This step of the process is like a pedicure for your whole body. Be surprised by how much your skin is eager to flee from your body. Enjoy. You will feel like a new person.
After the scrub of your life, which will take about 10 minutes or so, they will direct you to the shower. Use this as an opportunity to get all that dead skin off your body and down into the drain, including covered areas. In some hammams, rather than the shower, they may just dump bowls of water over you. Be warned.
Step 5: Soap
After the scrub, you will head back to the marble slab for the soaping. A bowl-ful of bubbles is lathered over you, followed by a quick soap down to ensure you are as clean as possible. Flip over for the same on your back, followed by more bowls of water lashed onto you to rinse.
Step 6: Shower & Smooth
A final shower rinse-off leads you to everyone’s favorite part of the hammam experience: the massage. This is not your normal Swedish or Thai massage, or a deep tissue massage. Rather its the time to get oils into your skin for full absorption. A full body rub, front and back, allows oils to initiate rejuvenation and maximum softness. Unless you’ve paid for the extended massage, this step takes about 15 minutes.
In some hammams, you may be able to take an aromatherapy approach at this stage, choosing the scent of the oil you receive. If you are lucky, you may also get a clay or mud face mask as an ending gift.
Step 7: Sip & Socialize
Now, truly relaxed, leave the cozy, humid warmth of the hammam itself back to the relaxation and socialization room. Enjoy a tea in your towel, while socializing with your new friends or just sitting silent in chill meditation.
Once you are ready to leave, head back to the changing room, to get ready for the day. I bring shampoo and conditioner with me, for a shower in the private shower rooms, as a hair wash not usually included in the package, and your hair does get quite wet (surprise!). Often, blow dryers are available, but good to ask just in case.
The whole process can take about 45 minutes if you speed through it, or up to 1.5 hours or more if you want to savor your time. I encourage savoring your time.
A good point note, after now understanding this process, is on the cleanliness of the actual hammam itself. In my experience, all scrubbing mitts are individual use, and all marble surfaces are wiped and squeegee’d down in between each step of the process. Cleanliness is a core principle in Islam, which is manifested in how they clean the building that keeps you clean.
One of the things I love the most about hammams is the sense of solidarity it brings with it. It sounds strange, but being practically nude with other women, many who are strangers, is both liberating and connecting. I’ve also loved what its taught me about this culture.
Muslim and non-Muslim women will be together, chatting, in just their underwear in a way that feels so comfortable and close. And then, before exiting back out into the world, they put on their jeans or dress, hijab or abaya, covering themselves in the way that they are most comfortable to head back out to public spaces. I find the intimacy of being a part this process is so beautiful.
Women connecting with women. Beautiful.
*Cover photo: A female Turkish bath or Hammam, by Jean-Jacque-Francois le Barbier, 1785. original painting on sale at Sotheby’s
Angela was born and raised in the United States, but has spent the last 15 years of her life travelling around the globe as a humanitarian, responding to some of the world worst crises. She spent the last 11 years of her life travelling around the Middle East, supporting the humanitarian crisis in Syria. All of this work only spurred on her love of travel. Angela has now been to almost 50 countries, 8 of which are in the Middle East region. Yalla Habibti was born out of a deep love for the Middle East, and a desire to bring the beauty, history and culture of this region to encourage more women to visit! Angela still works full time as a humanitarian as well as providing advice and recommendations here on Yalla Habibti.
