Hammam (Turkish bath) Experience with Kids
Hammam Visit: Experience with the Kids
A trip to the Turkish Bath with Kids
Vacation adventures are the perfect time to slow down and relax. During our visit to Turkey, the hammam seemed like the perfect spot to do just that!
What is a Turkish bath?
Hammams have been a part of the local culture for hundreds of years. In the days before telephones, social media, and every home having indoor plumbing, this experience was perhaps even more social that hygienic. Hammams are everywhere. The one we visited was the Elis Kapadokya Hamami Spa Center in the small town of Goreme in the Cappadocia area. This 300 year old facility had all the modern amenities you need in combination with a fantastically old experience.
Go in, pay your $ (We paid 75TL for adults and 1/2 that for the kids) and receive your locker key on a plastic bracelet. The bath was segregated so hubby and son headed one way and daughter and I headed another way. Visit your locker room where you will put your belongings and change out of your clothes. There are two private changing rooms for the shy or modest. Inside the locker you’ll find a pestemal/large towel. Strip down to your swim suit or birthday suit, wrap up in the towel and head to the sitting area.
The sitting area is where you’ll have your face painted with a clay masque. Decline if you don’t want one and then head to the sauna. At 150-160 degrees you’ll melt like the Wicked Witch of the West (Wizard of Oz) though for some unknown reason the clay masque says put while the rest of you sweats like crazy. Stay the suggested 15 minutes or as long as you can stand it – which ever comes first. We held out for 7 minutes and I felt pretty certain we were slimy enough!
Enter the main room. This circular room has small sinks all the way around and a large flat marble ‘stage’ in the center. Find a sink (they have no drains) and use it to fill a small bucket with water. Dump the water over your head…yes the water will go all over the floor, but will find its way to the drain. It feels very strange to stand in a room pouring water on your head. I felt like I was making a mess! Once the clay is removed, lie down on the large marble table. *This photo is a hammam in Sirkeci Mansion hotel during a quiet moment.*
When your masseuse enters (and we had female masseuses for my daughter and me while my husband and son had a male masseuse), you’ll be given a blow up pillow. Lie flat and follow directions!
**** At this point there are always questions about how much or how little clothing everyone is wearing. I think locals are routinely nude but visitors less likely so. Neither matters. Wear your swimsuit, 1/2 of your swimsuit or none of your swimsuit. No one will judge. The point of a hammam visit is to relax. So do whatever makes you feel comfortable. Our masseuses wore swimsuit tops and shorts.****
The first step is exfoliation. Your masseuse will use a scratchy mitt to rub you down and exfoliate the skin. Again….a question on the minds of those who have not visited…..how exactly does this work? How….invasive is it? Not to worry. You will be scrubbed everywhere except the really sensitive spots and if you have on a swimsuit only the stuff that shows will be scrubbed. So belly and décolletage yes…..genitals no. After this step you will feel so smooth!
The next step is one you should make sure you turn your head to see. Bubble massage! You’ll receive the tourist version of a massage and unless you are burly like the Hulk himself, you will appreciate it. This part is a delight! A long thin towel is dipped into a bucket of very soapy water. The towel is opened and swung through the air. I incorrectly assumed this was because the water was hot and the towel was being cooled off. Instead this was adding air! Like waving a magic wand, the masseuse squeezed the towel and out came a washing machine load full of bubbles. What a sight to see. You’ll be covered in bubbles! They feel cool and light – like butterfly kisses.
Now relax while you get a massage. Your masseuse will only touch the places that she did above with the exfoliation procedure. The massage includes your scalp and your hair gets washed. (But there is no conditioner or cream rinse so if you get tangly hair or otherwise need conditioner to function, bring your own for the shower later.)
The next step is a rinse. You’ll sit up and……here is a tip! Hold your breath! The attendant will pour bowls of water over your head. I neglected to hold my breath the first time. LOL! Now, you are on your own. The rest is up to you:
Shower before or after a swim in the swimming pool. My daughter loved this but the water seemed to too chilly to me after the warm massage room.
Get towels for hair and body and relax in the sitting room with apple tea. No wonder this is the place to be! Relaxation? Time to visit and get caught up? Gossip time? In days of yor…mothers of sons would use this time to pick out a daughter in law! Fantastic!
While sipping on tea after such a wonderfully relaxing adventure, ponder, as I did, how different the world would be if we all slowed down 3 times a week to relax, have a massage, and visit with our friends and neighbors. It is easy to see how this wonderful tradition has survived for so many, many years. Visit the Elis Kapadokya Hammam Nevsehir and tell them The Educational Tourist sent you!
When in Rome do as the Romans….you won’t regret it!
Happy and relaxing travels,
Natalie, The Educational Tourist
I totally appreciated this one, thank you!!
It was wonderful. Wish we had something similar here at home! Thanks for stopping by!
A bubble massage? While I generally don’t like being touched by strangers, and don’t care too much for massages, the bubble massage sounds fun! It sounds like you and your family had a great experience. I’d love to hear what the boys thought of that!
My husband and 9 year old son both loved it!
This sounds AMAZING! Thanks for the great write up – I’ve never heard of a bubble massage but I WANT one :D!!! Clay masque sounds really fun – can’t believe it doesn’t melt in the sauna – that’s one hot steam room!!
So glad you had a fab time – thanks for the note on clothing, I was wondering that about the baths, and assumed locals probably went naked, though I would likely stick to my bathing suit. Even though in a bathing suit it’s probably us that look like the odd ones out!!
You know, it is funny you say that because I would expect that we do stand out if we wear a swimsuit, but no one seemed to mind. It was fantastic and I can’t recommend it enough! I wish we had options like this in the states. I would be there with bells on! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
That sounds so relaxing! I have never actually had a massage anywhere, but I’ve always wanted to do this since it’s such a unique cultural experience. Thanks for the behind the scenes look!
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you get a chance to try it at some point….it was heavenly! 🙂
I have done a few turkish baths in various countries, but this seems to be a much nicer experience than i have had in the past! I usually leave feeling like i was beat up in there! haha. Love the clay masque addition too!
LOL! You must have had the real deal authentic experience!! Bone crushing. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!