Hammam, hamam, steam bath, bathhouse, steam room, there are many words for this timeless tradition of bathing, relaxation, and self-care. If you are a first-time visitor, you might be wondering all kinds of questions about this wellness ritual. For this reason, I have created a hammam guide that covers everything you need to know. After reading this guide, a successful visit is guaranteed, and you will make the most out of this unique experience.

hammam guide

What is a hammam?

Hammam, also known as the Turkish bath, is a type of bathhouse and steam room. This centuries-old wellness ritual has a long history in Arabic culture that adapted its origins from Roman baths. Before, these stunning-looking bathhouses were located close to the mosques where people could prepare for prayer. In addition, these were important meeting points for friends and family to socialize and bathe.

Today, many hammams are growing in popularity as part of a luxury spa experience. They offer a range of spa treatments and massages. But thankfully, many traditional ones are still widely available.

Hammam guide - everything you need to know

Traditional Hammams are public but offer different visiting hours for men and women. You might also find bathhouses that have separate spas for different genders. Additionally, in some hotels, you can go to the hammam with your partner at the same time.

How the Hammam looks inside?

There are available many different kinds of hammams. Some are small and some large, others more decorated and colorful than others. Some are very traditional, but others appear like luxury spas that aren’t traditional in any sense. The idea of a hammam is the same all over the Arabic world. However, there are differences in appearance, habits, and services.

A hammam contains multiple rooms, a room with lockers, and mattresses, a hot steam room, a scrubbing room, a room for massage, and a shower room. You might also find a room with a cooler temperature, but these are only built-in larger bathhouses. More luxury ones usually have a pool. The traditional hammams are more modest, with an entrance with lockers and mattresses, a steam room, and a separate area for scrubbing and washing.

hammam guide what they do in hammam

What do they do in Hammam?

If it’s your first time in a hammam, you might be wondering why you should go and what you do there? I highly encourage you to visit these traditional bathhouses as it will be a unique experience, and you will feel amazing afterward.

What to expect from a traditional hammam?

A visit to a traditional Hamman has five steps: entrance, changing room, a hot steam room, scrubbing, and washing.

First, you enter the room with a cashier. Here you pay for the service. Usually, you can pay just an entrance fee when you do all the scrubbing and washing yourself with your own products. Another option is to pay to have an attendant who will do the scrubbing and cleaning for you. Especially for the first-timers, I would recommend having an attendant to get the complete experience. You will be assigned an attendant of a similar sex.

Next, you enter the room with lockers and mattresses. Here you change your clothes and leave your belongings. After bathing, you may sit, relax, and have a refreshing drink or tea on the mattress. You might find people also smoking here.

After undressing, you go to the hot steam room. It is intensely humid, and the temperature will be around 50/ 120 degrees C/F. Here you sit on marble or smooth stone-made benches for about 15 minutes (also depending on how many people are there). Due to the heat, the skin softens, pores open, and you will sweat a lot. (Note! You shower only after the hammam, not before).

Next, the attendant will call your name or pick you up. The attendant will scrub your whole body with the exfoliating glove to remove all the skin cells. Soon you will notice how grayish skin starts rolling off. You might be shocked by the amount of dead skin! In the end, the attendant washes you with soap. Next, you go to the shower, where you finish washing. The shower might be a bucket and ladle or a regular shower.

I promise that you will feel great after all of these steps. Next, you can drink something refreshing and sit on the mattress. Now, the whole hammam experience is complete.

benefits of hammam

What to expect from a luxury hammam?

The luxury hammam follows similar phases as the traditional one. Usually, the appearance of the luxury hammam is beautiful, with various details, pools, and sensational scents. It resembles a luxurious spa. You can choose a spa treatment with high-end products from a broad selection. Maybe you would like a total hammam experience with exfoliation, a body mask, facial treatment, and full body massage.

How much does it cost? - hammam guide

So, how much do you need to pay for a hammam experience? Below is a list of estimated prices. The prices depend on what kind of bathhouse it is, where you are, and what services you want to have. The luxurious ones charge more than the traditional ones. Sometimes, you could pay only an entrance fee, and you bathe yourself. But, the standard way is that the attendant will exfoliate and clean you. You need to pay extra for the spa treatments such as massages, masks, and facial treatments.

How much hammam cost price list

How long should I stay? - hammam guide

Stay in a hammam for 1-2 hours to get the total experience and benefits. The benefits are not only external but also focus on mental well-being. So, hurrying is not part of this spa ritual. Usually, locals go there once per week to enjoy deeper cleansing of the body. But, as lifestyle changes to be more hectic, people have less time for hammams.

hammam guide how much hammam cost

What to wear? - hammam guide

As I mentioned above, the idea is to exfoliate the whole body. For this reason, in hammam, women commonly wear only panties, but some also dress in bra. It’s acceptable to wear a swimsuit, bikini, or towel wrapped around the chest if you feel more comfortable like that. While men typically wear thin cotton towels. In conclusion, you won’t be naked. For the traditional hammams, bring the items you would like to wear. Some hammams will provide a cotton towel and some kind of slippers for customers.

What do I need for Hammam?

You don’t need to bring much to get a real hammam experience. If you are heading to the traditional one, take the items you will be wearing and using, for example, a towel, bikini, shampoo, soap, slippers, underwear, and some cash. The luxurious hammams will provide everything you need.

what to wear in hammam

Do I need to tip? - hammam guide

Being a hammam attendant isn’t an easy job. The work is already physical, and the working environment is hot and humid. Bring some cash because you should tip the attendant(s). You don’t need to give much, but if you are pleased with the service, I would advise you to hand a bit more. They truly deserve it.

Hammam vs. Sauna

Maybe you have already visited a sauna. So, what are the differences between a hammam and a sauna? The main difference is that the purpose of a hammam is to exfoliate the skin and relax. Whereas in sauna aims to relax mentally and physically, and you don’t exfoliate your skin. The hammam is not as hot as the sauna, but it’s more humid. The hammam culture is strong in Arabic countries, and saunas are popular in Nordic countries like Finland and Sweden. Also, hammams are made of stone or marble material, and saunas are built of wood.

In addition, you won’t stay in the sauna for hours, some like to enjoy the quietness, and others prefer to chitchat, and for example, Finns go naked in a sauna. While in hammams, you may stay for hours, socializing is an important part of it, and you won’t see people naked.

After Hammam

Make sure to drink plenty of water after the hammam. Some like to drink something refreshing like Fanta or juice, and others prefer tea. Whatever your choice is, make sure that you drink enough. You might crave something salty because you lost a good amount of sodium due to sweating. The best option is a nutritious meal followed by fresh fruits.

After all the scrubbing and cleaning, it’s the perfect time to moisturize your skin. Pick your favorite body lotion or oil and rub it carefully on the whole body.

 

Benefits of Hammam

One research shows that a traditional hammam ritual has health effects, such as pain relief, mental relaxation, and a tiny increase in heart rate. Also, products used in spa rituals have skin-nourishing benefits, like removing dead skin cells, reducing sebum, and tightening pores. Furthermore, hammams’ warm temperature and massage-like scrubbing help relieve muscle tension and pain and increase blood circulation.

Not surprisingly, it is said that hammams can also reduce stress and anxiety. The brain releases natural painkillers, like endorphins when the body goes through exercise, stress, and pain. In the hammam, the body exposes to heat stress, and some find exfoliating slightly painful. You will certainly leave the bathhouse in a better mood and less stressed.

what i need to bring to hammam

This, was my hammam guide. Hopefully, I succeeded to share everything you need to know. Let me know in the comments if there’s something you would like to know more about. Have you visited the hammam already? Where? And how was it? See you again next week! Meanwhile, be sure to read the articles listed below.

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What to do in Tunis – 65 things to do in Tunis

 

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