Kese in Bursa

All three venues in Bursa offering kese (exfoliating scrub) are in Osmangazi and all three have thermal water; two are historic hammams and one is a thermal hotel in Çekirge. Thanks to the city's hot-spring tradition, a kese here can be combined in the same visit with warming up in a thermal pool or on the hot marble.

Three different set-ups for kese in Bursa

Keçeli Tarihi Kadınlar Hamamı in Çekirge serves women only, in a building dating from the 14th century; kese and foam are given in the hammam, which runs on thermal water. At Yeni Kaplıca Erkekler Hamamı, in a historic domed building, a sulphurous thermal pool, kese, foam massage and family baths come together; the records show separate hours, so ask before you go which hours are set aside for whom. Marigold Thermal & SPA Hotel on the Uludağ road, with its indoor thermal pool and Pithia family hammams, offers a hotel setting for those who want to combine kese with a Swedish or Sultan massage.

Having a kese in Bursa

In Bursa's historic hammams, kese is usually done in the hot room by an attendant of the same sex; if you plan to use a family hammam or family bath, find out beforehand who does the kese and in which section. Thermal water can be very hot, so it is sensible to keep your time in the pool short before the kese. If you have blood pressure problems or a heart or circulatory condition, or are pregnant, consult your doctor before going into the hot springs. Also ask whether you can bring your own kese mitt and whether the foam is included with the kese.

The history of Bursa's old hammams and hot springs is told in the guide Bursa's historic hammams and hot springs, kese itself on the kese page, and the city's other options on the Bursa page.