Hammam & Sauna: all types and venues

The hammam and sauna group covers treatments that help you relax by warming the body with heat, steam and water: the Turkish bath ritual performed around the navel stone (the heated marble platform) and its components, kese (exfoliating scrub) and foam massage, the dry-heat sauna, the humid steam room, the jacuzzi, the thermal pool fed by a geothermal spring and the cold pool used for cooling down. On Spa Deneyimi, this group includes 10 treatments offered by at least one venue, among them less common options such as the salt room, the Russian bath and the cold pool. These are usually used in sequence on the same visit; knowing how they differ in temperature, humidity and duration determines both comfort and safety.

Comparison of hammam and sauna treatments

The table below compares the hammam and sauna treatments with venues listed on the site by conditions, typical length and the most important caution. Temperatures and durations are typical values; the facility's settings and personal tolerance change them. For the differences between the sections of a hammam, see the guide to hammam temperatures.

Choosing hammam and sauna by need

Choosing between hammam and sauna facilities depends on how you react to heat and humidity and what you expect from the visit:

• If it is your first time: the full Turkish bath ritual. Because warming up, kese, foam and rest follow one after another, it makes getting used to the heat easier; the guide on how to use a hammam sets out the sequence step by step.
• If you struggle in humid heat: the sauna. Low humidity lets sweat evaporate, so many people find the high temperature more bearable than a humid environment.
• If dry air bothers your skin or nose: the steam room; many people find the lower temperature and high humidity gentler. The hammam or sauna guide explains the difference between the two in detail.
• Skin renewal and cleansing: kese followed by a foam massage. Because kese is tiring for the skin, it is not repeated often.
• Relaxing after training: a sauna and cold pool cycle, or the jacuzzi; the switch between hot and cold is kept short.
• If you are looking for hot spring water: the thermal pool. Because it depends on a geothermal source, it is only offered at venues in areas where there is a spring.
• For privacy or with children: family baths at thermal venues and private hammam suites at some hotel spas let you bathe in a separate cubicle without entering the shared area.
• During pregnancy: the heat of the hammam, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and thermal pool is not recommended; if you are planning a spa visit, consult your doctor.

How a hammam visit works

A hammam visit begins in the changing area by wrapping yourself in a peshtemal. At today's venues you are expected to go in wearing a swimsuit or bikini; a peshtemal, towel and slippers are provided in most places. If you have an appointment for kese and foam wash, it is advisable to arrive a little early to leave time to change and warm up. After a shower, you warm up for 15-20 minutes in the hot room, on or around the navel stone; then come the kese, foam massage and hair wash. The ritual ends with rest in the cooling room and water, tea or sherbet.

At venues that also have a sauna, steam room and pool, it is common to use them all on the same visit; however, you should allow time for cooling down and resting between hot environments and drink water throughout the visit. The guide to the order for using the hammam, sauna, steam room and pool explains which area to use in which order.

What determines hammam and sauna prices

Hammam and sauna prices vary over a wide range depending on what entry covers, so before comparing two offers you need to ask what is included in the package. The main factors that determine the price are:

• Use or service: at most venues, use of the hammam or sauna alone and the kese and foam wash done by an attendant are charged separately.
• Type of venue: historic hammams, hotel spas and thermal venues price on different principles; at thermal hotels, day-use entry and accommodation are priced separately.
• Package contents: adding a massage, a facial or longer hammam programmes raises the price noticeably.
• Private space: a private hammam suite, a family bath or cubicles reserved for couples are charged differently from the shared area.
• Supplies and timing: whether the peshtemal, kese mitt, soap and towel are included, as well as weekends and the holiday season, affects the price.

For examples specific to the historic hammams of Istanbul, see the guide to Istanbul hammam prices.

Where to find hammams and saunas

The Turkish bath and the sauna are the two spa facilities offered by the most venues on the site, and most venues in this group are hotel spas. A Turkish bath is found at the majority of venues in the group and a sauna at more than half; steam rooms, jacuzzis and thermal pools are offered more selectively. Alongside hotel spas, the list also includes independent hammams, historic hammams, thermal hotels and hot springs, as well as fitness clubs with a sauna and steam room. At fitness clubs, access to the wet areas usually depends on membership.

Among cities, Istanbul and Ankara stand out. In Istanbul, hotel spas offering hammam and sauna are concentrated in Beşiktaş and Beyoğlu, and historic hammams are on the list too; in Ankara, alongside city hotel spas in Çankaya, there are the thermal venues of Kızılcahamam. Bursa is known for its historic thermal spring hammams around Çekirge; Eskişehir, Afyonkarahisar, the Edremit district of Balıkesir and the Kuşadası district of Aydın also have venues with thermal pools. Historic hammams are listed in Adana and Amasya. Arrangements vary by venue: in Bursa and Eskişehir, historic hammams serving women only, thermal venues with separate hours for women and men, and hotel spas with mixed use exist side by side. For options in Istanbul, see the guide to women-only hammams.

Less common treatments are concentrated in particular places: the salt room is offered at hotel spas in Adıyaman, the Russian bath at a hammam and spa venue in Side, and the cold pool at a wellness club in Bodrum. If you are looking for these facilities, ask before your visit whether the area is open and whether its use is included in the entry fee.

Who should take care in the hammam and sauna

The heat in the hammam, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and thermal pool dilates the blood vessels and has a marked effect on blood pressure. For this reason, do not use heat treatments without consulting your doctor in the following situations:

• Cardiovascular disease, a previous heart attack, heart rhythm disorders, uncontrolled high or low blood pressure; in these cases, suddenly getting into the cold pool is also inadvisable.
• Diabetes, epilepsy, kidney failure, thyroid problems and respiratory diseases.
• Pregnancy: hot environments and hot water are not recommended.

Heat treatments are postponed during a feverish illness or with an active skin infection or an open wound; with a urinary tract infection, do not use the jacuzzi or pool. Kese is not done over eczema, psoriasis, sunburn or a new tattoo; after waxing or laser hair removal, wait 48-72 hours. Do not enter any hot area after drinking alcohol. For children and older people, keep the time short, and never leave children alone. If you feel dizzy, nauseous, have palpitations or feel weak, leave the hot area at once, sit down and tell an attendant.