No trip to Istanbul is complete without two quintessential experiences: devouring a street-side kebab while fending off a posse of determined street cats, and lying stark naked in a marble bathhouse while being scrubbed, slapped and rinsed into oblivion. And no, this isn’t the aftermath of a wild bachelor party – it’s the timeless tradition of the Turkish hammam.
Wellness is far from a fleeting fad in Turkey. Dating back to the Roman and Byzantine eras, these bathhouses weren’t just places to wash away the city’s dust and grime; they were social and cultural hubs, often doubling as the stage for grand celebrations, from weddings to pre-funeral rituals. Today, tourists can choose from a wide range of renowned spas and skilled massage experts, offering an experience that feels like stepping into the past. In the most traditional hammams, men and women are typically segregated, although some bathhouses now offer mixed-gender areas, such as saunas and steam rooms.
A hammam visit typically involves a series of cleansing rituals in various spaces, including saunas, steam rooms, scrubbing rooms, washrooms, salt rooms, and pools. What sets hammams apart from other saunas is the famous scrubbing ritual, where a masseur or tellak vigorously exfoliates the skin with a kese, a coarse mitt designed to remove dead skin cells and leave you feeling reborn. The exact combination of treatments varies from bathhouse to bathhouse, with many offering extras like facials, pedicures, and other indulgences to complete your wellness experience.
We’ve rounded up our selection of the best spas in Istanbul – from historic hammams steeped in tradition to cutting-edge luxury retreats inside our favorite hotels.
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Sanitas Spa at Çırağan Palace Kempinski Hotel
Treatments and facilities: Managed by Sanitas, the Çırağan Palace Kempinski spa offers a state-of-the-art wellness center and personal trainers. In addition to beautiful massage rooms, the spa offers an in-room service for hotel guests. There is a whirlpool and a heated outdoor infinity pool that is open all year round with stunning views of the Bosphorus Strait. For outdoor treatments, there are private cabanas by the poolside, where sweet floral scents from the palace gardens intermingle with the massage oils’ calming aromas. Located in an Ottoman palace, the spa has a historic hammam that offers treatments worthy of a sultan.
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Signature treatments: Sanitas’s Special Turkish Bath Ritual begins with a glass of wine. Hot steam in the hammam helps loosen the muscles in preparation for an exfoliating and cellulite-reducing scrub. A grapeseed, coffee, brown sugar or honey crystal body peel is followed by an aromatic foam rub. The treatment finishes with a relaxing and luxurious oil massage.
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Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamamı
Treatments and facilities: For a truly authentic hammam experience, look no further than the historic Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamamı. Built by the legendary Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan in the late 16th century, this stunning bathhouse served the Ottoman naval forces of Tophane. Today, it transports locals and tourists back to a time of maritime glory, after a meticulous seven-year renovation saw the spa reopen – and even secured the National Architecture Award for its preservation. With separate hours for men and women, you’ll be doused with warm water, exfoliated on heated marble slabs, and lathered into pure bliss by expert attendants.
Signature treatment: The Kılıç Ali Paşa Hammam Ritual is a must-try. Begin by lying on the warm göbek taşı (belly stone) as steam softens your skin, before being treated to a traditional kese scrub, followed by a foamy, full-body massage. The experience finishes with a soothing rinse and optional hair wash – just say yes when your attendant offers. You’ll leave feeling squeaky clean, refreshed, and as if you’ve stepped out of history.
Hurrem Sultan Hammam
Treatments and facilities: Situated in one of the most beautiful and spiritual locations in Istanbul, between the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, the Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hammam has recently been restored to its original grandeur, last seen in the times of the sultans. And we’re not exaggerating: The hammam was originally commissioned by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent for his wife Hürrem Sultan and built by the renowned architect Sinan. You now have the chance to be transported to a more romantic time under the same domes where sultans used to bathe and where today you can rejuvenate your senses and imagination along with your body and mind.
Signature treatment: Complete with golden bowls and silk wraps, the Elixir of Life experience is as luxurious as it is historical and romantic. You start by relaxing on the hot marble stone which releases toxins and prepares your skin for the hammam attendant to exfoliate your skin and then soothe and moisturize it with a redbud essence clay body mask. You are then treated to a cleansing wash with scented olive oil soap and redbud essence shampoo and conditioner followed by a relaxing head and neck massage. Afterwards you are massaged into bliss with an aromatherapy massage within the Sultan’s Room until finally, you soak up the history and beauty in the resting space with luscious snacks and drinks.
Raffles Spa at Raffles Istanbul
Treatments and facilities: While Raffles Spa Istanbul looks far from the traditional hammams of Byzantine, its treatment menu takes inspiration from antiquity. With three separate hammams among its impressive 32,000 sq ft of space, it’s one of the largest spas in Istanbul. Natural light floods much of the spa, including the showstopping indoor pool, creating an airy, modern feel, while cozy candlelit treatment rooms offer a more intimate retreat.
Signature treatment: The Anatolian Grace Hamam Journey at Raffles Spa Istanbul reimagines the ancient Turkish hammam with a touch of indulgence. The ritual begins with steam and heated stone to prepare the skin for exfoliation using a traditional kese mitt, followed by a hydrating body mask of organic lavender, honey and milk. To finish, a soothing tea ceremony and a full-body massage with warm nourishing oils leave you feeling utterly rejuvenated.
Istanbul Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus
Treatments and facilities: The Istanbul Spa at Four Seasons Bosphorus combines Ottoman tradition with modern luxury, offering hammam rituals in its three separate sleek, marble-lined chambers. The spa’s serene indoor pool overlooks the Bosphorus, and guests can unwind in steam rooms or relax in lush garden surroundings by the outdoor pool. There are also 10 private treatment rooms, saunas and a fitness center for a well-rounded wellness experience.
Signature treatment: While the spa at Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus offers its own spin on the Turkish wellness ritual with its Day by the Bosphorus package – which begins with a traditional hammam experience to deeply cleanse your body, followed by a luxurious massage and facial treatment – it was also the first location in Turkey to introduce a new generation detox therapy. While the MLX i³Dome treatment might not be catchy on the tongue, crucially it is luxurious for the body – Gharieni FIR technology is combined with plasma and light therapy to increase fat burning, accelerate metabolism, and alleviate muscle and joint pain.
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