Cemberlitas Hammam

A hammam is one of those Istanbul experiences that sounds slightly daunting and turns out to be pure pleasure, and Cemberlitas is the classic place to try it. Mimar Sinan, architect of the Suleymaniye, designed it in 1584 for Nurbanu Sultan, the powerful mother of Murad III, and it has been in use ever since. It is a double bath, with separate, identical sections for men and women, each built around a great domed hot room whose roof is pierced with small star-shaped glass openings, so shafts of light fall through the steam onto the marble. The ritual is simple. You change into a pestemal, the checked cotton wrap, in the cool entrance hall, walk through to the hot room and lie on the gobek tasi, the heated marble platform at the center, letting the warmth open your skin. Then an attendant scrubs you with a kese mitt, removing what feels like a layer of the city, rinses you with warm water from the marble basins and covers you in a cloud of soap foam for a massage. Afterwards you rest in the cool room with tea or a cold drink. The bath stands on Vezirhan Caddesi just off Divanyolu, the main street of the old city, beside the Cemberlitas tram stop and the Column of Constantine that gives the area its name, so it is a few minutes from the Grand Bazaar. Tiqets sells skip-the-line packages that include the hot room, the kese scrub and the foam massage, with an optional oil massage.

What to expect and wear: everything you need is provided, including the pestemal, slippers and towels in the traditional packages, and you keep your underwear or swimwear on if you prefer; nudity is not expected. Men are washed by male attendants and women by female attendants in their separate sections. The basic scrub-and-foam treatment takes around forty-five minutes plus time to relax, so set aside an hour and a half. Drink water, skip a heavy meal beforehand, and do not plan anything strenuous straight after, because most people leave feeling deliciously sleepy. People with heart conditions or high blood pressure, and pregnant women, should take advice before using a hot room.

Choosing your hammam: Istanbul has many historic baths, and they differ in mood. Cemberlitas is central, efficient and very used to first-timers, which makes it ideal for a first visit, though it can feel busy in high season. Kilic Ali Pasa in Tophane, another Sinan bath restored more recently, is quieter and more spa-like, with prices to match, and the restored Hurrem Sultan bath between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque is the most luxurious. Many hotels have their own modern hammams, which are pleasant but not the same as a working Ottoman bath. Prices vary with the package, so compare the basic ritual with the extras before booking, and expect to tip the attendant in cash.

When to go: late afternoon after a day of walking the old city is ideal, when your feet need it most, and winter visits are especially welcome when Istanbul is cold and damp. Weekday mornings are usually quietest. Booking ahead through Tiqets lets you skip the queue at the desk and choose your package in advance, and free cancellation is available up to a day before. Bring a hairbrush and some moisturizer for afterwards, and leave valuables at your hotel, although lockers are provided. Most visitors say the first scrub is the moment they understood why Istanbul has loved its baths for five centuries.