Once famous as Constantinople, Istanbul is the most populous city in Turkey. Filled with historic significance, the city is a treasure of myths and mythologies. With the historic richness and legacy, there are myriads of stories about this mesmeric place you need to catch up with. One of the oldest legendary rituals which is still in practice in the city and is extremely popular amongst the tourists is the ‘turkish bath’ also known as ‘hamam. Hamam is a traditional bath which consists of steam and goes back as far as the Roman times which were then passed over to the Turks and since then they have been practising it with devotion. Although Hamam is practised all around the world, yet it was named by the Turks and since then it has become a traditional form of bath ceremony in Turkey.

Hamam is not practised in a pool but on a marble floor in a huge room. It is one of those hygienic and sanitised processes in which one can relax oneself and get rid of all those dirt and grime. In the olden times, people used to depend on hamam to cleanse and purify them and take care of all their personal hygienic conditions. Today there are around 237 hamams in Istanbul with 60 of them still running and in use. These are being renovated to be re-used by the people local and tourists both. The experiences one gains in the hamams costs quite some bucks but they are worth experiencing. Let us take a look at some of the hamams in Istanbul worth visiting and relishing.

  1. Cemberlitas Hamam

One of the oldest hamams in Istanbul, the Cemberlitas Hamam was constructed way back in the 16th century and has been renovated since then so that people can experience the amazing hamam tradition here. You must plan out your day in Cemberlitas Hamam on a wonderful sunny day.

  1. Beylerbeyi Hamam

Located near the Beylerbeyi Mosque, the Beylerbeyi Hamam can be easily located and it is an Ottoman style wooden building. Built in the year 1778, this was made by Sultan Abdulhamid I.

  1. A?a Hamam

A hamam in Istanbul that serves only foreigners and also providing same sex masseurs, the A?a Hamam is a wonderful place to have the Turkish style bath at a comparatively cheaper rate.

  1. Haseki Hürrem Sultan Hamam

Sinan, the chief Ottoman architect had designed many hamams in Istanbul and Haseki Hürrem Sultan Hamam is one of them. Renovated in the year 1957, today it is profoundly used by locals and foreigns alike.

  1. Firuza?a Hamam

Located near the Firuza?a Mosque, it is built with cement and mosaics. Open to both men and women on different schedules, the Firuza?a Hamam is also listed as one of the gay-friendly hamams.