Istanbul Feature

One of the great pleasures of a visit to Istanbul is spending a lazy afternoon in one of the city's Turkish baths, known as hamams, some of which are in exquisite buildings more than 500 years old. Hamams were born out of necessity: this was how people kept clean before their was home plumbing, but they also became an important part of Ottoman social life, particularly for women. Men had the coffeehouse and women the hamam, a place to gossip and relax.

Now that people bathe at home, hamams are becoming less of a central element in Turkish life. There are still bathhouses dotted throughout Istanbul, but many wouldn't survive without steady tourist traffic.

Most hamams have separate facilities for men and women. Each has a camekan, a large domed room with small cubicles where you can undress, wrap yourself in a thin cloth called a pestemal, and put on slippers or wooden sandals—all provided. Then you'll continue through a pair of increasingly hotter rooms. The first, known as the sogukluk, has showers and toilets and is used for cooling down at the end of your session. Next is the hararet, a steamy and softly lit room with marble washbasins along the sides. You can douse yourself by scooping water up from one of the basins with a copper bowl. In the middle of the room is the göbektasi, a marble platform heated by furnaces below and usually covered with reclining bodies. This is where, if you decide to take your chances, a traditional Turkish massage will be "administered."

The masseur, will first scrub you down with a rough, loofa-like sponge known as a kese. Be prepared to lose several layers of dead skin. Once you're scrubbed, the masseur will soap you up into a lather, rinse you off, then conduct what will probably be the most vigorous massage you'll ever receive. Speak up if you want your masseuse to use a lighter hand.

Once you've been worked over, you can relax (and recover) on the göbektasi or head back to your change cubicle, where you'll be wrapped in fresh towels and perhaps massaged a bit more, this time with soothing oils. Most cubicles have small beds where you can lie down and sip tea or juice brought by an attendant.

Cagaloglu Hamami. Housed in a magnificent building dating to 1741, the Cagaloglu Hamami has long been considered one of the best in Istanbul. Florence Nightingale and Kaiser Wilhelm II once steamed here, and the clientele has remained generally upscale. Prices are steep, starting at about 75 TL for a self-service visit, 87 TL for the most basic type of scrub, and higher for massages. Unfortunately, in recent years the Cagaloglu has become overrun by tourists and service has gone noticeably downhill; guests complain of quick, perfunctory massages by attendants and persistent demands for tips. If you want to experience this famous hamam, consider going the self-service route, so you can relax at your own pace. Prof. Kazim Gürkan Cad. 24, Cagaloglu, Istanbul. 212/522-2424. www.cagalogluhamami.com.tr.

Çemberlitas Hamami. Built in 1584, the Çemberlitas Hamami is famous for its beautiful architectural design and has long been a favorite with visitors. However, service can be somewhat rushed and attendants are sometimes pushy in asking for tips. The self-service option for 45 TL. Fees for scrubbing by an attendant start at 69 TL. Avoid going between 4 and 8pm, which is the busiest time. Vezirhan Cad. 8, Çemberlitas, Istanbul. 212/522-7974. www.cemberlitashamami.com.

Gedikpasa Hamami. In operation since 1475, this hamam is unique in that both the men's and women's sections have small indoor plunge pools, added in modern times. Prices start at 35 TL for self-service and about 60 TL for a professional scrub. The atmosphere here is pleasantly less touristy than at other hamams, but standards of cleanliness are a little less stringent than they are at more expensive baths. Hamam Cad. 65-67, Beyazit, Istanbul. 212/517-8956. www.gedikpasahamami.com.tr.

Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamami. This hamam, which reopened in 2011 following a several-year restoration process after it had been out of use for years, is the ritziest—and most expensive—in the Old City. It has a prestigious history, having been built by Ottoman architect Sinan in 1556 on the order of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent, in honor of his wife Roxelana (Hürrem). The setup here is more like that of a modern spa: there is no self-service option, reservations are strongly encouraged, and the cheapest treatment is a whopping 170 TL. In addition to traditional hamam services, more modern treatments such as manicures, clay masks, and aromatherapy are offered. Babihümayun Cad. 1, Sultanahmet, Istanbul. 212/517-3535. www.ayasofyahurremsultanhamami.com.

Süleymaniye Hamami. Part of the complex of buildings around the Süleymaniye Camii, and built, like the mosque, by Sinan in the 1550s, the Süleymaniye Hamami is unique in being the only coed hamam in the Old City. The hamam caters specifically to couples and families—in fact, single travelers and single-sex groups cannot visit. It's no less touristy than the other hamams, but some may find the coed arrangement preferable to going to a sex-segregated hamam. Rates are 85 TL per person. Mimar Sinan Cad. 20, Süleymaniye, Istanbul. 212/519-5569. www.suleymaniyehamami.com.tr.