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Büyük Hamam review 2 Users say 4/5 Rate it
This no-frills hamam is favoured by locals. The name means 'the big bathhouse' - indeed, this is Istanbul's largest. The huge hararet has 60 wash stations, compared to the usual dozen or so.
The beautiful details are courtesy of the Ottoman architect Sinan (also responsible for the mosque next door). An open-air swimming pool has been added to the men's section. The Büyük is a ten-minute walk from central Beyoĸlu.
Cross six-lane Tarlabaşı Bulvarı beside the Pera Palas Hotel and head west along Tepebaşı Caddesi, looking out for the minaret of Kasımpaşa Mosque.
Büyük Hamam details
Kasımpaşa,
Beyoĸlu
Area Istanbul
Telephone 0212 men 238 9800, 0212 women 256 9835
Open Men 5.30am-10.30pm daily. Women 9am-7pm daily
Admission Men YTL14; YTL18.50 with massage. Women YTL12.50; YTL16.50 with massage
Comments & ratings 4/5 (Average of 2 ratings)
The guide books highly recommend this place and say it costs 16.50 TL but when I went, they insisted on 30 TL (tourist rate I guess). This was supposed to include a massage. I've never been to a Turkish bath before so I didn't know what to expect. She did give me a "massage" for about 1 minute during the washing. When I shared my experience with my hosts, they informed me that I was ripped off and the massage is usually about 30 min. Beware or go with a Turkish speaker.
They charged me 30 Lira for everything so I think the price section here either needs updated or they jacked up their prices since I was a tourist. The only other people there were Turks who couldn't understand me and I couldn't understand them. There was a lot of pointing and nodding. BE SURE TO DRINK LOTS OF WATER before you enter the buliding because you will sweat it out in the sauna which is the first place they send you. It was 150 degrees F when I went and they have a sand timer for 5,10, and 15 minutes. If you can make the 15minutes, then you definitely have my respect cause I never sweated so much in my life, even in other saunas. After that, there is a little shower right outside the sauna on the left where you can cool off with cold water, I recommend it. Then your masseur will take you to a sink, tell you to sit, and scrub the dead skin off you. My person was pretty rough with me, and pushed me into whatever postition needed to scrub my back, arms, legs, etc. Then they will suds you up, lay you on a marble slab and give you a "soap massage." Again, my guy was pretty tough on me, I was a bit sore afterwards but maybe thats because he's use to working with fatter Turkish guys and I was this skinny guy whose should blade he kept hitting over and over. After the soap massage, you rinse off and he'll bring in a dry towel to wrap around your waist and a towel to put around your shoulders. (Here, you can tell him that you want to go back to the sauna or lay for a bit on the marble). After that, they bring you to the TV area and give you some water. Overall, it was short, rough, but overall enjoyable. I would recommend going here if you don't mind it being off the beaten track.
I had an authentic and friendly experience. I felt very clean and relaxed afterwards.
A really great hamam with a local flavor. The workers are really friendly & do a great job. It was 30 TL for the full experience: scrub, wash & massage. The neighborhood's definitely not the best place to be alone, but it's only a 7 TL taxi ride from Taksim. I definitely recommend it over the touristy hamams immediately in the Taksim & Sultanahmet areas.
Such a beautiful building. Clean, not crowded and the workers really knows their business. Feb 2010, these are the prices for women section: 15 TL entrance, 25 TL entrance, scrub and soap massage. Just - after it gets dark, the surroundings are not the best place for a girl to walk around alone.
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