Hammam Al Ándalus — Attraction in Granada

A traditional hammam, is a public bathing facility that has been an integral part of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cultures for centuries. The experience is both a social ritual and a thorough cleansing process, deeply rooted in Islamic purification practices.

This Traditional hammam is architecturally stunning, often featuring intricate tile work, domed ceilings with star-shaped cutouts for natural light, and marble fixtures among other authentic elements.

Upon entering the hammam, visitors are greeted by the attentive team members, a warm, decorated reception area. There is also a small inside patio in which you can drink tea or browse the products they have for sale.

Then you go to a locker / changing room area to change out of clothes and store belongings in lockers or private cubicles. Traditionally, patrons wear a pestemal, a thin cotton towel wrapped around the body. Please note they do not provide shoes, sandals or any footwear for the spa, robes or swimwear which may be uncomfortable for some, so don’t forget to bring your bathing suit. This isn’t a place where they allow nudity or topless like other hammams which are divided into men and women areas: this is a mixed use space. You will be sharing the space with women and men in the baths.

After changing, you have the opportunity to visit the baths in which there are at least 5 different pool areas, one with lukewarm water, another with heated water, one with cold water and another one with a mild heat. You spend some 15 min or so in this area before your treatment. There is also a large marble steam room.

The heart of the hammam ritual is the scrubbing and washing process. A tellak (male attendant) or natir (female attendant) performs a vigorous exfoliation using a coarse mitt called a kese. This removes dead skin cells and deeply cleanses the skin. Following the scrubbing, attendants pour warm water over the body to rinse off the loosened debris. It is delightful. These cabins are individually located across a large room with ancient arches.

After the scrubbing, you receive a luxurious foam massage. The attendant uses a cloth bag filled with soapy water to create voluminous bubbles, which are then massaged into the skin. This part of the experience is deeply relaxing and leaves the skin feeling soft and refreshed.

The final stage of the hammam experience takes place in the sogukluk, a cool room where patrons can relax and allow their bodies to return to a normal temperature. This room often has lounging areas where visitors can unwind, sip tea, or enjoy light refreshments.

The core of the hammam experience takes place in the hararet, a large, steam-filled room with a heated marble platform called the gobek tasi (navel stone) at its center. This platform is where patrons lie down to relax and sweat, opening up the pores and beginning the detoxification process. The hararet also features individual basins (kurnas) with both hot and cold water, allowing patrons to douse themselves with water as needed. This hammam offers additional services such as full-body massages, facial masks, and others. They also allow you to choose the oil for your massage from an aromatherapy collection.

The hammam is not just about physical cleansing; it’s also a social hub where people gather to relax, socialize, and rejuvenate. It holds a significant cultural and historical importance in the regions where it is practiced.

Overall, a traditional hammam offers a unique and immersive experience that combines deep cleansing, relaxation, and...

In summary; the ambiance was amazing, I did not like the water ritual at all, and the massage was terrible. All the details are below.

The ambiance and reception when you enter is very nice. They speak Spanish primarily (obviously) but were able to communicate with us in English moderately.

We only sat for about 5 - 10 minutes in the waiting area before they came and washed our hands with scented oil and took us back. The attendant showed me the towel return and where you can grab a small bag for your wet suit, then the sinks/mirrors/hair dryers, then the toilets, lockers, and showers.

From there, there were a lot of directions and I got a little confused, but was able to work it out. You set your locker using a 4-digit pin, change into your suit (and bring the towel they gave you) and use the bathroom if needed before heading up the stairs. It was a little chaotic in there, and a lot of people were confused, but the employees pass through frequently, so you can ask for help if needed.

Once upstairs, an employee is waiting to greet you and will give you a tour of the baths.

The cold room is first. The air is slightly chill and the shallow pool in there actually had little bits of ice floating in it while we were there!

Then you go into the steam/warm rooms. The next room has green tea for you to drink which they refresh frequently as well as drinkable water from a spout and an explanation of the scented oils. There are 3 total baths in the warm/steamy area. The first two you see upon entering from the cold room are both the hot tubs, and the attendant told us they are the same temperature. The third tub, all the way back and connected to the shower/massage area is the medium warm tub.

After that, he showed us where the showers are and specified that it is very important, we must shower before the bath (with swimsuits on) since this is a very open and mixed-gender area. I asked if you need to wash your face and hair as well, and he said it is up to you. I went ahead and did my face and hair, but you don't need to get your hair wet at any time if you don't want to.

Beyond that is the massage and ritual area, where you will be called If you booked either of those packages, as indicated by the bracelet you were given when you checked in.

It was recommended to do the medium tub, then the hot, then the cold, so we prepared to take his advice! However, as soon as we got intonthe tub the card us both out for our spa services. They don't guarantee you can go together, so it was awesome that we were able to go at the same time.

We booked...

Nice facilities, but it is a assembly-line experience. From the moment I walked in, I felt like a product. The staff is nice, and it isn't their fault how the process was designed. The time limit is my biggest issue. I have been to dozens of public baths and never encountered this. Once in the baths, I have no idea how much time is left, which means I am worried about getting my circuits in. Time pressure seems like the opposite of the experience one should have in an Ammam. Explanations weren't thorough or I didn't understand them. It would greatly help if they sent a multi-lingual document to read before the bath. Everything is whispered. While this is great for noice level, it is difficult to hear with the ambient noise, and my limited Spanish (and their limited English). Also not ideal because during Covid, I don't want to get that close to people. Maybe a poster on the wall with instructions. The showers before the bath were cold. I was there in February, so this was not a pleasant experience. I guess their water heater isn't able to keep up with the dozens of people who walk in at the exact same time. Another reason to stagger entry rather than have the production line of processing guests. The showers before the bath are taken with your swimsuit on, which means it is difficult for anyone to get clean everywhere. So many of these problems could be solved if they offered men-only and women-only time slots for a couple of hours each day, or a couple of weekdays. Most guests here were couples, so I understand the coed nature of the place. The massage is some arbitrary time during your bath time. They give you a colored wristband that tells them how long your massage is, and then take you in whatever order suits the efficiency of the production line. When you are done, slathered in oil, you go back into the baths. I would prefer to be able to tell them at what point I would like my bath (beginning, middle, end). An elderly woman coming out of the massage when I was coming in was feeling woozy. They have no place for her to sit down before descending the slippery stairs back down to the baths. I am pretty sure that the mint tea has caffeine (no water was offered until after the dressing room). I was not able to sleep for a couple of hours after my 8 pm bath.

The other reviews already talked about the lovely atmosphere of the place. Every attention to detail, great decoration. It would be well worth the 50 Euros if I hadn't felt like I was being processed in a...