Kadırga Hamamı — Attraction in Fatih

Not really recommended. This was my second time to a hamam in Istanbul. I was looking for some more affordable and local so I ended up there. I saw good reviews but is a bit misleading, and I would not recommend it to someone, I would go for a more expensive one than this.

Cleanness: The place did not feel clean esp. the toilet, and there is a smell of humidity all around the common areas. Gloves and everything else they use, is being used for everyone. They use the same bubble bath cloth that use on others to rub over you.

Atmosphere: I didn't know what to expect, where to go, no one speaks english and I was unfortunate enough to visit at a peak hour. When you pay you are given a towel, (so if you are persuaded to visit this place , get an extra underwear or swimming suit) and shown to a room, that has no privacy at all. Everyone can see you, as it is a small room with windows and no curtains looking at the opposite rooms with windows. The inside hamam place is really small and while you are treated everyone is watching you, there is absolutely no privacy and if people are loud, you can't relax. I felt somehow stressed not knowing what to do or to expect. I didn't relax not even for a minute.

Price: I paid 110 TL in cash, though the had a card machine. I paid for foam, scrub washing and oil massage but I never got the massage. As said, they don't speak english or try to communicate. Yes it's a good price, but don't expect a massage, or don't pay for it.

Services: What I got was a very hard scrubbing that made me hurt, and since I have some moles at my, I asked her not to go so hard on them, all she said was no problem, no problem. After hours my back still aches. It was roughly 5 minutes. And it felt like she was rubbing a dirty pot. You have to shampoo yourself, clean yourself and remove the gunk yourself. The foam lady also spent another 5 minutes, more like a machine and with a feeling "let's get this over with". I understand that they might be tired, but seriously, it was not relaxing at all.

Advice: if you are with friends and want to have a local cheap experience and don't really want massage or relaxing, go for it. But make sure not to pay the massage. If you are looking for more quality and a place that will you will remember for a lifetime, choose one of the ones that cost more but offer a much better -and something to...

I recently had a truly unique and memorable experience at Kadirga Hamami, the Traditional Turkish bath. I must say, it was a mix of both terrible and beautiful moments that left me in fits of laughter.

From the moment I entered, an old, jolly lady greeted me with a hearty laugh and handed me a list of massages and prices. Language was a bit of a barrier, but through humorous gestures, she made it clear that I could keep my panties on during the treatment.

Next came the "shower" episode. I was ushered into a room with sinks instead of showers, where I witnessed a couple of naked ladies washing themselves with water from the marble sinks. Assuming this was the "shower," I followed suit.

Then came the "peeling treatment," and I was whisked away by a rather strong lady who had a unique fashion sense, sporting men's underwear as her attire. She guided me to a marble table where another woman was receiving a massage from a bare-chested masseuse.

The peeling process involved a sponge that seemed to have seen better days, but hygiene was not a top priority. I even found myself in an interesting position, with my head resting on the masseuse's chest while my back was scrubbed. Surprisingly, the strong body odor I had been concerned about turned out to be emanating from someone else. Quite a relief, albeit a strange one!

After the scrubbing, I was unceremoniously rinsed off with a bucket of water, which caught me off guard. Then came the soapy massage, where a pillowcase soaked in soap was vigorously rubbed all over me. It was quite an unconventional approach, to say the least.

While I was washing my hair, I noticed another confused lady nearby. We exchanged glances and realized we had no idea if the treatment was over. We shared a laugh, and I decided to call it a day while the other poor soul remained on the marble table, waiting for further instructions.

In retrospect, was it a typical spa experience? Definitely not. But I must admit, I'm grateful for the hilarious adventure I had at Kadirga Hamami. It may not have been perfect, but it certainly gave me a fantastic story to share with...

Good to know before you go: women’s access is down some stairs from the Piyer Loti road (on the hill, see pics) your belongings get locked up (and you keep the key with you) when the lady slaps your butt, it means to flip over cash only, very little English, you pay first get the oil massage (the scrub and wash is only ~5 minutes) keep your underwear on and bring a hair tie this place is the cheapest, and makes up for lack of bells and whistles with authenticity!

It’s hard to know what to do, so if you don’t want to flounder cluelessly like I did, here’s the process (based on my experience) You point to what you want on the menu and pay They send you to one of the rooms to change and will give you a Turkish towel to wrap in. Keep your underwear on. Lady will give you a key to lock your door. You go to sauna (brown door in the back) Wait in sauna for lady to get you for scrub You will lay you down on the marble table in the middle. Keep to the edge and put your arms on the table above your head. Scrub is first, and flip when she slaps your butt. She’ll bring you to a sink and rinse you off, then you go back to table. She’ll soap you up with lots of foam! Next, she’ll bring you back to sink to sit down and then she rinses you off with bowls of water Then you can go back in sauna or out to the main room. In the main room, you can get a towel at the center fountain. If you ordered the oil massage, you can sit in the room until you’re called to the long couches for your massage. Once done, change in room and carry on!

(I tipped but I don’t know if that is customary!)

The men’s side (that I accidentally walked through) definitely had “locals/regulars” so I trust the authenticity of this...