The First-Timer's Guide To Avoiding Embarrassment At A Turkish Bath

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I slipped on the saggy black pair of disposable underwear that was given to me at the front desk, and debated whether I should remove my bra. I was in the locker room at a hammam, or a Turkish bath, in Istanbul. I heard it was normal for women to go topless in these establishments, and despite the fact that this hammam was divided by gender, my Puritan American roots led me to believe I should be modest and keep myself covered. I slipped on a towel and made my way to the steam room.

As I pushed open the door to the main chamber, the first thing that hit me was the searing wave of heat and humidity that made it hard to catch my breath, but the second was the multitude of flesh. The massive, circular marble room was teeming with dozens of women in all shapes and sizes, all wearing only the oversized black knickers. Of all the women in the room — at least 40 — I was the sole person wearing a bra. I originally thought keeping on my bra would help me blend in and be more comfortable, but it was immediately apparent that it did nothing but make me awkwardly stand out. “I realized that fitting in while traveling abroad sometimes involves stripping down, despite the potential for embarrassment.” I shamefully slithered back to the locker room and succumbed to Turkish tradition as I shed my black brassiere and my modesty, and I reentered the room full of bare breasts. I relinquished control and let the sweaty, overweight, humming staff woman only wearing a bra and panties scrub my nearly naked body with suds from head to toe.

I let her drag me to a basin in a side room where she rinsed my body and hair with shockingly cold water. After being transitioned to another room a small swimming pool, I moved to the next room and received an incredible oil massage. By the end of the experience, I realized that fitting in while traveling abroad sometimes involves stripping down, despite the potential for embarrassment. If you’re headed to a hammam for the first time, but worried about the awkwardness of being nearly naked with strangers, here’s what you need to know.

What Are Hammams?

Hammams are bathhouses primarily found in Turkey and Morocco. They have been a cultural staple for centuries in those countries and are now a popular stop for tourists who want to clean off, detox, and relax after a long day of exploring.

Traditional hammams contain three chambers: a hot room to steam, a warm room to scrub, and a cooler room to relax. Not all hammams have this exact layout, but they all involve a hot marble steam room with a raised circular platforms on which patrons lay to soak in the sweltering heat. The steam rooms also have small alcoves with basins around the perimeter of the room where you can splash yourself with cold water.