36 hours in Istanbul

Two weekends ago, using my friend’s visit as an excuse, I hopped on an overnight bus to Istanbul to discover this beautiful city once again. The last time I had been there properly was November 2013 (yes a very long time ago!) when I had just moved to Turkey and I’m almost ashamed to say that even after two years of living in Turkey, I have barely scratched the surface on this one. I did end up going to almost the same places I did last time; however it was quite interesting to compare my two almost similar visits which were world apart, as a first timer in Turkey and then as an almost local – we didn’t get as ripped off as we did the first time, that’s for sure.

We had chosen a hotel in the Sultanahmet area, about 5 min walk from the main sights as we knew we would be limited on time and hence it would be better to be as close as possible to the places we want to go. Istanbul however has quite a developed public transport and you can almost go anywhere using the metro, tram and ferry connections – given the traffic in Istanbul, I wouldn’t personally use the bus but you may at your own risk.  I’d recommend first getting a Istanbul Kart (similar to the Oyster in London) from the airport or a main station, which would make it much more easier to get around than using this “jeton” system they implemented – which as everything else is yet another rip off. You can also get a Museum Card costing 85 TL valid for 5 days in Istanbul, which will also allow you to skip the long queues (although for a 2 day trip as this one, a museum card is not necessary as it will about to just a little bit less that buying one).

Waiting for the next tourist trap – at the Hagia Sophia

What happens in the hamam…

… doesn’t always stay in the hamam, because there’s no fun in that.

I had my first (and only) hamam – or Turkish bath as it’s called in English –  experience surprisingly in Nicosia, Cyprus and not in Turkey, despite having been living here for a year a half now. Truth be told, I just couldn’t muster up the courage to bare nearly all, etven if it were suppose to make me feel divine after all. Another little secret, it’s all worth the “trouble”.

Previously a church, it was converted into a hamam during the Ottoman period

I was cursed –  or blessed, depending on how you see it – with rain during my last days in Cyprus and whilst wandering around in the capital, we came across the Grand Turkish Bath (Büyük Hamam) and immediately I thought it would be a good idea to go there since there was no joy in being outside in such depressing weather. It actually snowed just a few days after I left, so that tells you what kind of weather we were actually dealing with.

Had we not made it to the Greek side of Nicosia that day, we’d have got to the co-ed session that afternoon for some TLC. Thank god that never happened because I doubt I’m ever going to be ready for that. It’s to be noted that hamams are usually a single sex affair and very few, in touristic areas, are co-ed.

What are hamams?

The sanctity of the hamam

Hamams are the Turkish version of the Roman baths, with similar architecture including their marble interior. Originally a place where men would cleanse before prayer, it has evolved to a social and cultural institution and now to a place where tourists can come to relax and have some TLC after a long day.

Choosing a service

The hamam I went to (and most actually) had different service to accommodate everyone’s need and tastes.

Self-service – DIY. You are given all the “amenities” and left to do figure it out on your own. Definitely not recommended if it’s your first time.

Traditional – Try if you dare. This usually involved a head to toe scrub and wash, by one of the attendants, often in public for everyone else to see. Initially embarrassing but a small price to pay on your dignity. This is the one I went for.

Traditional with add-ons – Different hamams will have different options. The one I went to had different therapeutic and luxurious foam massages.

You will usually pay upfront before you go into the actual hamam so make your choice carefully, although I doubt they’ll object to adding a few things as you go on if they’re not very busy.