Didim Turkish Bath with Traditional Scrub and Foam Massage

A traditional Turkish bath in Didim

Kese and soap foam on the göbek taşı

The göbek taşı is one of the most recognisable features of a Turkish bath. In a traditional hammam, this broad heated marble platform sits in the hot room and is used for washing and treatments. The Didim visit includes a kese scrub and a foam massage on heated marble. Staff will show you where to change and let you know when the attendant is ready for you.

From the sauna to the steam room

Start by sitting in the dry heat of the sauna. In the steam room, the air feels different as the humidity rises. You can sit or lie on a marble bench while you get used to the warmth. Take this part of the visit at a pace that feels comfortable. When it is time for your treatment, the attendant will guide you to the heated marble platform.

The traditional kese scrub

The attendant uses a textured mitt called a kese on damp skin. It is passed over areas such as the back, arms and legs to remove dead skin cells. The texture of the mitt can feel quite noticeable on a first visit. Once the scrub is complete, the attendant rinses your skin with water. You stay on the warm marble for the next stage of the treatment.

Soap foam massage on heated marble

The attendant spreads soft soap foam over the skin and uses it for the massage. The warmth beneath you and the light layer of foam give this stage its distinctive feel. Brief stretches follow the foam massage, and the foam is then rinsed off.

Water and marble in hammam culture

In Ottoman towns, hammams were part of neighbourhood life. People came to wash and spend time together. The traditional stone basin is called a kurna, and the bowl used to scoop water from it and pour it over the body is a tas. These two fittings help explain how bathing was organised around water and warm stone.

A cool shower and time to rest

Finish with a cool shower and spend a little time in the rest area before getting dressed. You can have water, apple tea or herbal tea while you sit. If you would like a longer treatment, the hammam offers oil massages and mud masks at an additional charge. For another day out in Didim, take a look at the Didim boat trip.