If you're looking for a relaxing experience, Turkish Baths are hard to beat. A middle eastern cousin to steam baths and saunas, Turkish baths were brought to the attention of the West during the Ottoman Empire - which is why they are now popularly known as Turkish baths.
Using a combination of hot steam, massage and cold spongings or plunges, Turkish baths aim to relax musculature, release tension, unblock pores, get rid of toxins and generally clean the body.
Though the treatment changes depending on the facility you attend, the basic ritual components remain fairly constant. The normal cleansing cycle is as follows:
- After arrival, the bather first has a shower. After the shower, he or she moves on to the Steam Room. The Steam Room provides high humidity and soothing Eucalyptus.
- Next the bather has the option of taking a plunge in the cold Plunge Pool.
- After the Plunge Pool, the bather will move on to the first of three warm rooms designed to help the bather sweat out toxins. The first (and coolest room) is generally referred to as the Tepidarium. The bather can then move on to the hotter Calidarium, and, depending on the bather's heat tolerance levels, spend some time in the hottest room, the Laconium.
- After the hot rooms, the bather may repeat the above steps as many times as he or she wishes - or can move to the penultimate step of having a massage and sponge bath.
- Lastly, the bather can relax in the Frigidarium, a cooler (but not cold) room designed for relaxation.
If this sounds like the kind of cleansing relaxation that would appeal to you, why not search now for a facility in your area? Please note, heart patients are advised to consult their doctor before undertaking this treatment.
