The three best hammams in town
Φωτό: Τάσος Τσεκούρας
We searched, asked, visited and talked to the owners of the three most famous hammams in Athens.
Hammam. The eastern version of the steam bath and the wet version of the sauna. Hammam. The desire we create starts the day wanting to do something beautiful for our bodies. Hammam. The thought during a stressful meeting or at the end of a tiring day. Hammam.
Heat. Warm pleasurable smoke penetrates the body, making it breathe deeply. Relaxation. Each muscle is left to the uproar of experts who take it upon themselves to make it feel as good as possible. Ritual. All the processes are transformed into a delight for the mind and body. For body and mind.
Their owners have already opened their doors to the best hammams in town. They have served their hot drink and are waiting for us to discover them. Deep breath, and here we go.
Where: Avleton 6-8 Psirri, Athens
And where else: Konstantinou Karamanli 40A, Thessaloniki
What can I do there; Don't miss out on the experience of the ritual called the "Heraklion Bath" - especially if you schedule it on a day or at the end of a week when you feel like you've entered the club of heroes with all you've been through. Now, if you are only for a massage, then "Olympos" is a strong choice that will relax you and give your body and head the well-being they have been asking for days.
Where: Agioi Asomaton 17 & Melidoni 1, Thisio
And where else: Makedonia Pallas, Thessaloniki
What I can do there, Not to be missed, is the Ali-Mama treatment for exfoliation in a traditional way and pleasure that lasts for an hour.
Where: Porinou 12, Athens
What can I do there; If you have 2.5 hours at your disposal, then definitely take the complete package called Hammam Al-Amira and enjoy the privacy of your space, giving your body and mind a powerful experience. Also, if you are a little patient, with the new year, you will be able to try the VIP Hammam service, which - spoiler - the ritual will include a wine tasting of Arabic dishes.
Then, the owners and their responses:
The location was chosen to purify, and relax visitors
Different spaces. Different areas. A common philosophy: To create the space to relax, enjoy, and drop rhythms and tensions. Speaking about the choice of location, Alexandra Loutsou, who, after Thessaloniki and the centre of Athens, is preparing to open the next Polis Hammam Polis Loutron in Piraeus, explained that: "Arriving today, in the heart of the centre of the historic old city of Athens that leads to the sacred rock of the Acropolis, we chose and created a unique place of purification, hospitality and purification of body, soul and spirit which is accessible and visited by the whole world in all possible ways".
Ossama Mourkabi, from the other side of the Acropolis, chose the location "because we are a breath away from the Museum and the Acropolis metro. At the same time, we are opposite the ancient Greek baths, which as a reference, seemed excellent for the creation of Shahrazad Hammam".
"We created the "Hammam Baths" by choosing the most central and lively point of the city in a unique neoclassical listed building, near the well-known "Bath of the Airs" that is preserved in Plaka", noted Naya Kurti.
Hammams in their details and differences
All three are complete. All three have great reviews. So what are those points that make their visitors stand out?
Naya Kourti explained that "Hammam Baths is the first authentic hammam in Athens that brought back the baths, creating a new market in Greece. As pioneers, we, therefore, designed with absolute respect for oriental traditional baths and structures to convey to visitors the atmosphere and magic of the authentic hammam in a modest and neat space, where one can experience a high level of service from highly trained physical therapists. The response we had and our need to keep all our visitors satisfied committed us to set higher and higher standards in the quality of our services, with continuous training of our staff and consistency, with the result that 11 years later, in addition to market makers, to we also remain market leaders".
Alexandra Loutsou added the five most important features that differentiate Polis Hammam: "First of all, I put our philosophy, according to which spa therapy, beyond its therapeutic role, is a means of physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being, with deep roots in the past so that today the baths become meeting places again and their visitors can get to know and live the experience of the baths - hammam. Secondly, our vision in the creation of wellness spaces and the realization of this, with the ultimate goal of being able to have happy guests. Thirdly, the ethics, love, dedication and professionalism of our people. Fourth, our visitors' comments and reviews of our consistency, safety, cleanliness and treatments resulted in our awards and fifth, our treatment protocols. So after a great study of the historical development of spa therapy and hand massages from ancient times to the present day, I dared to redesign the overall identity of Polis Hammam-Polis Lutron and revived the centuries-loved habit of spa therapy, re-creating exclusive and unique spa therapy protocols, hand massages, face & body care with influences from "balance", "thermes" and "lusma", with a vision to offer them to everyone who wants to know their beneficial properties". "Entering Shahrazad Hammam, one begins his journey to the East. The special decoration and music welcome him to a magical world. The traditional royal treatments in exclusive private spaces by experienced and specialized therapists, as well as the rich steam enriched with notes of essential oils, is a unique experience that immerses him in absolute relaxation".
The pre-covid and post-covid in steam
The pandemic that made 2020 the year that world history will remember as the one that managed, in an era when everything runs at dizzying speeds, to stop everything, setting the counter to zero.
"The people in these 11 years of operation of Hammam Baths have loved and integrated the ritual of the hammam into their daily lives, and we have many visitors who come to the hammam regularly. Even after the end of the pandemic, he continues to choose us and trust us", explains Naya Kurti.
"At Polis Hammam-Polis Lutron, hygiene and cleanliness was and is a primary role and of utmost importance. On the premises, all the necessary measures are taken, as well as special protocols for implementing correct personal hygiene practices for employees and visitors and always following the recommendations of the EODY and the existing laws of the State. Both the managers and the management supervise their continuous implementation. Therefore, I do not notice any difference. On the contrary, the need for well-being, relaxation, etc., and the need for communication and socialization has increased the number of visitors and the will for our services," continues Alexandra Loutsou.
"I will talk about the experience we have gained over the years in all the countries where we have been active. We started in Morocco and continued to Poland and Greece with Shahrazad Hammam. We understand that spas were a choice out of curiosity or for a complete holiday package. From the beginning of the pandemic to today, priorities have changed. Now the choice is made out of a real need for relaxation, well-being and care, and the traffic is much higher than before the pandemic", concludes Ossama Marouki.
The age groups and nationalities that love them a little more
There are many fans. And as all my interlocutors will agree, they are representatives of every age group and of all genders and nationalities who visit Greece. However, some have their "loved ones". For example, the Polis Hammam-Polis Lutron, according to Alexandra Loutsou, is a magnet for both Greeks and many foreign visitors from Israel, Canada, New York, and Europe who are looking for a unique and quality experiential experience. We receive many visitors of all ages daily-even, families with small children. Our guests are usually between 35 and 60 years old. The hammam-hot bath is mild and beneficial and is recommended for all people of all ages and walks of life. For me, he is the silent doctor of our daily life."
Naya Kurti agrees with this last one: "The hammam is the most pleasant way to give ourselves smooth, clean skin and a body full of health free from muscle pains and symptoms of fatigue. For these reasons, it appeals to all ages, and we are visited by many age groups, from families with children to older people. With the flourishing of tourism, which was very big after the pandemic, the arrival of tourists increased impressively. Now at Hammam Baths, we welcome tourists from all over the world."
Shahrazad Hammam is also aware of the variety of nationalities, with Ossama Mourkabi pointing out that "Our visitors are largely Greek, American, Israeli, French, Canadian, German, Norwegian and Swedish from 25 to 55 years old, many of whom are families with minor children (over ten years old)".
A story from the guests
"Every day, we live and share the many and varied stories of our visitors. They are all unique and special; however, if I had to choose one to share, this would be the first marriage proposal held inside Polis Hammam Polis Lutron. It was in Thessaloniki when we first opened the place in Kalamaria. I distinctly remember the trust shown to us by the then "candidate" - now husband to prepare the marriage proposal to his wife in the hammam. She was enjoying her massage as he slipped the ring onto her hand. It was such a fantastic experience that even when I meet them at the venue, they thank me for that moment - they continue and are still loved together and enjoying our services", remembers Alexandra Loutsou.
"Within the 11 years of operation, the Hammam Baths has welcomed more than 80 thousand visitors. So it isn't easy to single out one story. But we are always particularly moved when older people visit us accompanied by their grandchildren so they can feel and remember childhood memories again", says Naya Kurti.
"Special moments for us are when they choose the place to have their birthday, anniversary or bachelor party. However, the most special moment so far was an unimaginably unexpected marriage proposal that we enjoyed and rejoiced together with the bride and groom," recalls Ossama Mourkabi.
And just like that, the trip to the city's hammams ends, at least in its written form. The next one may be written from your own experience in them. Maybe not. In any case, it's so cool what's happening in the city that we're delighted when we can be a part of it.
