Are you on vacation in Morocco and exploring Marrakech? What could be better than relaxing in one of Marrakech’s many hammams? All our tips for discovering Turkish baths in Marrakech!
Marrakech is a must when visiting Morocco. You’ll love its souk, its Medina and its atmosphere. Close to the Atlas Mountains, you can even go skiing in winter! Marrakech is also famous for its many hammams.
A Turkish bath in Marrakech is a unique experience for anyone wishing to discover this ancient practice. Generation Voyage offers a complete guide to hammams and Turkish baths in Marrakech.
History of Marrakech’s Turkish baths and hammams
Meaning « hot-water bath » in Arabic, the hammam has its origins in Roman thermal baths. As the Romans expanded into the Mediterranean, the natives of the future Morocco discovered this tradition. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the locals preserved it and transformed it under a different influence.
The 7th century saw the conquest of the region by the Arabs. The Roman thermal baths were transformed into « Moorish baths », which later became Turkish baths. There’s just one real difference between the two. With the Romans, after a session in the heat, you could cool off in a pool of cold water. The Arabs, on the other hand, preferred the water jet, considered more hygienic.
Turkish baths in Marrakech have been part of the city’s history and culture since its foundation. They can be found all over the city, with both Roman and Arab influences.
Our tips for visiting Marrakech’s hammams and baths
To get the most out of Marrakech’s hammams, a number of factors need to be taken into account. Some are up to the traveler, others are not.
Accessibility for men and women
This is the essential point to know! Turkish baths in Marrakech are almost non-existent. They are usually to be found in large hotels, and are very expensive.
Hammams in Marrakech therefore all offer separate slots, times or rooms for men and women. Sometimes, Turkish baths in Marrakech devote a day to women, much more rarely to men. Some hammams in Marrakech are even open only to women or only to men.
It’s important to check opening times and accessibility beforehand, as no exceptions will be made at the entrance.
Nudity
Like the sauna, the hammam is normally practiced in the nude to purify the body. Only a towel is usually provided, but not always.
If the choice is left to each individual to wear a swimsuit, you can expect that some people won’t have made the same choice.
Heat and humidity
The hammam is not as hot as a sauna(55°C vs. approx. 90°C ). Nevertheless, the humidity is 100%! So you’re sweating fast, and breathing is heavy.
If it’s your first time, don’t stay more than five minutes and get back to normal breathing. After several passes, you’ll get used to it and enjoy the sensation.
This may seem surprisingly precise, but prevention is better than cure: alcohol consumption before entering the hammam is forbidden, as your heart won’t appreciate it… On the other hand, a bottle of water nearby is a much better idea!
Scrubbing
A good hammam always ends with a black soap shower and a scrub. As the pores in the skin are opened, dead skin and other toxins are eliminated.
A variety of scrubs are available: face only, other parts of the body, whole body… The choice is yours!
The situation in the city
The majority of Turkish baths in Marrakech are located in or near the heart of the Medina, the old city. Others are located not far away, in the Hivernage district with its large hotels.
Finally, the lesser-known are in the outlying, less-frequented neighborhoods, such as Camp El Ghoul and Kasbah.
Visitor numbers
Some hammams in Marrakech attract tourists. As a result, they are regularly overcrowded, and lose some of their Moroccan charm. Others, on the other hand, are more confidential and very local. You may be the only foreigner to visit one!
How to recognize a local hammam? If you see a pile of wood and a fire at the bottom of a staircase, you’ve come to the right place! This fire is used to heat the hammam.
So it’s up to you to decide what you want from your hammam experience.
Marrakech’s best hammams and Turkish baths
Mouassine
? Location: Rue Sidi el Yamani – 40 000 Marrakech
? Notation : ★★★★
ℹ️ Good to know: Plan to spend half a day in this hammam, which is the oldest in the city.
Opened in 1572, Mouassine is the oldest hammam in Marrakech. Although the interior has been renovated many times, it has retained the authentic soul of Marrakech’s 16th-century Turkish baths. Mouassine is a traditional meeting place for the locals.
Take the time to plunge centuries back in time, while enjoying the benefits of the hammam and scrub or massage if you wish.
Essalama
? Location: Boulevard Prince Moulay Abdellah – 40 000 Marrakech
? Notation : ★★★★
ℹ️ Good to know: Allow half a day to enjoy this hammam, which is rarely visited by tourists.
Located right next to the Majorelle Gardens, Essalama is one of Marrakech’s most popular hammams for locals. For those who want to avoid being surrounded by tourists, this Turkish bath is for you!
The interior is a skilful blend of modernity and tradition. While it lacks the ancestral authenticity of Mouassine, Essalama is nonetheless a magical place conducive to relaxation. Visitors also praise the quality of the scrubs performed by the staff.
Les Bains de Marrakech
? Location : 2 Derb Sedra – 40000, Morocco
? Notation : ★★★★
ℹ️ Good to know: You can enjoy this hammam for a whole day if you wish.
When it comes to hammams in Marrakech, there are two categories: traditional hammams and spas. Les Bains de Marrakech belongs to the second category. In fact, it’s the city’s best-known spa/hammam and boasts a host of facilities, including a swimming pool.
Located in the Kasbah district, this spa knows how to welcome you, and its staff are used to dealing with tourists. The decor is modern and adapted to a less local clientele. It is mainly intended for those who want to spend the day and prefer to be in a place more frequented by an international clientele. Reservations are recommended.
Hammam de la Rose
? Location: Route Sidi Abdelaziz – 40000 Marrakech
? Notation : ★★★★
ℹ️ Good to know: This spa is renowned for retaining its traditional influences.
This is perhaps the only Turkish bath in Marrakech that can be described as both an old-fashioned hammam and a spa. The Hammam de la Rose recaptures the codes of the old Ottoman hammams, but with the quality of modern tourist spas.
This hammam in Marrakech is for people who want to combine authentic architecture with a staff used to dealing with tourists. Remember to book in advance during high season.
Les Bains d’Orient
? Location: 214 rue Arset Aouzal – 40 030 Marrakech
? Notation : ★★★★★
ℹ️ Good to know : Les bains d’Orient is the hammam rated highest by visitors
If some people like to rely on the rating criterion, here, among the hammams in Marrakech, is the best-rated of the accessible spas, with over 200 reviews. Without saying it’s better than the others, this spa is nevertheless of the highest quality, impeccably clean and very professional.
It’s also one of the very few Turkish baths in Marrakech to offer online booking and payment.
Azahara Baths
? Location: Rue Lalla Fatima Zahra, Derb Ezzaouiya Nº1 – 40 000 Marrakech
? Notation : ★★★★
ℹ️ Good to know: This hammam offers « local » touches that others don’t always have.
For the general public, all hammams look the same and offer the same services. Purists will see a slight difference in this hammam in Marrakech. It’s a true Moroccan hammam, with local touches not seen elsewhere.
For example, it offers Moroccan baths (with mint, rose petals…) that are not necessarily available elsewhere.
Rosa Bonheur
? Location: 35 Derb El Aarssa – 40 000 Marrakech
? Rating : ★★★★★
ℹ️ Good to know: You will be able to eat on site
If the name is familiar to Parisian partygoers, the Rosa Bonheur is also one of the best Turkish baths in Marrakech. Located very close to the Bahia Palace, this hammam is also one of the few with a real restaurant!
Dar el-Bacha
? Location: 20 rue Lalla Fatima Zahra – 40 000 Marrakech
? Notation : ★★★★
ℹ️ Good to know: Dar el-Bacha’s architecture is a real added value
Among Marrakech’s hammams, Dar el-Bacha is undoubtedly one of those with the most beautiful architecture, dazzling us at first sight.
It’s also a local public hammam, rarely visited by tourists. A godsend for those who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Spa Royal Mansour
? Location: Abou Abbas El Sebti Royal Mansour, 40000 Marrakech
? Rating: ★★★★★
ℹ️ Good to know: Located in a luxury hotel, the services offered here are second to none
Of course, this is the highest-rated hammam in Marrakech. Nonetheless, we’d like to mention it for its fitness and especially for those who want to indulge themselves for a day.
This spa is located in a luxury hotel and offers top-of-the-range services. The premises are magnificent, the marble floor is always warm, all the details are splendid, not to mention the high-quality products and staff. There’s also a swimming pool.
In short, it’s close to perfection, but at a price! By the way, reservations are mandatory here if you want to have a chance of accessing this spa.
Le Bain Bleu
? Location: 32 Derb Chorfa Lakbir – 40 008 Marrakech
? Notation : ★★★★
ℹ️ Good to know : La Bain Bleu is a top-of-the-range, yet affordable hotel.
While not as luxurious as the Spa Mansour, Le Bain Bleu is nevertheless one of the most upscale Turkish baths in Marrakech.
Its great advantage is that it offers such services at a fairly affordable price! Here, unlike other hammams, you can plan a full day of pampering.
How much does a ticket to a hammam or Turkish bath in Marrakech cost?
For public hammams, the hammam/scrub combo costs around 150 dirhams (€13.50), 200 dirhams (€18) if you add henna. Some of these hammams allow you to pay only for the steam bath, usually less than 100 dirhams (€9). Please note that for these hammams, you’ll often need to bring your own towel or, more rarely, soap and glove.
For spas and Le Bain Bleu, the same services cost between 200 dirhams and 450 dirhams (€41), up to 800 (€74) for massages, not always offered in public hammams.
Finally, the Royal Mansour is in a class of its own: from 1,400 dirhams (€129) to 3,200 dirhams (€296), from hammam/scrub to massage included.