Covered in rich, cleansing pastes, immersed in mud, and polished to softness, what might seem like a rugged adventure sport is actually the cherished Moroccan hammam experience. This age-old beauty ritual is essential for keeping skin vibrant and hydrated near the edges of the Sahara, with Berbers honing their practices over a thousand years.
For Moroccans, visiting the hammam goes beyond physical cleansing; it’s a time to refresh the mind, connect with family and friends, and prepare spiritually for Friday prayers. The Prophet Muhammad recommended hammams for health, vitality, and fertility, making them an integral part of Morocco’s religious and cultural traditions.
Hammams come in both private and public forms, though historically, only wealthy families had them at home. In addition to the communal oven, water fountain, madrasa (religious school), and mosque, public hammams are one of the five traditional structures found in every neighborhood of Marrakech’s medina. Since they’re often located near mosques, hammams serve as places for essential ablutions before prayer.
Hammam architecture
The architecture of Moroccan hammams has ancient roots, with the oldest Islamic hammam ruins dating back to the 8th century in Volubilis. These bathhouses were influenced by Roman designs and still follow a similar three-room layout: a hot room where bathers begin by stimulating circulation and opening pores, a warm room for scrubbing and treatments, and a cool room to relax and rehydrate.
In Islamic hammams, there are no bathing pools, as standing water is considered unclean. Instead, hammams are lined with taps providing running water, which bathers draw using a bucket or bowl. This design creates a hot, humid environment without steam, and the spaces are illuminated by a soft, filtered light coming through small glass windows in the domed ceilings.
Traditionally, the hammam’s heat was provided by the farnatchi, a caretaker responsible for maintaining the fire beneath the bathhouse that warms the floors and walls. Women often visit the farnatchi before entering the hammam to leave dishes like tangia, a slow-cooked stew prepared in a clay pot, which cooks for hours over the hammam’s fire.
In Morocco, the hammam is a weekly tradition enjoyed by all, regardless of social background. Thursdays and Fridays, just before Friday prayers, are the most popular days to visit. Far more than a place for cleansing, the hammam serves as a social hub where families gather, often staying for two to three hours. Reflecting the norms of Islamic society, men and women are separated, either in designated sections or at different times.
Historically, when the hammam was one of the few spaces women could freely visit, it provided an essential time for relaxation and socializing. It also played a unique role in social traditions—mothers might seek potential brides for their sons there, and today, hammams remain significant for rituals like pre-wedding and post-birth baths. Even the custom of scrubbing one another symbolizes *habibi*, or love, strengthening bonds within the community.
The cleansing ritual
The hammam cleansing ritual follows a consistent process, whether in a traditional public hammam or a luxury spa like the Riad Hikaya. The experience begins with a quick rinse, followed by time in the hottest room, where an attendant or the bather themselves applies *savon noir* (or *savon beldi*), a black soap made from olive oil and black olive pulp, which softens the skin for exfoliation.
After warming up, bathers move to the warm room to rinse off the black soap and start the exfoliation. In public hammams, family and friends often scrub each other, though solo visitors can hire a bath attendant, or *tebbaya*, for this service. For many, this deep scrub can feel intense or even a bit uncomfortable, as everyone wears only underwear, and the exfoliation is thorough, reaching areas like underarms, thighs, and torso. The scrubbing, done with a *kess* (a rough-textured glove), removes dead skin, though if it becomes too harsh, you can ask them to go *bshwiya* (more gently).
Once layers of dead skin are sloughed off, it’s time for a rhassoul clay mask. This mineral-rich clay from the Middle Atlas is typically combined with aromatic herbs such as rose petals, cloves, eucalyptus, lichens, or chamomile. Mixed with water, it’s applied to the body and hair, where it draws out toxins, tightens pores, and balances sebum production. After rinsing, a toner made from orange blossom water or lemon juice leaves the skin refreshed.
Finally, bathers enter the cold room to relax and rehydrate with tea or water. Many hammams also offer a soothing massage, often featuring argan oil—a Moroccan emollient full of essential fatty acids that helps protect and hydrate the skin, leaving it soft and shielded from sun exposure.
Public hammams
When visiting a community hammam, you’ll need to bring a few essentials: a bowl or bucket for water, a plastic mat to sit on, savon noir (black soap), a scrubbing glove, flip-flops, a towel, toiletries (such as shampoo and a razor), and a change of underwear, as you’re expected to wear it during the treatment and it will get wet.
Entry typically costs between 10–20 Moroccan dirhams (around £0.80–£1.60), or about 50 dirhams (£4) if you’d like a scrub. Be sure to mention at the reception if you’d like to include this service.
Mouassine Hammam
The Mouassine Hammam, established in 1572, holds the title of Marrakech’s oldest hammam. Inside, it features a simple design: three rooms with ceramic-tiled floors, walls lined with water spigots, and domed ceilings finished in smooth tadelakt plaster. Bathers sit on mats, chatting and scrubbing each other as part of the communal experience. Entrance is 10 dirhams (about £0.80), while a full treatment—including a *gommage* (scrub) and rhassoul clay mask—costs 150 dirhams (£12). For an additional henna application, the total comes to 200 dirhams (£16). All necessary items can be rented on-site.
Hammam Essalama
This intimate local spa, located just outside the medina near Jardin Majorelle, features rooms with modern tiles inspired by traditional *zellij* mosaics. While English is not commonly spoken, the staff are welcoming and attentive, especially to first-timers. A full treatment—consisting of a scrub, mask, massage, and tea—costs 150 dirhams (around £12) and is skillfully provided. You’ll need to bring a towel, though soap and a scrubbing glove are available on-site.
Hammam de la Rose
Located in the upscale Mouassine neighborhood, Hammam de la Rose is an opulently designed spa with vibrant rooms and mosaic-tiled bathing areas complete with central basins and showers. Treatment rooms feature benches for scrubs and masks, and beyond the traditional hammam experience, guests can enjoy beauty services like rose facial masks, hot-stone massages, and pedicures. Hammam services are priced between 250 and 450 dirhams (£20 to £36), and pre-booking is recommended.
Les Bains de Marrakech
This recently renovated spa hammam, located in the Kasbah neighborhood, exudes an oriental ambiance with its intricately carved stucco walls, hand-cut brass lanterns, and stained-glass windows. It offers private treatment rooms for couples, larger communal hammam areas, a central swimming pool, and a relaxation room. Hammam treatments last around 45 minutes and range from 220 to 450 dirhams (£18 to £36). Pre-booking is recommended to ensure availability.
