Sofular Hamami
Sofular Hamami
3.5
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Fener & Balat
This sleepy and rather socially conservative area of Istanbul hosts a small but thriving Jewish community, the patriarchate of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and some of the most beautiful churches and Christian art in the world. Much of what’s most interesting to witness in Fener and Balat sits between the surviving ancient city walls of Constantinople and the serene shores of the Golden Horn. Despite the many splendid sights, historic attractions, stunning vistas, and warm Turkish welcome, the area remains largely unperturbed by the tourist trade that characterizes the atmosphere in nearby Sultanahmet and around the Grand Bazaar. Travelers that like to explore off the beaten track will reap big rewards for making the effort to visit this low-key part of town.
How to get there
- Aksaray • 4 min walk
- Vezneciler • 8 min walk
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Best nearby
Restaurants
3,893 within 3 miles
Attractions
1,161 within 6 miles
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
3.5
30 reviews
Excellent
7
Very good
10
Average
7
Poor
5
Terrible
1
ZafranWindsor
Windsor, UK256 contributions
Feb 2015
This hammam was very good orginallt from what I hear. Then tourists started discovering this local hammam as the price for complete service was about 50tLiras. But sadly theyve too jumped on the tourist scamming band wagon. 50 liras is suppose to include everything including tips. But once u paid up. You will find masseurs hassling you for tips before and after. Also the service is very rushed. This service was supposed to be atleast 1 hour. We got 35 mins. We had someone time it. But i suppose its still cheap compared to 100 or 120 liras.
Written February 27, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1etsgo
Milwaukee, Wisconsin3 contributions
Aug 2015 • Family
This was our first experience with a Turkish Bath, so don't have anything to compare it against. My daughter, husband, and I went there last week, the 22nd of August, 2015. I believe the cost was modest for this service at 55 Turkish Lira each. Since the attendants did not speak English, we were uncertain as to whether it included tips, so we added 5 TL each, bringing the total cost per person to 60 TL. The experience lasted one full hour. There were separate facilities for men and women. We did not feel rushed, were not solicited for tips, and were guided through the process of sauna, peeling, rinsing, washing and massage with hand gestures and many smiles. Given the opportunity to again visit Istanbul, we would most definitely go back to this hamam.
Written August 28, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lizbé K
Headington, UK41 contributions
May 2014 • Family
We paid 50 TL for use of the hamam including a scrub, soap massage and having our hair washed; making it my cheapest hamam experience in Istanbul. Sofular is not as beautiful as hamams like Çemberlitas and instead of sharing the room with other tourists, you get to share it with locals. The ladies were very friendly and kept up a constant chatter in Turkish, as none of them can speak English. All in all I think Sofular is a good value for money option.
Written May 10, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PlatonG
Athens, Greece1 contribution
Apr 2023
We chose to visit Sofular Hamam in order to have a real (non touristic) experience of a turkish hamam and we weren't dissapointed! The facility might not be luxurious but it is an authentic turkish hamam, that provides a five star service and experience. My partner and I compared our experiences in the female and male side and we were both very satisfied. Bearing in mind that the cost (of hamam, rubbing with a kesse, soap massage and a full wash, a procedure which lasted over an hour) was 300 TL we were happy to tip, volentarilly, an extra 100 TL to our masseuses. We went at 10 am and we were the only customers.
Written April 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Melinda M
Madrid, Spain74 contributions
Apr 2014 • Friends
We wanted to have a hamam experience in a smaller setting away from the tourist crowds, so we looked for Sofular. It's out of the touristy area for sure, but it made the experience that much more interesting. We found the women's entrance and were greeted by attendants who were very friendly despite not speaking the same language as us. We paid 50tl for the whole experience which lasted a couple hours for three of us. We were treated very well, and gently. :) It was our first time at a Turkish bath, so I can't compare with other hamams, but we were pleased. We left feeling very clean and relaxed. Just the experience itself was worth it!
Written April 29, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Taoufik F
Montreal, Canada3 contributions
Jan 2016 • Solo
Although it is similar to other hammams in Istanbul, thoshamma should be renovated.
The cabins are dirty, smelly and too old.
They raised their prices, from 20Lt to 30 Lt for a simple hamam, and although they have it well annouced that a kasa is 10Lt, they charge 13Lt.
Let us agree that 3 Lt are nothing, but it should at least be advertised as is!
This is my visit on January 14, 2016.
To add: the gathering around you to get tips: every one is asked ng for it! Even if they did nothing to you.
The cabins are dirty, smelly and too old.
They raised their prices, from 20Lt to 30 Lt for a simple hamam, and although they have it well annouced that a kasa is 10Lt, they charge 13Lt.
Let us agree that 3 Lt are nothing, but it should at least be advertised as is!
This is my visit on January 14, 2016.
To add: the gathering around you to get tips: every one is asked ng for it! Even if they did nothing to you.
Written January 17, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
adeleunn
1 contribution
Aug 2013
Went here with a friend and had a very good experience - the staff were friendly and helpful as we have never tried this before. There were no other tourists but a few locals, who seemed to be regular visitors of the hamam. All in all we felt very good taken care of and would definitely come back of we are ever back in Istanbul.
Written August 1, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kot_v_sapoge
Moscow, Russia25 contributions
May 2013 • Friends
Pluses: historical, local hamam - no tourists and in the evening even no locals.
Minuses: the prices claimed were 25TL (hamam) + 10TL (peeling) + 5TL (massage) = 45TL. But they charged us 50TL, having not explained what 5TL were for. No one speaks English, that's why it is hardly possible even to ask them questions.
Both peeling and massage were of low quality. We even did not understand that they did a massage - was just usual washing with a USUAL synthetic bast wisp (not even 'kese' that needs to be used). As a result - no foam and no feeling of being massaged.
The ladies were rather abrupt (though smiling) and were all the time hurrying us up.
The hamam itself is also not that easy to find.
To sum up, it was nice experience, but I will never go to such a true local place without locals any more. I would prefer to pay more, but get more suave service.
Minuses: the prices claimed were 25TL (hamam) + 10TL (peeling) + 5TL (massage) = 45TL. But they charged us 50TL, having not explained what 5TL were for. No one speaks English, that's why it is hardly possible even to ask them questions.
Both peeling and massage were of low quality. We even did not understand that they did a massage - was just usual washing with a USUAL synthetic bast wisp (not even 'kese' that needs to be used). As a result - no foam and no feeling of being massaged.
The ladies were rather abrupt (though smiling) and were all the time hurrying us up.
The hamam itself is also not that easy to find.
To sum up, it was nice experience, but I will never go to such a true local place without locals any more. I would prefer to pay more, but get more suave service.
Written May 4, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Colin B
Somerset West, South Africa33 contributions
Jun 2019
We liked this as it was not on the main tourist route and seemed more authentic than the other options. A Turkish bath is a great local experience. Nobody at the bath spoke English, but it was easy enough to be understood and we enjoyed this new experience. Men and women bath in different areas, but both seemed equally as good. The wash and massage is hard yet satisfying, don’t expect pampering.
Written June 28, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Luay S
Istanbul, Türkiye6 contributions
Apr 2019 • Solo
An excellent experience but spoiled by the greedy staff who gather at the end asking for a tip and would be disappointed even after paying them 60 Turkish lira (full service charge of 75 T.L. already paid in advance).. they took the tip and walked away shaking their heads to show their dissatisfaction.
Written April 9, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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