Hit the pores
Nothing kickstarts the holiday relaxation process better than a genuine Turkish bath
This is supposed to be a holiday, I thought, as the large semi-naked Turkish man began to pummel and knead my shoulders and back with his strong fingers.
Berat was a man of few words, but much experience in the art of muscle manipulation, as I realised when I left the hammam, or Turkish bath, with a newfound sense of wellbeing, relaxation and with a spring in my step.
Strictly speaking, the traditional Turkish bath is exactly that – a place to be cleansed.
First, you enter a steam room, which is very hot and very humid. The idea is to clear your sinuses, reduce bloating and improve circulation.
Next, it’s the hammam itself, a round marble room where you lie on a slab as an attendant pours hot water over you from a copper bowl.
The man or woman, Berat in my case, then puts on a “kese” – a kind of coarse cotton mitt – and proceeds to give you the most thorough scrub you will have ever experienced.
The resulting exfoliation opens up your pores and all the horrible toxins come flooding out. After that, you are covered in thick foam and massaged all over, before being doused in ice-cold water – to close up the, now clean, pores.
Of course, there’s more to Turkey than baths and massages, as my wife Esther and I found out on our visit to Colakli, near Side, in the Antalya region.
Our hotel, the Glamour Resort & Spa, seemed to cater mostly for German and Russian guests, but most staff had some English. The rooms are fairly basic, but modern and well-cleaned each day, with TV, wi-fi, tea and coffee making kit, and a
safe – which costs extra. The hotel has a good-sized pool, with three water slides and plenty of sun-loungers.
The staff encourage guests to join in with games and other entertainment during the day, but the loud music poolside meant my wife and I tended to head for the quieter garden to catch the rays.
The long sandy beach is about a 10-minute walk away, or you can jump on
the frequent shuttle bus. There you’ll find the hotel has a designated area with shaded sun-loungers and a bar.
There’s also a restaurant where you can enjoy drinks, snacks and lunch – all part of your all-inclusive deal. Back at the hotel, the same applies, with wine, beer and soft drinks available all day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all buffets in the main restaurant. There’s plenty on offer, including fresh grilled meat or fish outside in the evenings, and we thought the quality was pretty good.
For a change and for a small surcharge, you can book to eat at the a la carte Turkish or Italian restaurants, which are excellent.
After dinner, guests head to the outdoor stage for a different music and dance show each night. Various companies offer excursions from the hotel. We opted for a guided coach tour taking in the region’s countryside, the Kursunlu waterfall and a visit to Antalya city, including the old town.
Be aware that what was billed as “opportunities to shop” involved being herded into a giant warehouse full of jewellery and subjected to a full-on sales pitch. At the city, we headed for the old town or Kaleici area, a delightful maze of narrow streets full of little shops, cafes, bars and restaurants.
Wandering down to the Yat Limani harbour, we took a boat trip along the coast for a view from the sea of this ancient city.
It was founded in 200BC by Greek King Attalus I and later came under the rule of the Romans, the Turco-persian culture, the Ottoman empire, Italy and Turkey.
All of these influences are evident as you stroll around, in the architecture, food, art and music.
Look out for the city walls, Hadrian’s Gate, built by the Romans in the 2nd century.
After all that sightseeing, it was back to the hotel – where my wife was soon making another booking with Berat.