Hammam Al Andalus

Granada had dozens of public baths under Muslim rule, and after the conquest most were closed or destroyed; Hammam Al Andalus opened in 1998 on the site of one of them near the Darro, the first Arab baths to operate in the city in five hundred years. The building follows the traditional plan: three pools at different temperatures, hot, warm and cold, under vaulted ceilings pierced with star-shaped skylights, with horseshoe arches, tilework and a steam room, and mint tea served in a rest area. Sessions run about ninety minutes with an optional massage, in low light and near silence, and swimwear is worn throughout. Bookings are by timed slot and the number of people per session is capped.

What you actually see

• The three pools - hot, warm and cold baths under vaulted ceilings.
• The star skylights - pierced ceilings in the traditional pattern.
• The steam room - a small vapour chamber off the main space.
• The tea room - mint tea served in a rest area after bathing.

When to go

Year-round; the baths are indoors and work equally in winter and summer. Sessions run from morning to late evening and book out at weekends and during Holy Week. Evening slots are the quietest.

Honest expectations

This is a modern spa in a historical style, not a surviving medieval building, and the presentation is commercial. Photography is prohibited inside. Sessions are timed and strictly enforced, and the massage is short at the standard rate.

Nearby

The Alhambra is above; the Albaicin and the Darro walk are minutes away.