Z
eyrek may be a traditional Istanbul district of butchers’ shops and rough-timber houses, but appearances can be deceptive. Not only is it a central quarter, close to the famous sights of Sultanahmet, it is also home to one of Istanbul’s most extraordinary new cultural attractions: the recently restored Zeyrek Cinili Hamam, which has emerged as one of the most photogenic five-star bathhouses in the country, complete with a modern museum and art space.
Anyone teleported directly into the gleaming marble interiors might think they had landed in a luxury subterranean spa, rather than a hammam dating back 500 years that has served the locals on and off for centuries.
The walls and floors are clad in flawless striated Marmara marble in dove grey and blue
The men’s cold room
