What is the etiquette in the hammam?

The hammam is one of Morocco's great rituals, and I urge every client to try at least one — but knowing the etiquette beforehand turns a slightly daunting prospect into a highlight. First, hammams are strictly gender-separated: either separate buildings or separate hours for men and women. There are two worlds to choose from. The neighbourhood public hammam is cheap, communal, steamy and gloriously authentic, used by locals for their weekly deep clean; the spa or riad hammam is private or semi-private, pampering and gentle, with a treatment-room feel. Both are wonderful; they are just very different experiences.

For a public hammam, come prepared, because you bring your own kit: plastic sandals for the wet floors, a towel or two, savon beldi (the dark olive-oil "black soap"), a kessa (the coarse exfoliating mitt), shampoo, and a change of underwear. The crucial modesty point that catches visitors out — you keep your underwear on. Full nudity is not the custom; women typically keep their bottoms on (and sometimes more), men keep shorts or underwear on. You move through hot, warm and cooler rooms, slathering on black soap, letting the steam open your pores, then scrubbing — or being scrubbed. Bring small change for the entry fee and the attendant.

The scrub itself is the centrepiece, and it is robust. An attendant (a "kessala" for women) will, for a fee, scrub you down with the kessa glove with surprising vigour, sloughing off astonishing amounts of skin — it is intense, occasionally bordering on rough, and utterly transformative; you leave glowing. Lie back, relax, and trust the process. Afterward you rinse thoroughly with buckets of warm water. Tipping the attendant is expected — a few tens of dirham depending on how much she did. Keep your voice moderate, do not stare, give people their space in the communal rooms, and rinse away your own soap residue as a courtesy to the next person.

A few practical kindnesses and tips. Hydrate well before and after, as the heat is genuinely dehydrating, and do not go on a very full or very empty stomach. If you are shy, the private spa hammam is the gentle entry point — book it for your first time, then graduate to a public one once you know the rhythm. Bring a comb and your own toiletries to the spa version too if you are particular. And do let the attendant lead; she has done this thousands of times. Emerge softer, cleaner and more relaxed than you have felt in years — and you will understand why Moroccans have treasured this ritual for centuries.