What is a Moroccan hammam like (should I do one)?

A hammam is a ritual, not just a wash, and it is one of the most quietly transformative things you can do in Morocco. Here is the sequence so nothing surprises you. You undress to your underwear, sit in a hot, steamy tiled room until your skin softens, then a worker lathers you in beldi, a dark, olive-based black soap. After it sits for a few minutes they go to work with a kessa, a coarse exfoliating mitt, scrubbing every limb with surprising vigour. The grey rolls of dead skin that come off are mildly horrifying and weirdly satisfying. You are rinsed with bowls of warm water, sometimes shampooed, often finished with a rhassoul clay mask and an argan oil massage.

There are two very different experiences and you should choose deliberately. A public neighbourhood hammam is the authentic, communal version: cheap, no-frills, very local, separate hours or sections for men and women, and you bring your own kit or buy it at the door. It is wonderful but it can feel intense if you are shy about nudity or do not speak the language. A spa or riad hammam is private or semi-private, gentler, scented with rose and orange blossom, and the staff speak English, French and often more. For a first-timer, I almost always suggest the spa version, then go local later if you fall in love with it.

A few honest warnings. The scrub is firm, sometimes to the point of feeling slightly raw, that is normal and your skin recovers within hours feeling like silk. Modesty levels vary, so keep your underwear on, that is completely standard and nobody expects full nudity. Tell the attendant if the pressure is too much, the word is "shwiya", meaning gently. And do not shave or wax for a couple of days beforehand, freshly shaved skin and a coarse mitt do not mix.

Should you do one? Absolutely. There is something deeply Moroccan about it, this idea that cleanliness is communal and ceremonial rather than a quick private shower. You walk out feeling lighter, softer and oddly recalibrated, and it pairs beautifully with a slow afternoon. I usually schedule it for a day with no big plans afterwards, just mint tea and a wander, because you will not want to rush anywhere.