A Malaga spa treat

Malaga has no shortage of things to do, but there are days when what you need is to do nothing at all. The Hammam Al Andalus is the best place in the city for that.

Tucked behind a narrow façade in the Plaza de los Mártires, in the heart of the old quarter, it hides a world of candlelit baths, marble hot stones and near-total silence behind its 18th-century walls. The moment you descend the stairway into the changing rooms, something shifts – the noise of the city disappears and your fellow spa-goers around you almost visibly exhales. It doesn’t take long to understand why the Moors built these places.

Hammam Al Andalus Malaga is opposite the Mártires church (well worth popping in if it’s open) and I almost miss the narrow façade, but then I spot the hallmark Moorish design and walk in.

I’m here to enjoy one of my Christmas presents (it’s nearly the end of October but better late than never). The autumn afternoon shines warm and even though it’s low season there are plenty of people on holiday in Malaga. My fellow bathers come from all over the world and I’m impressed at the languages spoken by the staff.

Once we check in, we descend the candle-lit stairway into the changing rooms and a kind of hush comes over us all. We’ve all stepped back in time to Nazari Malaga when bathing was always a ritual and a time to wind down.

Know before you go

Take a swimsuit: but you don’t need a hat or flip flops – you enter the changing rooms with plastic covers on your shoes (provided at the reception) and then enter the spa barefoot.

Arrive 15 minutes early. The ritual starts on time and you’ll need time to change and put your stuff in the locker.

Sessions last 90 minutes and run every two hours from 10am. Book the slot that suits your day -early morning is quieter; evenings are more atmospheric. A mid-week morning is the quietest.

Expect the massage at any time during your visit. You’ll be summoned by one of the staff and shown to the massage room, perhaps at the beginning, nearer the end or in the middle of your session.

Leave your phone in the locker. There’s a no-phone policy in the baths and it’s one of the better rules.

Book in advance. It fills up, particularly at weekends and in summer. Online booking is straightforward and discounts are sometimes available on the website.

It works well as a gift. If you’re looking for something to do on a special occasion (e.g. anniversary, birthday, or just a treat), this is a great gift option.

Fez revisited

First I’m invited to pick my essence. Choosing between the four isn’t easy – rose, jasmine (called biznaga in honour of the jasmine symbol of Malaga), lavender and red amber – but in the end I go for the amber. A good choice for relaxing says my masseuse as she begins the ritual.

First warm water, then a gentle soaping before a deliciously delicate foam covers me completely. Then she gets to work with a scrub mitten and grape-seed soap, and the kessa begins.

I’ve had this scrub-down before in Fez in Morocco back in the 80’s when a friend and I paid a few dirhams to enter the women’s baths and a few more for the kessa. But at this spa in Malaga there are no women gossiping or children laughing at our white European bodies. Just a gentle soundtrack of an Arab song and the rhythmic scrubbing.

Ten minutes later, I’m squeaky clean and ready for the massage. I choose one for my back – super tense, my masseuse tells me as she gets to work on all the knots. As they unravel, daily life begins to slip away and I’m almost lulled to sleep.

It’s a surprise to come back, but the relaxation isn’t over because now it’s time to sample the baths themselves. First up is a welcome glass of Moorish tea before I go downstairs for a soak.

Soak it all away

Impressive is the first word that comes to mind, quickly followed by beautiful. The Hammam in Malaga imitates the traditional Arab bath houses found in palaces and I’m reminded of the baths in the Alhambra Palace in Granada.

Everywhere is richly decorated in colourful tiles and marble, and the domed rooftop of the hot bath has star-shaped skylights, so typical of the authentic Arab baths found in other parts of Andalucia – Ronda, Jaén and again, Granada but this time at El Bañuelo.

There are 3 baths – scalding hot, pleasantly warm and freezing cold. As well as the baths, there’s a steam room and a hot-stone area. But forget a small line of black stones on your back – these are giant slabs of roasting-hot marble to lie on.

Everywhere is lit by candles and mostly silent. All I need to do is to make my way around the circuit and remember to empty my mind of Malaga guides, copywriting and daily chores. That turns out to be easy – slip into the water, lie back and contemplate the light and reflections playing on the water.

All too soon a Tibetan chime signals the end of the session and it’s back to real life. But the relaxation continues as I make my way home and I know this is definitely something to treat yourself to in Malaga. The Moors certainly knew how to do things properly!

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Una publicación compartida de Hammam Al Ándalus (@hammamalandalus)

Our highlights

• The hot stone room
• The massage
• The Moorish decoration – you could be in Arabian Nights
• Squeaky-clean changing rooms and showers
• Complimentary hair and body products

Our verdict

Would we recommend this spa experience? Yes, definitely. We go at least twice a year and always come out feeling relaxed and renewed. Worth every cent! so, go book it!

Plaza de los Mártires 5, Malaga

Tel: 952 215 018

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

Una publicación compartida de Hammam Al Ándalus (@hammamalandalus)

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(Photos courtesy of Hammam Al Andalus Malaga)