Valentine’s Day is approaching faster than the Midnight Express, so if you’re not sure what to get your other half, here’s an idea that will guarantee them Turkish delight in abundance.

Pamper your lover with a ‘Hammam’ – a classic Turkish bath – and join them for some quality his and her time. And the best thing is that you don’t have to fly to Turkey as there’s one just around the corner in Nordvest. The Hammam & Spa Copenhagen will give you the same experience as if you’ve suddenly been teleported to Istanbul itself.

So, when it comes to a Turkish bath, what is there to expect? We will guide you with the details of our last visit, so instead of being surprised as we were, you can concentrate on relaxing.

Ritual of purification
The Turkish bath has been a popular way, since the Victorian era, of cleansing the body. It trumps a visit to a regular sauna with an experience that is a ritual of purification.

First you are given two bath wraps, sandals and gloves. Cover up with one of the wraps and keep the other for later use. If you’re not comfortable being totally nude, we recommend you bring your swimsuit.

Once you step into the bath, prepare to be submerged in an ancient world with a warm granite surrounding. As Turkish tunes play serenely in the background, you’re invited to use a ‘tas’, a silver bowl, to pour water and apply an exfoliating soap on your whole body. While you wait for your scrubdown, enjoy a moist sauna to soothe your nerve endings or you can just lie down and relax your muscles.

Scrubbed the right way
When your turn comes, you will be laid down on a marble table where every inch of your body is scrubbed by a masseur using exfoliating gloves. They will take away all your dead skin, leaving your body as good as new, and then apply a soap to leave your skin as smooth as silk. Your reward for all that hard scrubbing is ten minutes of heavenly relaxation in bubbly soap-water before a mud mask is applied to your face to exfoliate the impurities – again for about ten minutes.

Once over, it’s advised you take a shower, but remember to bring shampoo and conditioner. And then before you head home, hydrate with some green tea and fresh orange juice.

So now that you know the drill, doesn’t it sound like an amazing experience for Valentine’s? We highly recommend this combo plus the oil massage for the authentic Turkish experience. You will emerge from the spa fully invigorated! And in the mood for love!