Hammam Balkis

Rome can be an energetic, fast-paced city. Sometimes you need to slow down, catch your breath and take time for yourself. Hammam Balkis, located at via Alessandria 121, is the perfect spot to do just that. Inspired by Eastern traditions, this spa will captivate your senses with wellness rituals developed centuries ago and still practised today.

Legend has it that Queen Balkis of Sheba, who gives the spa its name, was the first woman to use this style of Turkish bath, created for her by King Solomon. Stepping inside Hammam Balkis feels like entering another world. The familiar Roman architecture fades away, replaced by interiors with a distinctly North African feel. Warm, vibrant colours envelope guests in a soothing ambience, set off by stone and wood furnishings. Ceramic tiles decorated with traditional Arab motifs cover the floors and walls, while soft lighting and horseshoe arches transport you to a distant world of gentle steam and spiced aromas.

The hammam treatment is a true ritual, following defined stages that have remained unchanged for centuries. The wellness journey begins in the Tepidarium, with an olive-oil black soap cleanse, before moving into the Calidarium, a 43-degree steam room where the skin prepares for the next steps. A gommage scrub follows, using a traditional Kassa glove, followed by a body rinse. The circuit finishes with a relaxing argan oil massage, which can also be paired with extra treatments such as face masks and hot basalt stone massages. Before leaving, be sure to visit the Area Relax, where spiced tea and traditional Arab sweets complete the sensory experience.

We can guarantee that the magical atmosphere of Hammam Balkis will stay with you all the way home: the colours and scents of this intriguing spot are impossible to forget. With its 360° ritual, the rush of daily life gives way to a moment of pure relaxation.