Hammam

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Lonely Planet review

You'll hardly need any more heat if you're here in the summer, but you'll surely crave some peace and tranquillity after you've been schlepping around the busy streets of Palermo all day. In case of the latter, head over to the city's only hammam, a modern affair with a lavish marble-faced bath hall and a mean, brick-domed steam room.

The changing rooms are spacious and clean, and all the kit you need is supplied: black olive soap, ghassoul (a mixture of clay mud, rose petals and lavender), henna for softening the skin, and a vicious scrubbing glove and slippers; there's a one-off charge to buy your own glove and slippers, which for hygiene reasons can't be borrowed.

After your scrub you can indulge in any number of massages and therapies, or you can simply relax with a mint tea and Arabian sweets in the cooling-off room or café.