Traditional hammams — heated public baths — have operated in the old city of Srinagar for centuries, serving a population living in cold mountain winters without reliable domestic heating. The hammams are heated by wood fire; the steam and heat build up in a series of progressively hotter rooms. Several historic hammams still operate in the old city, though the tradition is declining as domestic plumbing improves.
The most atmospheric surviving hammams are in the Nowhatta and Khanyar areas of the old city, and some date from the Mughal period. Entry for men is straightforward; women's access varies by hammam and time of day. The experience is less refined than a Turkish hamam — it is a functional neighbourhood bathhouse, not a luxury spa — but the architecture (domed steam rooms, carved stone basins) and the social function are genuine. Asking at your houseboat or hotel which hammams are currently operating and accessible to visitors is the most reliable way to find the better ones; the tourist infrastructure around them is minimal.