Budapest is a popular destination for
many reasons, spas and thermal baths being one of them. When I was there recently I took the
opportunity to check out two of them to see what it was all about.
The Romans first settled in this area so
that they could take advantage of the 120 hot springs created by a fault line. In the 1920’s Budapest gained the reputation
as a ‘city of spas’ and now hosts an impressive selection of thermal baths and
spas, some dating back to the 16th century.
The most ‘instagrammed’ one is the Szechenyi Baths which is one of the largest bathing complexes in Europe built in 1913
housed in a neo-baroque palace near the city park on the Pest side of the city. There are 15 indoor pools and 3 large
outdoor pools with various temperatures.
Inside there are saunas, steam rooms, whirlpools and jets. The thermal water is considered medicinal as
it is high in calcium, magnesium and hydrogen carbonate which is said to ease
joint pain and improve blood circulation. There is a very grand entrance hall
and maps to navigate the maze of rooms and pools within the complex.
I spent a whole afternoon at Gellért Baths on the
Buda side of the Danube. I had only
planned to visit for 30 minutes but enjoyed it so much that I ended up staying
for about 3 hours and could have stayed for longer. With its mosaic walls and floors, stained glass
windows and Roman style columns it is one of the most beautiful spas in the
city. It was opened in 1918 in the art nouveaux
style and has indoor and outdoor baths fed by the thermal springs. It was a challenge finding your way around
inside the building, and as I wondered around in a confused daze I found saunas,
small thermal pools, and a wonderful steam room where I completely lost all sense
of time. There are also treatment
rooms for medicinal massages. Outside
there is a wave pool, another thermal pool and large sauna. There is also a lovely café on the terrace
overlooking the outdoor pool where I enjoyed a cappuccino and pastry.
If you find yourself in Budapest I would definitely recommend
making time to relax and enjoy one of the spas.
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