Budapest's relationship with water

It may seem incredible for a country so far from the sea, but Hungary's relationship with water is very close. Suffice it to say that the two national sports are water polo and swimming and the canoe national team is among the most successful in the world.
Even at the level of pastimes, water is very much present, to the point that Budapest has several nicknames, including Pearl of the Danube, sealing the link with its river, and City of Baths, a reputation well deserved, since it is a specialty well known over the centuries, indeed millennia: more than a thousand years before the Turks and even the Romans, the Celts enjoyed the warm spring waters here with baths, healing waters and drinks. According to estimates, there are about a thousand natural sources of spring water in Hungary.
Aquatherapy is part of normal medical practice, and Hungarian patients are often prescribed treatments in the healing waters, but recently this culture has ingeniously merged with the pleasure of wellness and even nightlife. Parties and events in heated pools are thus a go-to, perhaps heavily tourism-driven, but certainly worth trying.


Szechenyi Spa Baths
Packing your swimsuit to go to Budapest is not the first option. It is a mandatory one, though, because the Szechenyi Spa Baths are a must-visit. They are located in Városliget Park and were built in 1881, later expanded in the early decades of the 1900s to become one of the most extensive spa complexes in all of Europe. They offer 18 pools, including indoor and outdoor pools, in a truly striking neoclassical and neo-Baroque setting.
In addition to all the classic services of a spa (treatments, massages, saunas, steam rooms, hydropinic cures), on Saturday nights, it transforms into Sparty, a packed disco with lighting effects, where people dance, drink and have fun until 2 am in the warm outdoor thermal water, even when it's cold outside. The rules are strict: no diving, no fighting, and no overly intimate displays of affection.


Gellért Thermal Spa
They are among the best-known spas in Budapest. Their favorable location and the quality of their waters make them one of the most visited destinations, especially thanks to the splendid building in which they are located (the Danubius Hotel Gellért, a wonderful example of Art Nouveau). The Gellèrt Thermal Spas have a water temperature derived from the thermal springs of Mount San Gerardo, ranging from 27 degrees up to 40, and are fed by as many as 118 springs, channeled to reach the facility's twelve pools. The waters contain sodium, calcium carbonates, magnesium, hydrogen, and sulfate-chlorides, and are indicated (also) for people suffering from respiratory diseases, problems related to circulation, and inflammation.


Rudas Thermal Bath
This other famous tourist attraction is located on the west bank of the Danube, just after crossing it via the Elizabeth Bridge (no panic: they are easily accessible from the city center thanks to a large number of bus and streetcar lines). It was built around the second half of the 1300s during the occupation of the Ottoman Empire at the behest of Pasha Buda Sokoli. Even today, it is still possible to admire elements dating from the period that reflect its elegance and majesty, both in the northern part and in the central hall, where we find the large octagonal pool of red marble, enveloped by eight columns and topped by the immense dome with a diameter of about 10 meters. The real attraction of the Rudas Baths.
The thermal waters of the are rich in hydrogen, calcium, magnesium, sulfate, carbonate, and a concentrate of fluoride and sodium ions, so they are particularly good for combating problems related to degenerative diseases such as herniated discs, lack of calcium in the bones, chronic arthritis, and many other issues.


Király Thermal Bath
Spartan and abounding in charm, the construction of these intimate baths exuding history dates back to 1565 at the hands of Pasha Arslan of Buda, during the Turkish occupation of Hungary. In 1796 the establishment became the property of the German König family, which renovated and expanded it but did not want to give up its oriental allure: even today the structure is a true work of art. The COVID-19 pandemic hit the business hard enough to force a long closure, which still has not been fully resolved. But it's worth keeping an eye on the situation, waiting for it to clear up.


Miskolctapolca Barlangfürdő
To immediately understand what this place is all about, just translate Barlangfürdő from Hungarian: "cave bath". It is almost 200 kilometers from Budapest, in the vicinity of the third-largest Hungarian city, Tapolca, but it is absolutely worth mentioning because of the uniqueness of cave bathing. Miskolctapolca is in fact a system of caves dug over the millennia, where karst waters flow directly from the depths of the mountains. It has been known since ancient times, but only became popular after the Ottoman occupation (16th–17th centuries), and in 1711 the Abbot of Tapolca attracted physicians here to ascertain and certify the healing properties, and then developed the actual thermal bath.
One of its attractions is the Star Hall, where you seem to be swimming under a starry sky, which facilitates a meditative state, listening to the soft echo from its vault. In Miskolctapolca, the thermal water (at 30°C) is less salty and dense, which is why you can stay immersed for longer.