Budapest Spa

the spas and baths of Budapest are legendary. In particular the recently refurbished Rudas and also recently refurbished Szechenyi baths.
The Rudas Baths are currently the talk of the city, the Rudas [rude-ash] baths are the perfect cure to the night before. Built by the turks who were temporary residents in the 16th century they have to be one of the few historical sights in the world that won't leave anyone wondering what they are supposed to get out of the experience. The main bathing hall of the spa has 5 baths, the octagonal central one being lit directly by pin holes of coloured light from the dome above. You can relax in the main bath then progress through each of the 4 smaller baths, each having a different temperature and property. Then, when you think you're ready, dive into the steam room whose hellish depths will have you running back to the cold-plung to start the process all over again. The spa is most days are single sex, women only are on tuesday morning and thursday afternoon, but a recent addition is that of mixed bathing (with swim-suits of course) on Friday and Saturday nights until the early hours. Alcohol is served outside the entrance but is not permitted inside the bathing areas which seems like good sense to us!
The Szechenyi baths are amongst the biggest of Budapest's spas - if you sit on the right hand of the plane coming into Budapest's Ferihegy airport on a clear day you can easily spot the dumb-bell shaped outline of the outside pools. There is the sports pool in the middle which is the only pool where a swimming hat is mandatory. Then there is the large semi-circular hot pool whose temperature is raised even higher in winter. Here you can spot through the haze the old men playing chess at the side of the pool. Then there is the fun pool complete with alternating swirling tidal currents followed by jets of water in all directions and streams of bubbles emanating from the pool floor. Here you can find the ladies of what the old men call the 'bubble mafia' diligently waiting on the best spots for the bubbles to start. Inside you'll find even more pools each with it's own healing property plus increasingly torturous saunas, steam rooms and plunge pools. There are also various massages available but you'll need to book in advance (contact us if you need assistance with this).

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Budapest has something for everyone, young or just young at heart. Whatever your ideal holiday destination should have you're more likely to find it here and if you've come for dental treatment you'll want to use your spare time wisely.

Modern Budapest has developed into a vibrant city of 1.7 million inhabitants (one fifth the population of Hungary). It benefits from huge new investments coming in from abroad and is bolstered further by its new role as an EU member state. Budapest is ideally situated for a healthy future, as it was 1000 years ago when the first Magyars arrived in the area, sitting as it does at the hub of Europe. The reasons it has been invaded so many times include just that reason and now in the world of modern commerce and happily free from the threat of invasion, it's strength through positioning is already starting to become evident. The British owned BAA thinks so, having paid a record £1.7 Billion to gain control of Budapest's Ferihegy airport citing it as the gateway to the East of Europe.