Summer in the City - Baths and Beyond in Budapest
As we are approaching the hottest time of year and everyone is seeking relief at beaches, pools and lakes, we are reminded once again, how very blessed we are to live in a city like Budapest, where 123 thermal springs are bubbling underneath the surface. While most tourists may focus on the Gellert Hotel & Spa with its magnificent Art Nouveau architecture or the large SZECHENY baths in the Varosliget City Park, the very venue where the famous picture was taken of 2 old men playing chess in the pool, few visitors venture further afield to discover the extensive thermal bathing options in and around the Hungarian capital. Yet savoring a visit to a nearby indoor or outdoor pool - particularly slightly further in the suburbs, may provide both relief from the hot summer weather as well as a worthwhile glimpse into local Hungarian culture, an integral part of which is the long tradition of thermal spas in the country.
Assuming the weather is not cooperating and it happens to be a rainy day in Budapest, there are a few indoor pool options far superior to the Gellert or Szecheny baths. In particular, Budapest's authentic Turkish baths from the 16th century beckon, most notably the RUDAS spa, conveniently located on the Buda side near the Elisabeth Bridge and renovated 5 years ago. While weekends and most nights are mixed for both men and women, Tuesday afternoon is for women only and other weekday afternoons are exclusively for men. Both hydro and traditional massages may also be arranged. As alternatives to Rudas, there is also the smaller and less-crowded KIRALY (King) bath on the Buda Side originally built by Arslan, the Pasha of Buda, in 1565.
There are also a few outdoor baths that operate year-round by covering their main pool with a sort of winter-proof tent and by offering additional wellness services such as steam baths or Finnish Saunas. Such baths include the scenically appealing CSILLAGHEGY (Starhill) pool on the HEV line between Budapest and Szentendre, as well as the DAGALY bath in North Pest near the Arpad Hid metro station. The latter two pools are by far quieter and more locally authentic than the crowded and overpublicized Gellert and Szecheny spas - and both offer ample opportunities for swimming, sun bathing and thermal spa treatments.
Finally, May to September sees the operation of summer-only outdoor seasonal pools, of which two merit particular mention. The ROMAI bath on the Obuda side dates back, as the name suggests, to Roman times with the local springs there honored back then as a sanctuary, which recent archeological findings have confirmed. Since its restoration in 1964 and modernisation of pools in 2000, Romai furdo ranks among the locals' favorite summer hangout.
Nothing, however, can beat the popularity of Budapest's largest and most extensive outdoor pool, the famous Palatinus spa on the Margaret Island, the green lung of the city. Here we find numerous recreational pool facilities including medicinal spas, lap pools as well as wave and hydro massage installations. In addition, Palatinus boasts extensive food selections as well as men-only and women-only sun-tanning terraces. Originally built in 1919 and extended in the 1920s and late 1930s, Palatinus still preserves its architectural layout (as seen, for instance, in a 1930s promotional film on Budapest) and has since seen modernisation of its pool facilities in 2002. During the peak of summer, including school holidays and the famous August 20th St. Stephen's Day, Palatinus is host to numerous seasonal events including Foam and Club Pool parties. And nothing beats swimming laps in refreshingly cool thermal water, rather than in chlorine-enriched standard pools. For that reason, a visit to any of Budapest's extensive thermal pools provides summer relief, relaxation and a true introduction to local Hungarian spa culture.
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