Great Golf Magazine Sep/Oct 2017 September October 2017 | Page 88

Spa.qxp_St Enodoc 28.09.2016 13.34 Side 3

SPA

hanks to its nearly 120 natural thermal
springs, the highest concentration on earth,
Budapest is the city to visit when looking for
a true spa experience. In the last few decades,
spa and wellness travel has skyrocketed in
popularity, but the history of spa culture goes back to
ancient times and the use of curative waters. In fact, the
dictionary defines the word spa as ‘a place where water that
has many minerals in it comes up naturally from the
ground and where people go to improve their health by
swimming in, bathing in, or drinking the water’.
Emperor Marcus Aurelius built the first thermal bath
in Budapest, with most of the bathhouses established by
the Turks in the 16th century. Today there are over 50
places to take the waters, from beautiful Ottoman
influenced bathhouses to Art Nouveau wonders and
modern structures.

by surprise. Insider tip three: you can rent towels, but
they’re flimsy. Bring your own from your hotel instead.
Many bathhouses also offer spa services, but if you want
to partake in a massage you need to specify that when you
buy your entrance ticket. You’ll also want to make sure you
buy a private cabin for changing and storing your belongings.

BRING YOUR OWN TOWEL. Picking your bathhouse is a
tough choice. Most are similar with indoor thermal pools,
saunas, steam room and cooler plunge pools. Some have
large outdoor pools as well. Insider tip one: spas still have
male and female days along with mixed gender pools, so
check ahead of time. Insider tip two: swimming caps are
required for both sexes at some spas – that one caught me

GELLERT. The most famous and certainly the best Art
Nouveau bathhouse is Gellert. In the 1920s it was the heart
of Budapest social life, and today intricate tile work and
statues make it arguably the most beautiful bath in town.
There are a whopping 12 pools to choose from
includ ing eight thermal baths, two effervescent baths and
three outdoor pools. For a VIP experience, buy a couples’

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SMELLY WATER. For the most authentic Turkish bath
experience, head to the Rudas Baths. The centerpiece is a
large domed octagonal pool. You’ll also find six thermal
pools, a rooftop pool and Jacuzzi that offers a stunning
view of the city. For the bold, there is a drinking hall
featuring mineral water from three springs. Drinking the
water from the Juventus spring is said to be akin to
drinking from the Fountain of Youth. Unfortunately,
youth comes with the price of downing very warm, very
sulpheric smelling water.