|
IF there is one problem facing the tourist during a weekend break in
Budapest,
it is choosing from the bewildering array of things to see and do.
The city is blessed with countless attractions: the sweeping
panorama of the Danube, the fading grandeur of the Austro-Hungarian
architecture, a plethora of fabulous museums and more restaurants,
bars and clubs than you can shake a stick at.
 However,
the one thing that tourists and locals agree is a must-do is taking
a dip in the thermal waters that bubble up from under the city.
For centuries, bathing in the city's medicinal waters has been a
favourite pastime of young and old alike, and many baths have sprung
up to meet the demand.
Three baths rule the roost in the city, and each offers a very
different experience.
Szechenyi baths, based in the city park, are the largest and most
popular. Anyone who has ever owned an Eastern Europe guidebook would
be familiar with the image of old men hovering round a chess board
in steaming water, and Szechenyi is where these were taken.
The men spend long hours sitting in the heated, outdoor pool
pitting their wits against each other, but this is only one small
part of Szechenyi's charm.
The outdoor section sports three pools: one for relaxing, one for
swimming and one for splashing around in the whirlpool, jacuzzi and
bubbling water jets.
Winter is the best time to visit Szechenyi. The baths stay open
come rain or snow, and there is nothing quite like lying back in the
water watching steam rise into the cold night sky, sometimes
obscuring the intricate fountains that spray water into the pool.
The indoor section is also a treat, with minty thermal waters
heated to different temperatures, steam rooms and saunas all at hand
to ease aching joints and muscles.
Next best are the Rudas baths, which have recently reopened with
a new, enlightened policy allowing entrance to women. The Rudas are
authentic Turkish baths, built in the 16th century when the Ottoman
Empire occupied much of the region.
Almost unchanged since that time, the central thermal bath is
dominated by an octagonal pool under a dome spanning 10m, which is
supported by eight columns and surrounded by a barrel-vaulted
corridor. The central pool, which is, thankfully, dimly lit, thus
making it harder to see the G-strings worn here, is surrounded by
corner pools of varying temperatures.
Inexperienced bathers will find it difficult to follow the
expected route from hot to cold pools, followed by a steam bath or
sauna and a dip into the plunge pool.
Fortunately, however, this alternation between scalding and
freezing pools is not mandatory and you can choose to lie back and
stare up at the little piece of history that is the dome. This bath
was a favourite of Budapest bathers before it closed for renovation,
and numbers are now slowly building up again.
Many people go on a Friday, when it is open from 10pm to 4am the
next day, and it is the perfect way to unwind and ease into the
weekend.
During the renovation, many hidden treasures were unearthed. Some
of these finds, such as the water pipes from the Ottoman period, are
exhibited behind glass walls. The other well-known bath is the
Gellert. Although the Gellert does not offer quite as pleasant a
bathing experience as Szechenyi and Rudas, it makes up for it with a
wonderfully grand interior.
The bath is attached to the
Gellert hotel in an Art Nouveau building, and boasts Roman
statues and stained-glass windows.
The ticketing system is complex and many complain about the
unfriendly staff, but it's well worth a visit, if only to wallow in
the opulence.
Some bizarre treatments are available, and those who don't fancy
being pummelled half to death by a stony-faced masseur can endure
galvanisation and carbon-acid tubs, among other things.
|
