Nestled in Central Eastern Europe lie Hungary's best kept secrets. The country boasts of the world's best spas, thermal baths and hot springs, thanks to it's mineral-rich purifying thermal waters. Anjum Dhir Kulkarni guides you on 6 ways to spoil yourself silly here
The capital houses some luxurious wellness centres. Along with therapeutic treatments for aches, pains and stress, weight loss programmes including underwater massages and gymnastics are popular. Szechenyi baths, Gellert baths, Rudas baths and the Kempinski spa are the places to be. Soak up the powers and pleasures of the mineral waters in the 400 years old Turkish bath Kiraly Furdo. Margaret Island, a beautiful recreational park on the Danube River, is famous for the luxurious Danubias Thermal Hotel and the glorious 100 year’s old Ramada Grand Hotel. It’s no wonder then that you find a cure for everything from circulation to fractures in this city!
Step out of Budapest and visit the cave-spa in the northeast, in Tapolca for a one-in-a-million experience. Once in the countryside, you have to spend time at the Hévíz Lake with its 47,500 square metres of hot (33°C) medicinal water. The lake is fed by a thermal spring supplying it 20,000 litres of water every minute, ensuring that the lake water is renewed within every 72 hours! Now that really is a new standard in luxury! The mud covering the bottom of the lake is especially curative. The forested parks and the clean air coupled with the friendly locals make this a truly unforgettable experience.
This is what Lake Balaton, the great Hungarian fresh-water lake, is called. Lake Hé víz is located near the western end of the Balaton. The mountainous area of the northern shore is a major wine region, while the flat southern shore is known for its resort towns, many of which have artificial sandy beaches with step access to the water. Here you can sail, fish and indulge in other water sports, cycle or walk through the countryside and party the night away in the clubs dotting the lakeside. A visit to top vineyards and cellars in the north for some wine tasting can also be thrown in!
4. Beautiful Budapest
Once back in the capital, spend your days visiting many of the city’s architectural marvels. Going up to Buda Castle on Castle Hill by the funicular cable railway at an incline of 48% is great fun! While in the Castle District- a world heritage site, visit the 100 years old Fishermen’s Bastion for a panoramic view of Budapest and Danube. Check out the Millennium Monument in the Hero’s Square, built for the 1000th birthday of Hungary. Matthias Church, the art museums, The Hungarian House of Wines and Cafe Ruszwurm shouldn’t be missed either. Across the river lies the Parliament of Hungary, famous for its size - nearly 18000 square metres - and for its splendour. It is the most expensive building ever built in Hungary. You simply have to pay it a visit!
From 22 wine regions of Hungary come 700 different Hungarian wines. Some are world famous e.g. Tokai and Egri Bikavér and some you can discover! Hungarians often enjoy their wine with a mix of soda-water, making a drink called “frÖccs”. Try one of the 21 brands of Hungarian mineral water; some of them have therapeutic value, like Mira or Borszé ki. Get in a riverboat and sample some fine wine while enjoying the night-lit world heritage view of the two sides of the Danube. Another must taste is delicious Goulash soup and various stews brewed with paprika, widely grown in Hungary and added to almost every Hungarian dish. Also try popular street food - Lángos, a sort of salty fried dough, usually served with sour cream and grated cheese. Indulge!
Central Market Hall in Budapest offers a great rustic market experience in a beautiful building. You can buy organic vegetables, home-made andouille sausages, salamis, pastries, paprika and Hungarian spirits like Zwack Unicum. It is a great place for buying handmade Hungarian folk art souvenirs like embroidered pillowcases, dresses, dolls dressed in Hungarian folklore costumes, pottery and porcelain. Herend and Zsolnay porcelains make exclusive gifts. You also find folklore shops in Pest’s chic shopping district, Vaci Street. Andrassy Avenue is a place of famous designer shops and exclusive gift shops. The best antique shops in Budapest are in Falk Miksa Street.
As if all this was not enough to entice you to visit Hungary, the people are very friendly and the country is quite safe even at night. Bless yourself with the spa holiday of a lifetime and be treated like royalty in Budapest and beyond.
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