Budapest isn’t just a capital—it’s a spa city built atop 125 thermal springs, earning it the title “City of Baths”. The crown jewel? Széchenyi Baths, Europe’s largest thermal complex, where 18 pools bubble with mineral-rich waters that have been soothing souls for millennia.
The Romans started it all, building the first spas in Aquincum (modern-day Óbuda). Then came the Turks, gifting Budapest its iconic Rudas Baths in the 16th century. Fast-forward to 1909, when architect Győző Czigler designed the stunning Széchenyi Baths, blending Neo-Baroque grandeur with healing waters. Today, these same pools host thumping “Sparties”—where laser lights and DJ beats transform ancient traditions into 21st-century nightlife.
Hungary’s thermal waters are nature’s medicine cabinet. The Hévíz Lake, Europe’s largest thermal lake, has been treating arthritis since the 1700s. Even UNESCO agrees—Budapest’s spa culture is now protected as intangible heritage.
