Page 57 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Budapest

BUD APEST A T A GLANCE  55

older Danubius Grand Hotel
Margitsziget. In addition to
the usual range of baths and
pools, treatments include
manicure, pedicure and a
solarium. The late 1980s saw
the arrival of two new spa
hotels, the Danubius Health
Spa Resort Helia not far
from the Pest riverbank and,
on the Buda side, the Aquincum
Hotel. Both hotels offer a huge
range of fitness and wellness
facilities, including gym
equipment, pools, steam baths
and a sauna, as well as a wide Széchenyi Baths, the biggest bathing complex in Europe
variety of treatments.
outdoor pools, some thermal and
Swimming as Sport
The Healing Waters some for swimming, complete
Many Hungarians are excellent with water slides and wave
The citizens of Budapest swimmers, and the country machines. Just east of the Pest
are great believers in the has achieved great success river bank is the vast, modern
social, psychological and in competitive water Dagály Strand complex.
medical benefits of the sports. In addition to Built after World War II, it
thermal baths. Office Budapest’s many includes 12 pools, with
workers will often visit the recreational pools, sports space for up to 12,000 people.
public baths as early as 6am, pools include the Hajós Dagály Strand will remain
to prepare for the day. Others Olympic Pool complex on closed in 2017 while it
like to visit at the end of Margaret Island. The hosts the World Aqua tics
the day, at 6pm, to relax,
recharge and work up an complex consists of three Championships. Others
appetite. Most of the baths sports pools, two outdoor, worth visiting include
employ staff who can including one at full Római Strand in Óbuda in
offer advice on the most Olympic size, and one the north of the city. Three
appropriate pools and special indoor. The pools are pools have been carefully
treatments for a particular used for professional rebuilt here, on the site
ailment. The warm, mineral- training, but are also of some Roman baths,
rich spa waters are extremely open to the public. Sculpture at together with a not-so-
good for general relaxation. Together with the the Római Strand Roman water chute. To
They can also be helpful in Komjádi Béla Swimming the north of the city at
the relief of a number of Stadium on Árpád Fejedelem Csillaghegy on the hév suburban
specific complaints, including útja, the Hajós Olympic Pool train line, Csillaghegy Strand
post-traumatic stress, joint is the place to go to see consists of three pools set in
and muscle damage, professional swim ming, picturesque grounds.
rheumatism and menstrual diving or water polo.
pain. Prices vary greatly at
Budapest’s public baths and Where to Find the
are no longer subsidised. A Day at the Strand Baths and Pools
Admission is usually around
3,000–6,000 forints, and a Designed as a complete bathing Aquincum Hotel p187
15-minute massage costs day out, the strands of Budapest Danubius Grand Hotel
about the same. All baths are a phenomenon not to be Margitsziget p177
employ expert masseurs. missed. The presence of about a Danubius Health Spa Resort Helia
dozen strands in the city testifies p188
to their popularity. Outdoor Danubius Health Spa Resort
swim ming and thermal pools are Margitszieget p177, p188
surrounded by grassy sun-bathing Gellért Hotel and Baths Complex
areas. Outdoor fitness facilities, pp94–5
tennis courts plus ping-pong and Hajós Olympic Pool p176
pool tables offer a change from Király Baths p105
the water, while ice creams, beers Lukács Baths p105
and hot dogs add to the Palatinus Strand p176
An ornamental tap, typical of the summer-holiday atmosphere. Rudas Baths p97
architectural detail found in The lovely Palatinus Strand, Széchenyi Baths p155
Budapest’s historic baths set in a large area of parkland Veli Bej Baths p105
on Margaret Island, boasts ten

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