Bucket list experience:
Budapest, Central Hungary, Hungary
Budapest’s bathing culture is a legacy of the 16th-century Turkish occupation, and the wealth of hot springs bubbling up from under the city. A visit here vividly demonstrates how important thermal baths are in Hungarian culture and recreation.
For the quintessential Budapest bath experience, head to the most splendid spa in the city (and the biggest spa in Europe) – the century-old Szechenyi Baths. This sprawling spa complex contains a host of baths and pools, from steam baths and artesian water baths inside, to swimming pools outside. During summer, the outside area doubles as a beach, attracting everyone from bathing beauties to old men playing chess.
Entrance is on a day-by-day basis and massages or spa treatments can be booked on arrival. Pack a towel as well as a swimsuit, as towel hire is extra. If it is an impulse visit, you can hire both towel and trunks at the ticket office. See the Spa Budapest website for a list of other spa venues.
The baths are open all year round, seven days a week.
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Budapest, Central Hungary, Hungary[3 miles]
The spectacular ‘house of the nation’, completed in 1904, is the largest building in Hungary. It’s rumoured to include 40 million bricks, half a million precious stones and 40kg of gold.
Best for ages: 18+ | £15
Budapest, Central Hungary, Hungary[4.1 miles]
Perched on a limestone plateau overlooking Budapest and the Danube, this magnificent 19th-century castle has been the seat of Hungarian royalty since the 13th century. There are intriguing remnants of the original medieval castle but in the main, this is a fairy-tale Royal Palace built in neo-Renaissance and neo-Baroque style.
Best for ages: 6+ | £3
