Hälsobad budapest
Hälsobad, s.k. Co-founder of the Hungarian cult skincare line Omorovicza, Margaret de Heinrich shares her favourite thermal baths in Budapest, from the spectacular Széchenyi to the glam Gellért. Glamorous Budapest may be split in two by the Danube River, but it's forever united by its love for thermal spas. Landlocked Hungary boasts more than 1, thermal springs; there are fonts in Budapest alone, earning it the nickname "City of Spas".
But for Hungarians, the notion of a "spa" goes deeper than mere facials; Hungarian spring water is rich in minerals like zinc and magnesium and has been used by doctors to treat skin ailments for more than 2, years. Today, Hungarian thermal baths offer medical treatments and lush spa services, and are beloved for their spectacular architecture and invigorating indoor and outdoor pools. People go there for meetings.
It's not the exception. Everyone goes to the thermal baths. Budapest's baths are found in both the stately Buda and lively Pest sides of the city , and it's possible to trace Budapest's history through their architecture — from 16th-Century Turkish inlaid tiles to Habsburg Baroque frills to bold geometric Secession Art Nouveau flourishes. You've got the frescoes everywhere and the waters are so hot the steam can kind of take your breath away.
Best all-around: Rudas Thermal Bath. De Heinrich loves many of Budapest's thermal baths but said, "If I were to give you one, it would be the Rudas. It's a bit of a meditation. I love it because you feel so invigorated when you come out. De Heinrich likes to go at before it gets crowded and, following the "go little and often" rule, takes just a quick minute dip. When you get into these thermal baths because of the heat and the amount of time your skin is exposed, the minerals are absorbed, and the benefits are realised.
When you get out that water is going to evaporate, and the minerals are going to be drawn back to the surface of the skin. Swimsuits are commonly worn in Hungarian baths, and flip-flops and a Turkish towel are always part of de Heinrich's kit. I don't take a shower. I prefer to keep the waters on. The Rudas is also de Heinrich's pick for a girl's night: "I would go there in the evening before you go out," she said.
They've got a pool on the rooftop where you can drink Champagne. Rudas Thermal Bath's services include massages, medical-grade pedicures and clinical facilities like medical pools and tubs.
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It is also Budapest's only gender-separated bathing experience — men on Mondays, Wednesday, Thursdays and Fridays; women on Tuesdays. Bathing is mixed on the weekends. Address: Döbrentei tér 9, Budapest. Best outdoor thermal pool: Széchenyi Thermal Bath. Hungary's outdoor thermal baths are pure joy — a sea of happy, healthy merfolk — and de Heinrich's pick for the best outdoor pool in Budapest is the Széchenyi Thermal Bath.
The hot spring temperatures range from a brisk 64F [18C] to a scalding F [40C]. The Széchenyi Thermal Bath is located in Pest's lush City Park and is one of the largest spa complexes in Europe, boasting a whopping 18 thermal pools. It was built in in the Neo Baroque style and its thermal water source was unleashed by renowned Hungarian geothermal expert Vilmos Zsigmondy.
Margaret de Heinrich was introduced to Hungarian spa culture when her future husband took her on a date to his family's historic bathhouse, the Ottoman-era Rácz Fürdő closed since ; slated for a grand reopening in Budapest's spas are a common site for dates, said de Heinrich. It's not for everyone… but I think it's a pretty cool thing. For de Heinrich, the aesthetic and curative treatments are one of the Széchenyi's major draws.
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The pampering continues in the Dayspalm "exclusive relaxing area" where guests can sip cocktails. But for those seeking a livelier bath experience, the Széchenyi hosts "Beerspa" bathing sessions and "Sparty" nights set to an electronic dance music soundtrack. Address: Állatkerti körút , Budapest. Instagram: szechenyithermalbath. Best interior design: Gellért Thermal Bath. The sumptuously ornate Gellért Thermal Bath and Hotel in Buda is perhaps the most popular of Budapest's spas — and de Heinrich's favourite example of luxe Hungarian spa interiors.
Those wonderful mosaics… It's just spectacular on the inside. Built between and in the Secession Art Nouveau style, the Gellért's exquisitely tiled indoor and outdoor thermal pools, mosaic-covered arches and majestic carved columns are undeniably jaw-dropping. And when you tear yourself away from ogling the architecture, the spa offers Finnish sauna and luxurious massage services. De Heinrich likes visiting the Gellért with her family.