What could be more civilised than playing chess, immersed up to your armpits in water of a steady 34 degrees, summer or winter, in a pool that looks something like the fountains of Versailles? Whether or not that sounds appealing to you it’s not something you can do just anywhere, but it happens every day of the year at the Szechenyi Baths in Budapest. Unlike other thermal baths in Budapest, the Szechenyi Baths have an open air section allowing for sun bathing.

The supply of water naturally heated to 38 degrees which fills these baths was discovered accidentally, but made very good use of, and there are now three pools in the baths, the other one is cooled to 27 degrees. Far from being a giant bath like the one in your house, the design of the baths, completed in 1913, is quite decorative and the outdoor ones especially look like lager versions of those pretty fountains in Italian squares. The indoor baths have more of the flavour of the municipal swimming baths, and that’s where you can find sauna and massage facilities as well.

The main complaint visitors seem to have here is getting inside – apparently the visitors entrance is round the back.

Monday through Friday the baths open at 6 and close at 7, but on the weekends the baths close at 4.

Szechenyi Baths Website.

Written by  World Reviewer Staff.

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