Spa towns
Hungary is afloat on a rich reservoir of thermal water that breaks the surface through thousands of springs, and the Balaton region has more than its fair share of them. If you’re feeling stressed, have nagging aches or just fancy a lick of luxury to your bathing, this is the place to be. Furthermore, you don't need to come in summer – spa holidays can be taken all year round, and make a wonderfully different winter break. As well as enjoying a warming soak, you can also take advantage of a wide range of cheaply priced health and beauty treatments – from massages and mudpacks to physiotherapy and dental work. Put yourself in the hands of the qualified experts, and allow them to soothe your body and mind.
The spa town of Hévíz is nestled on the world’s second-largest thermal lake. The lake is open all year – the mineral-rich water rarely drops below 26ºC in temperature – and in winter you can wallow snugly as the steam rises from the surface. The thermal centres at Kehidakustány and Zalakaros are also open whatever the season, and are suitable for the whole family. Parents can indulge in treatments while the kids splash about in the ‘fun bath’. Zalakaros is recommended for the relief of arthritis thanks to a combination of medicinal baths and generations of expertise.
All these thermal complexes are well provided with spa hotels offering ‘wellness’ packages, and you’ll also find such hotels at Siófok, Balatonfüred, Bük and Tapolca – the latter perched above a deep cave whose humid air has long been known to alleviate asthma. So why not treat yourself? For a few pounds, you can feel a million dollars – and bathe away those winter blues!
