The top Budapest attractions β best thermal baths and the must see sights. Lots of ideas to add to your own Budapest itinerary. Or check out our suggested 2 days in Budapest itinerary at the bottom of this page. In they merged to form Budapest β the capital city of Hungary. In more modern times between β Budapest was under the rule of the Austria-Hungary Empire.
You can still see scars from bullet holes on buildings of this period. In the iron curtain dropped and Hungary became a democratic republic. In Budapest the communist legacy can still be seen on the streets through the cars. We saw a few parked Trabant cars and a couple of old Barkas minibuses. Some companies offer sightseeing tours using these vehicles. Signs of the past β a Trabant car.
Budapest was once under the rule of the communist Soviet Union for 40 years. They built huge baths to enjoy the natural thermal springs, today only the ruins remain which you can see at the old Roman fortress β Thermae Maiores now the Aquincum Museum. Bathing is a daily part of life in Budapest and is a social affair.
Locals regularly bathe in the mineral rich waters to sooth their ailments. Apparently the water is really good for arthritis and joint illnesses. We enjoyed relaxing in the hot water looking at all the glorious architecture around us. One of the highlights was watching people play games of chess waist high in the water. Garth loved the water jets used to massage your neck and the spiral whirlpool. Whist Phil went for a personal massage and was pummelled to within an inch of his life.
The bubbling hot spring water is rich in minerals like sodium, calcium and magnesium. We loved this place, it oozes sophistication and is just gorgeous with all the Art Nouveau tiles, sculptures and mosaic walls, it really is an Art Nouveau palace. We were lucky and it was really quiet so we had the pool virtually to ourselves which made it feel more like a spa experience. The water contains calcium, sulphates and chlorides which is said to heal and soothe your body.
