Hungary is known, most importantly, for the Rubik’s cube, but also its delicious paprika and more recently its surge towards rightwing populism led by Victor Orbán.
One of the other things Hungary is most known for is its thermal baths. Hungary really is the land of thermal spas with over 1300 and over 123 in Budapest alone.
I’ve been lucky enough to visit multiple thermal baths on the two occasions I’ve been to Budapest.
The first was back in 2008 as part of my European Interrailing adventure. Budapest was one of the places I most wanted to visit as back then it still had this ex-Soviet Eastern European allure. Or at least to my 21-year-old self it did.
Enjoying €1 beers that we could barely afford
My first visit to Budapest was marked with a day visit to Sziget Festival after an almost complete night’s lack of sleep owing to a sleeper train from Prague where my friend had her flip-phone stolen. Miraculously they opted to leave her euros and passport, but just swipe the budget mobile.
Sziget was immense, sweaty and in all honesty mind-blowing. We spent all day in the mosh and saw The Killers, Pete Doherty and the Hungarian band Tankcsapda.
Exploring Budapest in 2008
…and in 2017
My more recent visit to Budapest was back in 2017. In fact, it was our last weekend break before moving to Denmark. I remember walking along the street with my hands half-freezing looking at jobs in Copenhagen on my phone.
We did manage to squeeze in a few visits to some of Budapest’s impressive thermal baths though. Gellert would be my pick.
Potato rosti from a street vendor in Budapest
Street goulash
We also checked out some of Budapest’s ruin bars such as Fogasház and Szimpla Kert. Unlike our first visit though, we could afford to eat in restaurants. My personal favourite was Belvárosi Disznótoros which serves excellent (and inexpensive) Hungarian barbecue. I would definitely return.
On that note, I could really go for a cold Kozel.
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