You are spoilt for choice when it comes to visiting a spa in Budapest. On both sides of the river that winds its way through the city you can find yourself in hot and healing waters.
The Gellert Baths though are revered by many and their grandeur means they are the most iconic in the city. The image that stands out for me though is not the still blue waters flagged by magnificent pillars, but that of the outdoor pool and it's wave machine.
The turbines that drive this gear up every hour and their force is one unrivaled in any "no bombing, no ducking" swimming pool. A classic example of their power was seen in Micheal Palin's New Europe series when he is standing in the shallows of the pool doing a piece to camera and he is literally floored by the wave that comes his way. You barely have enough time to stand up before the next wave comes crashing in. Great fun!
Where the Gellert Baths rule supreme though is in mid-August when thousands of people descend on Budapest to enjoy the Sziget Festival. This isn't a weekend affair, but a week of camping on Sziget Island in the middle of the Danube and enjoying music and entertainment on twenty stages. Festival-goers might be able to get away with not showering for a few days, but when you're camping for a week and the shower queues as they always are at festivals, the Gellert is the best way to spend your day before the bands start.

www.gellertbath.com/
H-1118 Budapest, Kelenhegyi út 4
+(36-1) 466-6166
Google map: bit.ly/e3HW1w
www.sziget.hu/festival_english

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