The spas of Budapest have been famous since the times of Hadrian, the great Roman emperor. However, the Celts were the first to name the vast network of thermal waters in this major Hungarian city, calling them “Ak-ink” which means water.

The Roman settlement of the province of Pannonia was well known in ancient times. Many centuries later, the advent of the Ottoman Empire (1541-1686) produced the infrastructure that caused Budapest to earn the title “Spa Capital of the World” in 1934, or in Hungarian “Budapest fürdőváros.”

The city has an incredible network of 118 streams of water that flow with temperatures that range from 21 to 78 degrees Celsius. If you are looking for apartments in Budapest, you must treat yourself to a tour of these historical spas.

The thermal springs are famous for their medicinal properties, so for many Hungarians it is common to view the medical spas as something for senior citizens. Don’t let this attitude discourage you, between the history and the architectural beauty of these baths, they really should figure in the itinerary of any visitor to Budapest.

Among the most famous spas, we’d like to mention a few of our favourites: Gellért (Gellért Furdo), Széchenyi (Széchenyi Furdo), Lukacs (Lukács Furdo), Rudas (Rudas Furdo), Király (Király Furdo) and RAC (Rác Furdo.) These waters are not only used for therapeutic bathing and recreation; some recommend their ingestion for medicinal purposes.

There are bars where people go to drink water from these springs. I would suggest that you dear readers to venture into this business with the proverbial grain of salt, honestly I think natural thermal baths are beneficial for the body; any other use of their waters is at the discretion of visitors.

The spa “Rác Furdo” is one of the oldest Turkish baths, famous for its octagonal room and its respective dome. In Budapest�s tourist office you can find complete information about the schedules and prices of these spas. Make sure you visit and enjoy these wonderful jewels of this Eastern Europe city.

“U.S.” are two letters that Zeno Cosini wrote constantly – the main character of “La coscienza di Zeno“, an Italian novel by the Italian writer Svevo. What does U.S. mean exactly? Translated from Italian, “Último Cigarrillo” or the last cigarette, Zeno Cosini lied to himself with the belief that the cigarette he was about to smoke would really be the last one. Do you want to be like Zeno or do you definitely want to stop this habit?

Today, the pharmaceutical science can help us to give up smoking. Obviously it depends on how much you used to smoke. If you smoke more than a pack per day it will be a little more difficult. And if you have smokers around you it will also be more complicated. But maybe you can convince your partner or one of your friends to give up smoking together because you can derive more strength in numbers.

It would be helpful if you analyze which are the reasons for smoking and then analyzing the benefits you could have if you stop. Everyone knows that smoking is a very unhealthy addiction and it increases the chances of getting cancer, cardiovascular problems and premature aging of the skin. The Bodies exhibition, which attracted so much controversy and made us see in detail the human body, also showed us how the lungs of a smoker are.

It seems that all these negative thoughts and clear evidence about how bad the smoke is, are useless if the pleasure of smoking cigarettes is such that without them you think your life would not be the same. Therefore, why not try to think about how not smoking could further improve your life and what other new pleasures you could try. It may seem absurd, but the first advantage is being able to breathe easier and reduce the complications of a simple cough and if you practice a sport, you’ll improve your performance and get fit at the same time. What about your breath? You can forget the embarrassment of bad breath and save on chewing gum. Do you like a white or a yellowish smile? You’ll also save a lot of money by not smoking!

There are several techniques to help you stop smoking: nicotine patches, nicotine chewing gums, even hypnosis! But it should all be a gradual process. The best thing is to consult an expert that can help you to stop your addiction. You should also dedicate some time to do some activities that can distract you and that are not linked to the ritual of smoking. Go for a walk every day! In the mid-morning break look through a magazine instead of smoking. And it is better to go to the cinema than to go partying.

It goes without saying that a change in your everyday life would also be a very good idea. Why don’t you go for a trip? Budapest is the perfect city. It is famous for its spas and thermal baths. For a relaxing vacation, rent Apartments in Budapest and leave your cigarettes at home.

Vampires are in vogue, thanks to the popular ‘Twilight’ series, the TV show ‘True Blood’ and movies like ‘Jennifer’s Body’ with Megan Fox. Thousands of teenage girls dream about being bitten by Eduard Cullen, but the modern image of the vampire has nothing to do with old legends. A vampire was an un-dead, a bloodthirsty dangerous creature that had nothing to do with romantic love stories!

Stories about creatures who feed on human blood are as old as mankind itself. Especially in the Slavic culture, we find a lot of myths relating to vampires. Long before Bram Stoker wrote his famous work ‘Dracula’, the people of Eastern Europe already feared the ‘Upyr’ or ‘Moroi’. There are reports of people being bitten by giant bats, and the dead rising from their graves. Not so surprising, they didn’t have too much medical knowledge about the human body and if you didn’t breathe you were considered dead. Also, these ‘dead’ were buried as soon as possible out of fear of diseases. And more than once these victims turned out to be still alive and kicking!

There existed real vampire hunters, who opened up the graves if people suspected vampirism. Often they found corpses with fresh blood on them, whose hair and nails didn’t stop growing. This was seen as a clear sign of vampirism, thus a stake was hammered through the heart and sometimes the body was burned. The explanation is simple: people who were buried alive and woke up in a coffin, tried by all means to dig themselves out. Sometimes it could take quite some time before they actually died, and only a few were lucky enough to ‘rise’ from their grave (only to be murdered by a vampire hunter).

In Serbia for example, there was a true mass hysteria after the death of a certain Arnold Paole. He claimed to have been bitten on a trip through Kosovo, but he said he cured himself by eating the earth from the vampire’s grave. But after his death (he fell off a hay wagon and broke his neck), some villagers died in suspicious circumstances. They opened up his graved and pierced his heart, which began to bleed. Later they burned the corpse.

Then there is also the story of the Hungarian countess Elisabeth Báthory, remembered as the ‘Blood Countess’, who was the biggest serial killer in history. She lived in the 16th century and supposedly killed more then 500 young girls. She derived pleasure from torturing them, but her main goal was to bathe in their blood. The countess believed this would preserve her youth and beauty.

Do you believe in vampires? Without doubt, the truth is to be found in the Slavic culture. Travel to Hungary, maybe there you will find the answers you are looking for. Rent the most mysterious apartments in Budapest, and please don’t forget to bring your stake and crucifix, just in case!

Do you remember the first day of your life ? What a silly question… But it can be very useful to know what kind of energy surrounded you when you were inside your mother’s belly. Those 9 months are the basis of a fantastic new therapy, called ‘Metamorphe Massage’. Are you sure you know your body inside out ? From the nails of your toes to your longest hair ? Don’t be too sure about that, because during a session of prenatal massage, you learn a lot about yourself and your energy flow is restored. It consists of a soft and intuitive touch of your head, hands and feet. It reveals who we are, not only our memories but also our possibilities.

People are not exactly fond of feet, and even less the feet of someone else. But did you know that, just like hand reading you can also read feet ? An extremely curved foot indicates a restless soul, an adventurer. And if the sole of your foot is very flat, you’re a down-to-earth person. These are not just simplistic conclusions, we must also take into account the position of the toes, the nails, calluses and corns, the skin and blood circulation etc.

‘It is really spectacular, after the massage my energy levels were higher than ever before and I obtain peace and harmany with my body. I advise everyone to try it, the price is almost ridiculously low. Many thanks to the professional who helped us’ commented a fan on a Spanish forum. Are you curious yet? Try it yourself ! With this therapy you can find out how those 9 months in the uterus have influenced you, and made you into the person you are today. This can even happen while you sleep, without making physical contact with the body.

The metamorphic technique has its origin in the United States in the 60s, and came to Europe in the 70s and is still evolving today. Formerly it was called the “Prenatal Structure“, but since it has undergone significant changes over the years, the inventor himself, Robert St. John, insisted on the use of the new term �Metamorphic Massage’. Depending on your condition and your needs, you will find peace, serenity, innocence and love, and because the energy paths are cleared you are more resistant to diseases and you generally feel better.

Would you like to be in perfect harmony with your body? Cleanse your body and your mind. You can share this incredible experience with your friends or partner so why not take a trip to Budapest, the world capital of spas and resorts. Rent the best apartments in Budapest and experience the first day of your life again.

Budapest for the curious

The amazing city of Budapest is known for its extraordinary beauty and its wonderful and relaxing spas. Many people have no idea about them, but there are places of extraordinary natural beauty, beautiful underground spaces and mysterious and enigmatic places: the enigmatic caves of Budapest.

The first caves you should visit were formed many thousands of years ago thanks to the hot springs. Among the 200 caves of Budapest only four can now be visited. But all of them are special, because they have cold temperatures in summer and strange morphologies. The temperature is around 14 degrees and the humidity around 90%. Below the castle of Buda the caves extend about 10 kilometres. These caves were used by prehistoric men in order to hide from enemies and as a reserve for food.

When they found the cellars of the castle they found that there was a labyrinth there. This amazing series of tunnels and caves are part of the ten most popular places of cultural interest in Budapest, regarded as one of the seven underground wonders. About 4,000 square metres called “Labyrinth” can be visited today. The visiting hours are from 9:30 to 19:30.

One of the most special caves is that of Monte Gerardo which is also known as the Szent Iván cave which has its entrance 20 metres above the water level of the Danube. In 1925/26 new galleries were created as a result of some explosions.

The Pàlvölgyi cave is the second biggest in Hungary, around 14 kilometres long that was discovered accidentally. The cave is famous for its stalagmites, its enormous halls and all the amazing paths that are created thanks to the thermal water. Taking the tourist route along 500 metres it is possible to see a great quantity of curiosities: fabulous stalagmites, strange rocks and a constant temperature throughout the year of 11°C.

At the end of our journey we’ll find the strange subterranean Szemlôhegy cave. This was accidentally discovered in 1930 during an excavation. After years of work, it was opened to the public around 1986. Nowadays only 300 metres of the original route can be visited, which is illuminated. Children feel very drawn by the curves in the form of animals as well as the shapes in the room called “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Since 1990 sick people go there to heal themselves through the purity of the air, since it makes you seem you�re high up in the mountains. The humidity is around 100%, which is very good for the health. The dust content in the air is minimal.

What do you think? Is it curious? This cosmopolitan city offers you special things to see and to do. Summer is approaching, what are you waiting for? Rent your apartments in Budapest and live fantastic adventures in the dark caves.

Budapest is a lively city and starting with its busy airport it is a place of great emotion and beauty that attracts many tourists from all around the world. It has about two million inhabitants, and the main attraction points are all to be found in the centre.

Budapest was named “The Pearl of the Danube” because of its high buildings and of the magnificence of its numerous bridges.

It is divided in two parts by the Danube River: on one hand you will find the Buda side and on the other the Pest side. Buda is the old town, its buildings are all a little decadent, but it preserves a great charm. Pest is the new modern part, with its elegant streets, its shops and its fashionable cafés; everything looks like a big city from the beginning of the 20st century (around 1900). The best way to start your journey is to go to Buda taking the lovely funicular that goes up the hill to the neighborhood of the fortress, one of the most romantic districts of the capital. From this height you will enjoy a fantastic scenic view over the Danube and the whole city. A little further south is the Royal Palace, which includes the National Gallery where the major Hungarian pieces of art can be found.

Budapest is also known for its spas and its many hot springs, which date back to the Roman times. The most important one is in the Gellert Hotel, built in Liberty style, with its rooms covered with mosaics (symbol of the city). However, if you want to enjoy the atmosphere of a Turkish bath, we suggest you to go to the Kiraly baths, dating back from the mid 1500’s!

Another interesting itinerary includes the famous Pastry Shop Gerbeaud, furnished with original furniture from the eighteenth century. It is the oldest and most famous pastry shop in town. On a sunny day you must sit in the sunny terrace and enjoy the concerts and acts performed in the street.

Budapest has a lot of nightclubs, bars and clubs for all tastes: from the most characteristic such as pubs and taverns to quirky bistros where you can drink the best beers, or taste the delicious Hungarian cuisine. In addition, there are discos and nightclubs for house music lovers. You can for instance visit the Bahnhof, a large and popular disco for both locals and tourists.

Travel to Budapest! Rent Apartments in Budapest and visit all its monuments and great buildings. Your vacation is waiting for you!

Budapest acquired the title of “Spa City” in 1934 due to the large number of thermal and curative waters and springs it has: 118 wells and springs which gush 70 million litres of water per day at temperatures between 21 and 80 ° C. The concentration of minerals and elements of these healing waters is perfect for healing ailments.

Budapest baths date back to Roman times, but it was not until the twentieth century when they became popular for treatment of diseases. During the Turkish period (from 1541 to 1686) there were important spas constructed that continue still today.

But the Budapest spas are not just wellness centres. Some of them organize aquatic night parties called “Cinetrip Parties” or “Magic Baths”, where hundreds of young people dance and listen to the best music inside the swimming pools. This way, the spas are turned into spectacular nightclubs full of lights, screens and gogo dancers.

Aside from these parties, most of the public baths are not mixed. Many of them reserve a few days for men and then a few days for women, although there are also some spas in which both sexes can be mixed.

The most famous Budapest Spa Resorts

Gellért Spa (District 4. Kelenhegyi Street, 4)

Timetable: weekdays: from 6.00 to 19.00, weekends: from 6.00 to 17.00

This is one of the oldest and most beautiful spas of Budapest thanks to its spectacular marble columns, its colourful Zsolnay mosaics, its statues, its beautiful stained glass windows and it modernist furniture although the star of the centre is a 700m square atrium with a beautiful glass roof. The spa (located inside the Gellért hotel) has 9 therapeutic pools, an outdoor wave pool, a thermal water pool, a children�s pool and a covered effervescent pool. It also has a sauna and massage services. The composition of its waters includes calcium, magnesium, sulphates and other minerals. There are some references to the use of medicinal waters of Gellért since medieval times, but it was not until 1918 that this construction was completed.
Széchenyi Spa (District 14. Állatkerti Avenue, 11)
Timetable: weekdays from 6.00 to 22.00
This is one of the largest spas in Europe thanks to its 15 pools, 3 large outdoor pools and 12 small covered pools. It was inaugurated in 1913 and it is of Neogothic style. Besides the pools, this resort has some Turkish baths, saunas, massage service and diving pools. One of the main attractions are the chess matches that are disputed in the warmer outdoor pool (37 ° C), where tourists and locals challenge each other to games and spend a pleasant time.

Budapest has much to offer besides being a spa city; Budapest is the jewel of Hungary. Discover why! Rent Apartments in Budapest and enjoy a great Budapest spa weekend or even a Budapest spa holiday – the choice is yours!