Page 235 - WDT MAGAZINE IRELAND ISSUE WINTER 2018

Day One

My first stop was the multi-level indoor mall adja-
cent to the hotel; it’s the largest shopping complex in
Budapest, with more than 300 shops and an expansive
international food court. I used my ATM card at the
mall to get a supply of Hungarian Forints. Hungary is
a part of the European Union, but it has not adopted
the Euro. I picked up a light snack from the food court
– knowing from experience that my jet-lagged body
wouldn’t want a full dinner later.
From there, I became a creature of habit – heading
immediately to a thermal spa. It’s a ritual I’ve adopted
to counteract the effects of long international flights.
Budapest claims it’s the spa capital of the world.
Visitors have soothed their bodies in thermal springs
here since the first century AD, when Roman legion-
naires soaked in more than a dozen different spas.
The culture flourished during Turkish occupation from
the mid-16th century through the 17th. Today about
a hundred natural thermal springs bubble beneath the
city – so I had plenty of spas to choose from.
Széchenyi Spa is the city’s largest, most popular pub-
lic bath – with something like 21 indoor and outdoor
pools. It has been the go-to spa on the Pest side since
1913. On the left (Buda) bank of the Danube, near the
Liberty Bridge, the Gellert Bath and Hotel is the city’s
ritziest soaking spot. Since 1918, it has been pamper-
ing guests in an art nouveau wonderland of stained
glass, mosaic covered terraces and marble balconies.
I opted for something much simpler. With guidance
from a Viking concierge, I chose a locals’ hangout: St.

The musical fountain on Margaret
Island has been around since the
1820s. It was completely renovat-
ed in 2013 and today is one of the
largest public fountains in Europe.

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