The Baths

The Szechenyi Baths located in the large city park on the Pest side of the city.  For approximately 18 dollars (3500 Ft) you get a locker and access to the various thermal springs on the property.  Three large outdoor baths line the courtyard, two warm and one cold.  The surrounding buildings house other baths of various temperatures, including rooms for wet and dry saunas.  

Baths are certainly part of the culture of the city, with many dotting the landscape.  Thermal springs have been part of Budapest since recorded history really, but much of the tradition seems to be credited from the Turks in the 16th and 17th centuries. The buildings of Szechenyi Baths are from 1913.  At Szechenyi Baths, men and women attend together and variety of ages are certainly present.  

Ben stated with a laugh that he prefers Rudas baths, mostly for the cultural experience of it all.  Admitting it surprised him a little, when he attended a male only night and was handed a white terry cloth loin cloth that was switched from front to back whether you were walking, bathing or sitting on a bench.  (I will let you figure the specifics out)

We donned our bathing suits, and I must admit I was deeply entertained.  It was not uncommon to see old men playing chess half in the pool half out, or women in shower caps lounging in the water.  The picture above is a whirlpool tub with jets that propel bathers round and round.