Problems with the famous Hungarian thermal baths

Budapest has many fascinating sites, from neo-baroque pools where bathers can play chess to lavish art nouveau gems from the Ottoman era and oriental hammams.

But running the energy-intensive baths “costs 170% more than last year,” according to Edit Refi of Budapest Spas, which manages the city’s thermal baths.

While most of the water comes from natural hot springs, large historic buildings can be expensive to maintain and keep warm.

“It’s a tough challenge,” he sighs, adding that they’ll have to raise ticket prices, cut opening hours and close outdoor pools.

Prices at Budapest’s historic bathhouses, such as the Gellert, have been hiked “by more than 30 percent,” Refi says, including Chechen Spa, famous for its “party” events.

Ferencissa/AFP

Problems with the famous Hungarian thermal baths

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *