Gellert Baths

Sunday 16 November - After our whirlwind sightseeing tour of the previous day our weary bones were quite happy to go to Gellert to enjoy the baths. Budapest is well known for its baths and there are complexes around the city. We chose to go the baths at the Gellert hotel because they are renowned for their art nouveau splendor and because they had co-ed swimming. We made our way via metro to the river then crossed at the Elizabeth bridge to the Buda side and the Gellert district. We walked past the cave church and a number of ornate stone bus stops. When we finally made it to the Hotel is was typically amazing and ornate. However, it wasn't until we got inside to the bath complex that we were blown away. The Foyer had frescoed ceiling, mosaic tile floors, stained glass stained glass arcades, stone sculptures and a fountain. Our first stop was the swimming pool. The pool is co-ed with amazing carved pillars, marble walls, fountain spouts which constantly circulates the water and jets from the floor. Above the pool is a glass arcade which was partly retracted exposing the blue sky. After circulating in the pool we went to the warm bath to soak our muscles. After the communal pool we separated to the male and female thermal baths. In the thermal baths there were marble floors and tile mosaic walls with square skylights cut into the arched ceiling. There were two main baths, one 36 degrees and one 38 degrees. After soaking in these baths one goes to the cold, dunk bath to refresh, I also visited the steam room before going to have a massage. It was a perfect and absolutely luxurious way to relax.