A Walk around Budapest VII district

One of the things I love most about Budapest is that to take in some culture or history you don’t necessarily have to go to a museum. Often just a simple walk will show you the past of the country and the cultural heritage.

One of the best places to take one of those walks is Budapest VII district. When I first visited it, just a tourist wandering around, I was struck by how old, bare and run down some of the streets in this district appeared to be.

There was something in the air though, a smell of past grandeur, of sufferance, of history, with all the good and bad aspects of it. I research the subject a bit and discovered that my impressions were right. Budapest VII district has indeed seen a lot of personal and national stories and events developing on its streets.

The area was home to the Jewish ghetto. According to Greatsynagogue.hu since November 1944. 55 000 people crowded into almost 300 houses with around 4500 apartments. By January 1945 this number grew to 70 000. Due to the extreme weather conditions, lack of supplies of food and medicine and the perpetrators’ terror many people lost their lives on the territory of the ghetto. Their bodies were left unburied on the streets and in the courtyard of the Dohany synagogue. Some very strong and moving pictures can be found here.

Photo Credit

Today in the VII district you find several synagogues, including the Great Synagogue, which the second largest in the world. But as the area has developed further, you also find a large number of restaurants, bars, clubs and music venues. The contrast between old and new, history and modernity is really unique.

Whether you’re visiting in cold months, when the dark wintery streets have an atmosphere of their own, or in hot months, when you rather spend some time outdoor, make sure you visit this special district, wander around its streets and take in some history.

Photo of the week: Hungarian Fried Apples

Proving that in Hungary, ANYTHING can be fried

Hungarian Baths for Dummies

I had a friend of mine visiting recently, and we decided to go to one of the baths in Budapest. Being the first time for him to a bath my friend had a lot of questions for me, like: “Do I need to bring a towel?” or “Can I get changed there?”. I then remembered that I had the very same questions for my friends who brought me to a bath for the first time.

So in case you’re visiting Hungary and you’ve never been to one of its bath before, here’s the Hungarian Baths for Dummies guide, a list of answers to most common questions. And if you have any other question feel free to ask leaving a comment below.

Can i get changed there?

Absolutely. All baths offer a changing room where you can put your costume on, leave your personal belongings and then lock. Some baths would have a changing room that you cannot lock, but then offer storage cabinets. Just make sure to fix the key of the room or cabinet in a way that you won’t lose it. The most common option is to tie your key with a knot to your costume.

Do I need to bring my costume?

Of course. But in case you forget it (unlikely I know, but it happened to me once) you can even rent or buy one there.

Do I need to bring a towel?

The choice is all yours. In case you don’t want to carry a towel with you (and a wet towel back) you can rent one there for a little extra.

How about flip-flops/thongs?

You could walk barefoot most of the time, but for hygienic reasons, and because some surfaces are slippery or rough it’s a good idea to bring a pair.

Is it true you are completely naked and there’s a male and female section?

Most baths are like public swimming pools, so you wear your costume and mingle with the crowd. But when there are separate sections it’s clearly indicated (see also how to choose the right bath below)

Do I need to be able to swim?

This was one of the questions that worried me most (as you can guess I can barely stay afloat). The good news is that most thermal tubs are not deep at all. The biggest baths have something a bit deeper, but there are always signs indicating the depth of the water, and people in charge of supervising the bathers.

How long can I stay there?

As long as you want. Some baths offer a refund in case you spend less than two hours there. Most of them have also weekly or monthly pass. For a different experience Rudas Baths at weekends opens from 10pm to 4am.

How do I choose the right bath for me?

You can choose depending on which kind of experience you’re looking for, and in case you go not only for fun but for health reason on the thermal water that is more beneficial for you. For the perfect choice you can consult two Baths Search Engines: at national level the Hungarian National Tourism Office, or for Budapest only SpasBudapest.com. Just enter your parameters (type of swimming pool, water qualities, adventure pool, etc) and get the customized result.

Finally, will I enjoy my experience?

It depends how much you like soaking in water. I thought I wouldn’t like it too much, considering also that I can’t even swim, but I feel in love with the whole bath experience. My friend, a good swimmer that loves water, at the end of the day commented: “I was lucky you brought me here only on the last day of my stay, otherwise I wouldn’t have seen anything at all and spend every single day at the baths”.

Photo of the week: Balaton Sunset

The calm between daytime crowds and nightime parties…amazing!