Sean’s 50th Birthday Trip

The thermal baths (mineral hot springs) at Gellert are lovely!

The pools range in temperature from a 18c cold plunge to the 40c hot pool. Some have more medicinal waters than other (read: smell more like sulphur).

The water contains calcium, magnesium, hydrocarbonate, alkalis, chloride, sulfate, and fluoride.

We bought our tickets with a changing room (cabin) the night before and got there around 11am. You exchange your email ticket for a wrist band and head on in - you get one entry but can stay as long as you like.

I know a lot of people are leery when they hear baths, but it's very family friendly and open to anyone. We chatted with a number of lovely people from all over the world when we all braved the cold plunge after a steam room.

The first pools we went in had beautiful, Romanesque mosaics and statues all over. The statues have a lot of build up from the minerals. Everything was so clean and the water was perfectly clear.

I saw suits all the way from tiny speedos to full modesty suits with leggings, long sleeves and head coverings. All body types. No one cares what anyone else is doing or wearing, it's a very peaceful and welcoming environment.

Flip flops are required between pools - Sean had sandals and it was a pain taking them off and on all the time rather than just slipping into slides, so don't do that.

We brought suits, towels, flip flops, water bottles (because you get dehydrated in the hotter pools/saunas, and most people had phones with them. There isn't a lot of splashing - I only took mine in briefly for the pics. I read up ahead of time and there isn't a lot of theft, so I felt fairly ok leaving my phone in a bag and keeping an eye on it, but there is a risk, I'm sure.

Swim caps are required in the lap pool. Sean did a few laps between thermal bathing and the room with pillars is spectacular. While the springs have been popular since the 15th century, the current building was built in the early 1900's.

The main outdoor pool was closed, but there was a sitting pool still open. We had kind of a sad encounter there. A fellow American was complaining about what a let down the place was. I hope we never get that jaded.

After we checked out all of the different pools we ate at the cafe upstairs. FYI - we forgot that ketchup is not included with fries and costs extra at most places in Europe.

Very refreshing and a great way to wake up! I've told Sean we should move to Budapest and I'll buy the annual pass and come every day!Read more