Hungary, the Land of Healing Waters

Hungary,
the Land of Healing Waters
Endowed with the world’s fifth-largest supply of thermal
waters and an ancient bathing culture, Hungary has the potential
to build on its heritage and establish itself as a world-class mainly spabased
wellness and health tourism destination. An increasing supply of
beautiful facilities, mainly new projects but also upgrades, combined with
buoyant demand driven by greater health consciousness, more focus on
prevention, and increasing interest in natural curative methods makes
this a very promising sector, together with the fact that the demographic
drift toward older populations leads to an increasing stream of demand.
Therefore Health Tourism enjoys top priority in the activities of the
Hungarian National Tourist Office (HNTO), the country’s national tourism
marketing organization.
Thermal bathing in what is now Hungary is older than the
nation itself. There is evidence that Neolithic peoples were attracted
to the territory’s warm springs. Later, Romans brought their bathing
practices to Pannonia, the part of the Roman Empire that is now
Hungary and whose capital, Aquincum, sat on the right bank of the
Danube in current-day northern Budapest. Hungarian tribes who
conquered the territory in the 9th century also established their main
settlements around thermal springs. Budapest bathing was further
boosted by the occupation of the Hungarian kingdom during the
16th and 17th centuries by the Ottomans, who, in accordance with
Islamic ablutionary rites, built public baths, four of which - Király, Rác,
Rudas, and Lukács - remain in use today.
While ancient man had discovered the benefit of a good soak,
modern balneotherapy can be traced to the establishment in the late
19th century of “water cure” spas, which catered to Europe’s royals,
aristocrats and well-to-do and for which the Austro-Hungarian Empire
was famous. After the World Wars, Hungary embarked on a spa development
drive in the 1960s, when dozens of new medicinal baths and
swimming pools were built. And in the 1970s, the United Nations
established an institute in Budapest for promoting bath development
and the international sharing of its know-how.
During the past decade, healing programmes
that relied solely on bathing have
given way to more elaborate therapeutic
approaches, which incorporate massage and
physiotherapy. Mud treatments and cures
based on drinking mineral waters are also
popular. The certification of medicinal water,
defined as mineral water proven to have
healing effects, is handled by the Ministry of
Health in line with European Union regulations.
Budapest, Europe’s largest spa city,
has about 100 thermal springs, feeding
some 20 baths including the city’s six
main historical baths, the Gellért (part of
the hotel of the same name), Király, Rác,
Rudas, Lukács, and Széchenyi, in addition
to those of five modern spa hotels,
the Ramada Plaza Budapest, Aquaworld
Ramada Resort, Corinthia Grand Hotel
Royal, Danubius Health Spa Resort Helia
and Danubius Health Spa Resort Margitsziget.
Also based in Budapest is Hungary’s National
Institute for Rheumatism and Physiotherapy.
With nearly 1,000 beds, it is the world’s
largest such institution for the treatment of
locomotor disorders and has a special section
for foreign patients. The institute, which incorporates
clinics of post-graduate medical
studies, is equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic
and therapeutic facilities, including for
balneotherapy.
With thermal springs percolating
beneath three-quarters of Hungary’s territory,
over 58 spa or treatment hotels can
be found in Hungary. Hungary’s traditional
spa Mecca is Héviz, however plenty of settlements
boast spa or treatment hotels, some of
the more noteworthy include Bük, Hajdúszoboszló,
Sárvár, Egerszalók, Siófok, and Balatonfüred.
The term ’wellness’ was imported in the
Hungarian language a few years ago. It does
not translate easily into Hungarian, since its
meaning covers a general well-being in body
and mind, relaxation, revitalization as well as
being pampered. Hungarian hotels soon recognized
the business potential lying in this new
worldwide trend and initiated development
HUNGARY
projects to use it. Some new hotels were built
on the basis of this concept whereas others
– especially health hotels – extended their
service portfolio in this direction.
The active ingredients in the various medicinal
waters differ from place to place, and
some are unsuitable for visitors suffering from
certain conditions. The majority are used to
treat locomotor and rheumatic complaints;
others are recommended for gynaecological
problems, and kidney and metabolic disorders;
when taken as a drinking cure, some are
effective against stomach ailments.
The composition of the water at Harkány
is very similar to the one of the Dead Sea,
and alleviates dermatological problems. It is

DW • 10
always advisable to read carefully the information provided
about the medicinal properties of the waters, and if in doubt
to seek medical advice.
Those who believe in natural healing remedies have a
range of choices that extends far beyond just water. Hévíz
and Hajdúszoboszló are also centres for mud treatment. The
medicinal qualities of the mud make it especially suitable for
the treatment of locomotor complaints. The humid air in the
caves at Abaliget, Budapest, Tapolca and Jósvafö helps with
respiratory problems.
At Tapolca you can row a boat on the cave’s crystal-clear
waters, while Jósvafö is part of the Aggtelek National Park
and is a World Heritage Site. The mofette at Mátraderecske
is a real curiosity. Here, naturally occurring gas containing
carbon dioxide has been shown to have a positive effect
when allowed to permeate the skin. Those who can benefit
from a ‘dry bath’ in the gas are people suffering from heart
and circulatory problems, including high blood pressure, and
from chronic skin complaints.
More information about spa and wellness tourism in Hungary:
www.hungary.com