10 Bucket-List Saunas, Hot Springs, and Thermal Baths From Around the World

Known as Spa City since 1934, Budapest has an abundance of riches when it comes to its countless fountains of thermal waters. An impressive 18.5 million gallons of 70 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit thermal waters issue daily from the city’s 118 naturally occurring springs. In fact, an underground series of springs run next to the Danube River and a network of thermal baths above ground allow access to the city’s waters. Since the 13th century the region has been famous for its healing waters, and visiting the hot springs is an integral part of life here. Frequented as often for their health benefits as for the opportunity they provide to catch up, swap stories, and gossip, the baths of Budapest are both a solitary and a social affair. Of all the baths here, the most famous is the Gellért Baths, known for its Art Nouveau and Art Deco furnishings, artistic mosaics, stained-glass windows, and opulent sculptures. The main allure here is the design of the complex, which features six pools and a glass roof that opens during the summer. The mineral-rich waters pour over multiple layers of glazed ceramic tiles, which also feature mosaics that mark the temperature—104 degrees in one pool, 97 in another. Outside, you can either lie in the cold pools or play in the wave pool that has been in continuous operation since 1924.