With over a hundred hot springs, Budapest is a spa city par excellence. As a cure or for relaxation, take the waters in these spas where well-being is the essence. Five thermal baths for five different tastes in Budapest.
1) Széchenyi Thermal Baths: Your Must-Visit Thermal Baths
2) Király Baths
3) Gellért, Luxury, calm and sensual delights
4) Rudas Baths, rooftop experience
5) Palatinus, with Family
SZÉCHENYI
SZÉCHENYI THERMAL BATHS are without a doubt the most famous in the capital, known throughout the world for their exceptional Renaissance Revival architecture, sheer size and, quality of their calcium- and magnesium-rich waters.
The spring lies 1246 metres underground and when the water spurts up at the surface, it reaches 76°C. …around the 18 pools, 3 outdoors and 15 indoors. Some of the indoor pools are used for back-muscle-building exercises, others are just for aqua-fitness classes. … in winter, the water temperature varies between 27 and 38°C in the outdoor pools.
www.szechenyibath.hu/
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KIRÁLY BATHS
A 16th century exterior that looks like oriental ruins. In fact, the baths date back to the era when the Ottomans ruled over the city. The dome of the main bath filters the daylight and only lets a few beneficial rays pierce through….All around, there are stone alcoves, 3 indoor pools. Unlike other spas, Király Baths were not built near a spring. The water comes from a larch-wood aqueduct. You then adventurously try the cold-water pool located near the whirlpool bath. Or maybe, you would prefer the wooden sauna which can accommodate up to 60 people.
en.kiralyfurdo.hu/
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GELLÉRT
Part of Hungary’s heritage and worldwide fame. Located at the foot of Gellért Hill, which has stunning views over the city of Budapest. Large glass roof sitting on top of the Art Nouveau gallery, Elegance is the essence here. The indoor baths are decorated with porcelain and ceramic mosaics from the famous Hungarian company, Zsolnay. The patterns and colors on the stained glass are impressive. Marble statues dotted here, there and everywhere remind you that this place is dedicated to well-being. Over the decades, the baths have expanded and new services been added. You can choose a hot-stone massage, balneotherapy, chocolate treatment!
www.gellertbath.hu/
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ROOFTOP EXPERIENCE AT THE RUDAS BATHS
There are two sides to the Rudas Baths. The first echoes the history of Hungary which was under Turkish rule in the 16th century. The architecture alone is worth the detour. Immersed in these baths, you will benefit from the soothing waters, known for their healing properties for joint and muscle pain. Treatments on offer include firming and moisturising massages with aromatic plants, scrubs, pedicures and much more.
The other side to the Rudas Baths is much more contemporary, in evidence in the Wellness and Sauna area and especially on the roof of the baths. Sit in a bath at 36°C with views over the city and the Danube which are second to none. The spectacle is even more magical in the evening as the lights of Budapest come on one by one.
en.rudasfurdo.hu/
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Palatinus: en famille
Enfin, si vous voyagez en famille, partez à l’aventure dans les Bains Palatinus. Le complexe s’étend au cœur d’un cadre verdoyant. Les piscines extérieures permettent à tout un chacun de s’amuser ou de se reposer: toboggans, vagues, bassins d’apprentissage pour les jeunes enfants, piscines thermales avec des températures différentes…
en.palatinusstrand.hu/
https://www.airfrance.com.lb/LB/en/common/travel-guide/five-thermal-baths-for-five-different-tastes-in-budapest.htm
The France of the imagination remains undimmed. The romantic boulevards and cobbled streets of Paris. The sparkling waters of the Cote d’Azur. The slow-paced villages of Provence. Each is enough to make travelers swoon. Yet while these hotspots will always be popular with Francophiles, it’s the sheer diversity of the country that makes it so alluring to millions of tourists every year. Whether it’s skiing in the Alps or Pyrenees, surfing in Biarritz or cycling through the greenways of Dieppe, France has got it all. Throw in some of the world’s finest food and best wine, whether in a three-star Michelin restaurant or local brasserie, and it’s hard to think of a more perfect destination.
We combined and compiled a list of the 10 best French restaurants in Paris (courtesy of CNN) and Conde Nast and we came up with the below:
Down-market food trucks and pop-up restaurants have invaded Paris just like other cities around the world. But when looking for the best French restaurants in Paris, we want the kind of classic tables that make French dining a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Item.
To find the most memorable food and drink experiences, CNN turned to Meg Zimbeck, brainchild of the extensive online food guide Paris by Mouth. Zimbeck and her colleagues lead walking tours in the capital of France and have been seeking out the best tables in the city for years. With her help, CNN compiled a list of 10 best French restaurants in Paris:
1. Bistrot Paul Bert: classic bistro experience, a gut-busting traditional French meal at its finest (there’s no escaping a food coma following a meal here)
2. Septime: inventive innovative cuisine
3. Chez Casimir: where locals go for high-caliber affordable tasty bistro food
4. Relais d’Entrecôte: steak served with secret sauce and crispy fries
5. Le Chateaubriand: no-choice menu, morning ingredients put together in interesting ways
6. Verjus: the best fried chicken dishes in the city
7. Semilla: open kitchen, distinguished M.O.F. chef, the highest French honor for craftsmen, wine obtained from the nearby Derniere Goutte wine shop
8. L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon: Started by legendary French chef and restaurateur Joel Robuchon
9. Les Papilles: copious 4-course fixed menu, plate of cheese that change daily. A lot of chefs come here
10. Breizh Café: authentic Breton sit-down creperie, an authority in Paris
Others by Conde Nast:
11. Allard: duck with green olives, frogs legs, duck foie gras
12. Epicure: 3-Michelin-starred restaurant… a meal experience that borders on religious
13. Clamato: inventive seafood
14. Tannat: real emphasis on seasonality and wine stories …
15. Benoit Paris: classic bistro (which opened in 1912): escargots, cassoulet, pate en croute, Scottish salmon with Bearnaise sauce, scallops, cheese, crepe Suzette
16. Dersou: Taku Sekine has become the chef0around-town with artfully plated dishes, edible flowers…
17. Le 52: for diners serious not only about food but high good-time quotient
18. Le Grand Bain: Brit Edward Delling Williams, the tall blond handsome chef
19. Anahi: steak, steak and more steak, an Argentine institution (so it is more ole than ohlala)
20. La Coupole: typical French brasserie food with strong seafood emphasis. A living memorial to Paris’ Art Deco legacy. La Coupole has seen more than its share of Parisian Who’s Who (Henri Matisse, Marc CHagal,, Jane Birkin ….)
21. L’Ami Jean: the food is star of the show, refined, adventurous and surprising
22. Ellsworth: people come here to eat well. Don’t skip the fried chicken – it’s what they’ve become known for
23. Le Train Bleu: one of the most dignified restaurant, an icon of Parisian dining… every inch drips with Parisian opulence
24. Chez La Vieille: reinvented bistro and his genious Chef Daniel Rose
25. Pierre Sang: creative, unexpected, fresh and full of diverse flavors (with Korean touches)
26. Bouillon Chartier: opened in 1896 with a simple mission: French food at an affordable price for the masses
27. La Dame de Pic: Anne-Sophie’s hyperseasonal cooking is bold and delicate.
28. Vivant: spirited, confident cooking
29. Le Servan: novel flavour pairing
30. Le Vieux Belleville: live music, performers walk among the tables with accordion singing French Classics including Edith Piaf
31. Le Baratin: simple, authentic dining experiences