Nemes János: Healing Budapest - Our Budapest (Budapest, 1993)
Budapest, City of Baths
Margitsziget Thermal Hotel Margaret Island is a real gift to Budapesters. Few large cities pride themselves on having such a large park in their centre. This 230 acre, two and a half kilometre long island features a spa, a swimming pool, many sports grounds, an outdoor theatre and a lot of thermal springs. It is incredibly abundant in water, artesian wells reaching up to 70 degrees Centigrade have been bored here during the last century already. These wells provide the National Sport Swimming Pools (Nemzeti Sportuszoda) and Palatínus spa with thermal water. It is understandable then that this national treasure is used for medicinal tourism as well. The seven-storey modern, five star Thermal Hotel was built in 1979. It has 206 rooms. Rheumatics and heart patients can try every possible form of thermal bath therapy. Apart from the traditional forms of thermal bath and massage therapy, it has certain specialities. Thermal water here contains such a lot of carbonic gases that patients can take natural carbonic baths. This is especially recommended for patients with blood pressure problems and coronary heart diseases. Another speciality is the famous mud of Hévíz which is brought here to be combined with thermal water, resulting extremely efficient mud packs. Apart from balneotherapic treatment, patients can also have ultrasound and short wave electric and galvanic therapy. There are several clinics in the hospital, offering X- ray, ECG and laboratory tests. The dental surgery is very popular and cheap compared to Western prices. Dental prostheses are available here and they carry out minor dental surgical operations, too. In the summer German seems to be the common language in the hotel. The Austrians like to come here because back in Austria dental services cost two to three times more. The hotel has a dermatology and ophthalmological out-patient department as well. Its fitness club is the perfect answer for dieters. Patients’ appetite is decreased using acupuncture; diet counselling is also available. (The hotel provides diet food, too.) All kinds of fitness machines are provided for patients wanting to lose weight. Sport facilities, such as 38
