Eastern Europe has a variety of great spa towns to offer, which you should definitely discover. Apart from classical destinations like Karlovy Vary, many other small towns and cities are also available for you to choose from when you decide to plan your spa vacation in Eastern Europe. Below you can find a variety of information about possible vacation destinations.
Budapest, Hungary
If you are dealing with spa towns, Budapest must definitely not be missing from your list. Of course, you will certainly think of smaller towns when you think of spas, but Budapest has so many thermal springs to offer that it would be wrong to just ignore it. Here, architecture and thermal springs enter into a unique symbiosis that will completely captivate you.
Budapest is the capital of Hungary and is situated directly on the Danube, which leaves the Hungarian low mountain range at this point and flows into the Hungarian lowlands. With over 1.7 million inhabitants, it is also the most populous city in Hungary. The highest elevation in Budapest is the 527-meter-high János Hill, which belongs to the Buda Mountains. From a geotectonic point of view, the city lies on a fault line, which is why the Buda district in particular is particularly rich in thermal springs.
The history of spa baths in Budapest dates back over 2000 years, as the city's springs were already used by the Romans. The rule of the Ottomans then brought another bathing culture to the city, the monuments of that time are still in use today. The most important spas are „Dagály“, „Gellért“, „Király“ and „Lukács“. Some of the baths also have their own subculture by now - as a visitor of the Széchenyi Bath you can play chess in the warm water for hours, for example, while the Lukács Bath is a traditional meeting place for artists. In total there are over 120 baths you can find in Budapest.
For a stay you can choose from many spa hotels, including the „Casati Budapest Hotel“, the „Aria Hotel Budapest“, „The Ritz-Carlton“ and many others. All these hotels are also welcoming new guests in these hard times, so you should check them out if you got to a spa vacation in Budapest.
Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
Karlovy Vary is a world-renowned spa town and is situated in the narrow, nearly romantic valley of the river Teplá, which is surrounded by wooded mountains, not far from where it flows into Ohře, on the southern edge of the Ore Mountains. The town is part of the West Bohemian spa triangle together with Mariánské Lazne and Františkovy Lazne.
In the city you will find numerous well-preserved historical spa facilities, including the White Colonnades, the Market Colonnade and the Thermal Spring Colonnade. In all colonnades there are healing fountains, so-called "pramen", whose temperature is partially above 60° Celsius.
Carlsbad itself has twelve spas. The most famous of them is found in the White Colonnades, which is called "Vřídlo". It has a temperature of 72°C, shoots up to 14 meters high and has a pouring rate of 2000 liters per minute.
In total, you can find 89 outlets of mineralized thermal waters in the central spa area, 19 of which are approved natural healing waters. These are hypotonic, strongly mineralized mineral waters. Therefore, the applications of the Karlovy Vary thermal springs are also extremely varied.
The major hotels for your vacation are the „Grand Pupp“, the „Olympic Palace“, and „The Imperial“. Apart from the Grand Pupp, all hotels are also open, but the Grand Pupp itself is closed for an undefined time.
Teplice, Czech Republic
Teplice is a town in northern part of Bohemia at the foot of the southern slopes of the Ore Mountains, north of the Bohemian Central Mountains in the North Bohemian Basin, about 54 km south of Dresden. To the east rises the Doubravská hora. In the surroundings of Teplice you can find hot mineral springs.
The springs usually carry alkaline-saline water, with only small solid components, preferably carbonated soda, mixed and fed ten bathhouses. The thermal water helps you, among other things, with chronic joint diseases such as rheumatism and gout, paralysis, incipient spinal disorders, but also with secondary diseases from bullet and cut wounds and after bone fractures. The source also serves as a drinking cure.
For your stay in Teplice you can choose among others the "SPA Villa Residence", the "grandlux Villa & Spa" and the "Apartment in SPA-city", which are currently also open for arriving guests.
Hévíz, Hungary
The health resort Hévíz is a small spa town in Hungary with about 4300 inhabitants, located in the West Transdanubian region. Approximately five kilometers away in north-western direction lies the town of Keszthely.
The medicinal lake in Hévíz with its area of about 4.4 hectares offers you the largest natural and biologically active thermal lake in the world. It is fed by a thermal spring from a crater in 38 meters depth. The spring is so rich with 410 liters per second that the water is completely exchanged within about three and a half days. The water temperature of the lake is between 33 to 36 °C in summer and 23 to 25 °C in winter. This Therefore, you can also enjoy open-air bathing all year long.
You may choose from a variety of wellness hotels during your visit on site, including the "Bonvital Hotel", the "Ensana Thermal", the "NaturMed Hotel Carbona" and the "Lotus Therme Hotel & Spa".
Sandanski, Bulgaria
Sandanski is a town in the Blagoevgrad Oblast, in southwest Bulgaria, at the foot of the Pirin Mountains in the valley of the Sandanska Bistrica and not far from the village of Melnik. The city is located about halfway between the Bulgarian capital Sofia and the Greek city Thessaloniki. Because of its mild climate and its many mineral springs, Sandanski is a popular spa and health resort.
In the town you can find over 80 mineral springs. The mineral waters are perfect for outdoor swimming all year round. The springs also have a strong healing effect. The area is known for its low humidity and high temperature. The local mineral water is clear and with a pleasant taste, it is used to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys.
In addition to the hotels "Medite Spa Resort and Villas", "Villa Sintica" and the "Perun Hotel Sandanski", you can of course also visit a number of other hotels.