A 'men only' day can land a guy in hot water

Naked flesh glimpsed in the half-light of ancient labyrinths, pampered bodies seen through the steam rising from hot, sulphurous pools... This is the hidden heart of Budapest, a seductive world where water is the ruling element.

Naked flesh glimpsed in the half-light of ancient labyrinths, pampered bodies seen through the steam rising from hot, sulphurous pools... This is the hidden heart of Budapest, a seductive world where water is the ruling element.

The Danube may cut a giant swath between the Buda district to the west and Pest to the east. But the water that really holds sway here comes welling up from the city's countless thermal springs.

People were probably bathing here in Neolithic times. The Romans got things organised; the Magyars (Hungarians) continued the habit, and the Ottoman Turks made bathing an integral part of life during the 16th and 17th centuries. By the 1930s Budapest was a fashionable spa resort, and today you can either sample the old-style glamour or do what the Hungarians do and soak for hours in murky, pre-modern spas with their slightly seedy but irresistible atmosphere.

All of Budapest's spa baths are variations on the following theme: a series of indoor thermal pools whose temperatures range from warm to damned hot, with steam room, sauna, cold pool, massage rooms and mud treatments, plus warm outdoor pools with fountains, sprays and whirlpools. Many have medical units attached where outpatients come for thermal treatments on prescription.

The best bathing spot in Budapest is the Szechenyi to the north-east of the centre. Water originally as hot as 76C comes from a depth of more than 1,200m below the palatial 19th-century complex. The water is said to be good for rheumatic and menstrual problems; it's also used as a drinking cure for catarrh.

The fresh air, warm water and absence of clothing, apart from the skimpiest of bathing suits, conspire to produce a mildly erotic atmosphere. But the main reason for being here is to relax and have fun. In fact, fun seems to be the inevitable result when you add humans to water.

"Are you gay?" asked a handsome young English-speaking Hungarian at the Rac Baths, as I emerged from my cubicle wearing the apron supplied – so fig-leaf small that it left me feeling more naked than if I were wearing nothing at all. "Er, no," I replied. It was "men only" day at the Rac. "I thought I should warn you that this place is used by gay people," said my new-found friend. I looked around at the 20 or 30 men in their little aprons, taking the waters and chatting quietly. "How many of the people here are gay?" I asked. "Well... all of them," said my friend matter-of-factly.

Foolishly, I felt very much the outsider as I joined the chaps in one of the hot pools. And a glimpse into a massage room revealed a gent enjoying massage in a way I had not encountered before. Unless you're gay or a voyeur, you might want to give the Rac a miss on "men only" days. They also do "women only" sessions but, no, these are not lesbian gatherings, I was told; it just gives women the freedom to be naked and free of the presence of men.

When you go bathing in Budapest, you should be prepared to wear not only a mini-apron occasionally, but also a bathing cap. Regulars have their own, but if you haven't got anything suitable, you'll be given a rather unattractive see-through plastic one.

The springs feeding the Lukacs Baths to the north were probably known in the Bronze Age and definitely used in Roman times. The Lukacs has a wonderful warm outdoor pool taking up most of an enclosed courtyard. The high-power water jets designed for neck massage are fantastic but very popular, and you have to wait your turn. There's an even bigger queue for the rank of underwater massage beds.

The Gellert Medicinal Baths are the most famous in Budapest. The springs at this spot have been renowned for their curative properties for almost 2,000 years. A miracle-performing hermit – known as St Ivan and said to be the first naturopath – drew crowds here in the Middle Ages for healing with water and mud.

The outdoor pool at the Gellert was one of the first to have a wave machine fitted – in 1927 – and is a great place to swim. But the indoor pool (with a roof that slides back) is amazing. It's like a supercharged version of the Roman baths at Bath: a grand, colonnaded affair. If you want to swim, you have to follow a strict anti-clockwise circuit.

The Danubius Thermal Hotel on car-free Margaret Island is a completely different kettle of therapy. It has everything you'll find at the older baths in the city, but served up in ultra-modern packaging. And on top of the traditional treatments, it offers computer heart checks, dental surgery, a laser eye clinic, plastic surgery, aerobics, yoga and a gym. It also claims to offer dentistry on a par with that available in the UK at a third of the price.

Next door is the Thermal's sister establishment, the Danubius Grand, built in 1873 and still living up to its name. The two are linked by a heated underground corridor, so that guests (even in their spa bathrobes) can enjoy the shared facilities.

Nowhere sums up the other-worldly attraction of a traditional Budapest bath-house better than the Rudas, which is geographically near the Gellert but a universe away. From the outside you see a low, unimposing Turkish domed roof. Inside, as you soak in the half-dark, surrounded by a gentle cacophony of naked men making deals and exchanging gossip, you look up at that roof letting in the light through its many circular windows, some red, blue or orange, and feel as if you are in an enchanted grotto.

You are bathing in waters that have been springing up from the earth here for 1,000 years. They are said to be good for rheumatism and to aid recovery from injuries, but as you luxuriate in their womb-like warmth, you realise that they are also very, very good for the soul.

The Facts

Getting there

Nigel Summerley flew to Budapest from Heathrow with Malev Hungarian Airlines (020-7439 0577; www.malev.hu), which offers return fares from £163. He stayed at the Danubius Thermal Hotel (00 361 452 6200; www.danubiusgroup.com). Thomson Breakaway (0870 606 1476; www.thomsonbreakaway.co.uk) offers a week at the hotel for £510 per person, including flights, b&b accommodation and use of the spa.

Being there

Szechenyi Baths, Allatkerti korut 11 (361 321 0310) open Mon-Fri 6am-7pm, Sat and Sun 6am-5pm. Gellert Baths, Kelenhegyi utca 2-4 (361 466 6166) open Mon-Fri 6am-7pm, Sat, Sun 6am-5pm. Rac Baths, Hadnagy utca 8-10 (361 356 1322) open Mon-Sat 6.30am-7pm; Tue, Thur and Sat men only; Mon, Wed and Fri women only. Closed Sun. Lukacs Baths, Frankel Leo utca 25-29 (361 326 1695) open Mon-Fri 6am-7pm, Sat and Sun 6am-5pm. Rudas Baths, Dobrentei ter 9 (361 375 8373) open Mon-Fri 6am-8pm, Sat and Sun 6am-1pm. Men only.

Further information

Hungarian National Tourist Office (09001 171200, www.budapestinfo.hu).

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