Bük became world-famous with a little exaggeration, and fortunately we mortals on earth can enjoy this by visiting the local spa. Let’s see what you need to know about it!
It is interesting that Bük and the organically connected Bükfürdő owe their notoriety to a lucky coincidence, as they were looking for crude oil in the area in the 1950s and thus found the extremely valuable medicinal water. The spa was opened in 1962 and has since undergone a number of renovations, and today not only those who want to recover but also those who are hungry to relax can easily find enjoyment during their visit.
You won’t get shocked by the price of the ticket as the price compared to the quality is quite low, we can buy a full ticket for HUF 4,800 from Monday to Thursday and for HUF 5,200 from Friday to Sunday if we do not want to use the sauna. Of course, there are other discounts, such as a student or a pensioner ticket, a child ticket, and a ticket that only allows entry in the afternoon (from 3 p.m.). You can find out about the current ticket prices and opening hours on the official website of the spa.
In terms of accessibility, the spa is about 20-25 minutes on foot from the accommodation, about a quarter of an hour by bike and a few minutes by car. When I was there in February, construction was just going on in the area, but anyone who can detract from the sight of the containers will not regret visiting this complex.
In summer, together with the outdoor pools, a total of 34 units are available on an area of 14 hectares with a water surface of more than 5,000 square meters. In winter we have to accept less, but we can still spend a pleasant time in the three basic parts. Next to the spa and sauna area there is a large indoor spa with two large and two small pools, a large experience pool and an outdoor spa block, of which only half is usually open, but also it just proves to be enough.
I started with a dip in the outdoor healing water, which can go very well if one can endure the few meters that have to be done in the freezing cold in the winter to the pool stairs from the heat of the hallway. The 55-degree thermal water from the source loses much of its temperature as a function of the minuses outside, but it’s still very pleasant, and if we arrive in the afternoon, we can even watch the sunset, which – in addition to absorbing a little vitamin D – is a truly eye-catching sight. The water is nowhere too deep and just warm enough for us not to think of climbing out of it and relaxing in it. I managed to spend more than an hour in it, but I didn’t even notice that time had flown by.
The indoor adventure pool is also worth a visit, and not only the kids will be able to enjoy it. Although there is a wave pool flowing around, you can also relax among the bubbles and massage your back with strong jets of water coming from above. And if we just lie down, there’s no obstacle to that either, we can do it in the seating areas resting on the pool, or even on the sun loungers.
If we’ve had enough of this, and move on, as I did, we’ll get to the indoor, medicinal water section, which is reminiscent of the old days – in a good way. Two large and two small spa pools serve all our needs, with plenty of well-designed benches, so we hardly have to worry about where we can’t sit down when we get into the water. If we’ve had enough of the experience, or we’re just getting hot, we can sit down on the sun chairs here as well, while also contemplating the mosaics on the walls that ornate this hall.
If we want to eat something or just replenish the energy that water has taken out of us, we have more options. To eat, I definitely recommend Bistro 1, where a lunch menu is available every day for HUF 1990, which includes a soup and a hearty main course. The offerings are always changing, I’ve been lucky with broccoli cream soup and fried chicken breast strips, but it’s constant that ready meals can only be taken until four in the afternoon, so it’s by no means worth leaving at the last minute. If we only want a sandwich or a coffee, we could have it in the Café Y, where it would also be very difficult to find a specific reason to complain.
Last but not least, there are a few words about the healing water itself, as the goal of our visit can be therapeutic – in addition to recharging. Without giving a lecture on chemistry, we have to say that the water contains alkaline-hydrogenated, high in fluoride, iodide and iron, so it has a unique healing effect and is one of the best in Hungary. With the help of dark-colored water, orthopedic and rheumatic complaints can be treated, it can also help with respiratory diseases in the form of inhalation, while consuming it can also cure stomach problems. Although none of these are for me it was a pleasant, relaxing sensation staying in the water, even though I visited the spa during a more stressful period. I strongly recommend it to everyone, you will not be disappointed!
