Hungary is extremely rich in thermal waters, its thermal water reserve is significant on a world scale and on European scale it is outstanding. With its over 400 hot springs Hungary is a world leader in medicinal spa vacationing. Budapest is often called the "Spa Capital" because it is the only capital city in the world with real hot springs inside the city boundaries. There are some two dozen baths and 13 spas in the capital.
Most of the mineral and medicinal waters contain dissolved minerals, providing medicinal and curative powers, and making them suitable for bathing and drinking cures.
The chemical absorption of minerals contained in thermal waters is beneficial to the human nervous system, muscles and skin. Drinking thermal water that has been properly cleansed and tested for mineral content also can help aid gastric and respiratory problems and increase metabolism.
Among the 150 hot water spa baths of the country there are 36 special medicinal baths in which the water contains radioactivity, sulphurous acid, salt bromine carbonate or iodine. Europe's only cave-spa is in Northeast Hungary, in Tapolca, while Hévíz Lake near Lake Balaton is the best-known hot water (33 °C) medicinal-water lake in Europe.
The Hungarian spas are built over the hot springs or the spring water is taken directly to the spa center from the natural springs.
