Miskolc's Star Attraction

Miskolc, Hungary is a town that's been devasted by "the political changes." That is the word for what happened in 1989, when communism gave way to a free political process and Soviet domination faded away. The town has rows and rows of ugly white apartment buildings, and a huge hulking steel mill that's been shuttered for years. Umemployment stands at about 18%. But this city in the northeastern part of the country has one shining gem....a bath carved into a cave.

We visited this thermal cave tonight, and got a chance to enjoy it all by ourselves. There is a thermal bath that at 35 degrees c feels like a bathtub. Then we popped into a sauna and heated up....then we went into another series of pools that were about 30 c. These wound their way through a cave and a current carried us along....the pools were tunnels lit with lights and you rode with the stream. Further back in the cave was another entrance to a thermal pool, this one like the first warmer. Following the long tunnel of water back, the end was a circular room with a ceiling of stars, and jets to massage your back as you enjoyed the warmth.

This thermal pool costs $8 to enter and is a magical place. The citizens of Miskolc may have economic problems, but they have the world's best place to relax!