The Cave Bath of Miskolctapolca

The water carved out the cave system – now transformed into a bath – from the hard limestone over millennia. The pools inside the caves are perfect for relaxing all year round. In fact, thanks to the warm karst water from the depths of the mountain, winter bathing may be even more refreshing. This is your chance to take part in an experience normally reserved for trained cavers when they discover a cave – but they have to wear protective gear while they do so. The cave pools have been formed in natural passages and halls, with underwater jets at the bottom to massage guests. A little further away, moving against, or possibly riding the current of an “underground river” moved by a hidden structure, you can get to the swimming pool of the oldest excavated, most beautiful cave section. Swimming in passages that are hundreds of thousands of years old, a pleasant tingling feeling pervades your body, as the wild water currents under the surface gently caress you.

From here you reach the Star Hall, where it feels as though you’re swimming under the starry sky. You’ll enter a meditative state, while listening to the mysterious echo of the Star Hall, or simply admiring the special shapes of this rare natural phenomenon. By the way, this thermal water is less dense than other healing waters, which is why many prefer it: you can stay in this water as long as you like and try the magnificent kneading and other water attractions. This also allows children to paddle along with their parents all day. So it makes no difference whether you’ve come to rejuvenate or revitalise, for preventive or healing purposes or to play together: everything is possible here. The 30°C water and the climate of the cave both have a healing effect and are particularly recommended for degenerative joint diseases. Rheumatic and musculoskeletal problems are treated in a pleasant environment and a familiar atmosphere. Balneo- and aqua-therapy are a long-standing tradition here. In addition to healing and thermal pools, visitors looking for more of a sense of freedom can choose from several outdoor pools. The cave is a masterpiece of nature, but the lake pools and the gracefully elegant shell roof leaning over it are a tribute to human creativity.

One of the most relaxing place in Hungary

But you’ll also find a children’s pool, a lake spa experience, a swimming pool and a sauna park. In the latter, guests looking to relax, refresh and detoxify have a choice of three lava-stone Finnish saunas, three infrared saunas and a steam cabin. After the sauna, you can cool off in the 16‑18°C plunge pool. The ruins of the Benedictine monastery built in the 13th century are visible at the entrance to the Cave Bath. Monks lived here from the second half of the 14th until the beginning of the 16th century. The abbey suffered several attacks over the years, until finally members of the order fled. The abandoned buildings were destroyed, after which the area became a swamp. In 1711, the abbot of Tapolca had doctors brought from Košice to prove the healing effect of the water and the area. The description of the wooden bath building dates back to 1743, so the bath was definitely completed by then, but Miskolctapolca only truly became a resort area in the 1920s and 30s. As you can see, neither winter nor summer exist at the Cave Bath. Spring rules eternal in the cave passages, whether it’s sweltering hot or bitterly cold outside.