In the city of Budapest, Hungary

 “There must be quite a few things a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them." ― Sylvia Plath

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(at the center of the Carpathian Basin, in Hungary) Once called the “Queen of the Danube,” Budapest has long been the focal point of the nation, and a lively cultural center. Straddling the Danube River in a magnificent setting where the hills of western Hungary meet the plains stretching to the east and south, the city consists of two parts: Buda and Pest, each found on opposite sides of the river. Although the city’s roots date to Roman times, modern Budapest reflects an outgrowth of the 19th-century empire of Austria-Hungary, when Hungary was much larger than it is now. Its reduction in size after World War I did not prevent Budapest from becoming the second largest city in central Europe (after Berlin). One out of five Hungarians now lives in the country's capital, which, as the center of Hungarian transport and industry, dominates all aspects of national life. Tens of thousands of commuters converge on Budapest daily, more than half the country’s university students attend school in the city, and about half the country’s income from foreign tourism is realized here. The city, including the banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter, and Andrássy Avenue, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.

+ Among its many other attributes, Budapest is blessed with lots of hot springs. As a result, "taking the waters" has been an experience here since the time of the Romans. The array of available bathhouses is generous -- you can choose from Turkish-era, art nouveau, and modern establishments. Some people come seeking a cure for whatever ails them, but the majority are here for fun and relaxation -- though many locals maintain that it’s the world’s best cure for what Hungarians call a macskajaj (cat’s wail) -- a.k.a. "hangover." In this majestic city with an aquatic heart, more than 15 million gallons of water bubble into Budapest's 118 springs and boreholes every day. That number points to the great array of baths in this city, from the sparkling Gellert Baths to the vast 1913-neo-baroque Szechenyi Spa (featured here) to Rudas Spa, a dramatic 16th-century Turkish pool with original Ottoman architecture.

+ The Széchenyi Thermal Bath is the largest medicinal bath in Europe. Its water is supplied by two thermal springs, at temperatures of 74 °C (165 °F) to 77 °C (171 °F). This "spa," located in the City Park, was built in Neo-Baroque style in the early 1900s, with designs by architect Eugene Schmitterer. The total area covered was 6,220 square meters (67,000 sq ft). The complex was expanded in 1927 to its current size, with three outdoor and 15 indoor pools. Its main thermal spring supplies 6,000,000 liters (1,600,000 US gallons) of hot water daily. The baths maintain pools at varying temperatures. The outdoor pools (swimming pool, adventure pool and thermal sitting pool) are 27 to 38 °C (81 to 100 °F).