SPA HÉVÍZ (HÉVÍZI GYÓGYTÓ)

The temperature of the lake's thermal waters is the result of a mixture of hot and cold water gushing out of the bottom of an 18-meter-diameter crater 38 meters below the surface. The bottom of the lake rises gently to the north of the crevasse, while to the south it rises almost sheer to a depth of 2 metres. The spa buildings, perched on stilts on the edge of the crevasse, are accessible via covered pontoons. The old, dark wooden pavilion, with its pointed turrets, looks like a Transylvanian fortress, with its terraces overlooking the lake. The springs constantly renew the water every 28 hours, maintaining a stable temperature of between 34°C and 36°C in summer, and never below 23°C in winter, allowing year-round bathing. A cloud of steam visible from several kilometers away floats above the opaque, sulfurous, mineral-rich turquoise water. The bottom of the lake is covered with several metres of warm, slightly radioactive medicinal mud, which encourages the growth of red water lilies from May to November. This water is reputed to relieve rheumatic pain and metabolic disorders. The lake and forest enjoy a mild microclimate. Cures can be enjoyed here, or you can simply relax. Visitors stay in hotels and guesthouses in town. The atmosphere is peaceful, almost old-fashioned, with bathers seated on submerged benches, or floating in buoys, under the watchful eye of a lifeguard on his boat.