As I recently visited Hungary, I had the unique experience to spend two days in the small town of Heviz, next to the lake Balaton. "The curative Lake of Heviz is the largest biologically active, natural, peat-mud thermal lake of volcanic origin in the world." I could not describe this better, so I quoted from the brochure we got when we entered this beautiful natural thermal lake, also the largest one in Europe.                

Thermal baths are found all over Hungary and their healing effects are well known. The Turks built the first thermal baths in the sixteen-century during the Ottoman Empire. Later people were looking for natural gas and instead they found thermal waters. It is because of Earth’s crust is very thin in this region.

Although the city of Heviz is not so special, the lake is one of a kind; it is not like any of the thermal baths I’ve ever visited. The water is 2-38 m deep (6 – 124 ft), therefore you need a floating device, which you can easily rent for €2.00 inside the compound. The water temperature, which is heated up by geothermic energy, is in the summer between 35-38C (95-100.4F) and in the winter never goes under 22C (71.6F).

The temperature was just perfect for easily floating around among beautiful water lilies. The water of Heviz is beneficial to patients suffering from rheumatic diseases and locomotor disorders. (Muscular, joint and ligamentous pains). The lake is fed by springs with mineral water contents and it is completely replaced every three and half days.

Because of the flow of this mass of water, the distribution of the curative ingredients is even, and the temperature of the water as well. The skin of our body was covered by gas bubbles, which came from the hydrostatic pressure of the water, and which was massaging lightly our body. This stimulates of course our blood flow and therefore makes the movement of each body part easier.

The mud at the bottom of the lake has special values of curative factors as well and floating around lotus flowers relaxed our mind. This experience was truly one of a kind! I felt like reborn and I regretted that I have not done it earlier while still living in Hungary!