Recently in Budapest Category

Care for a little history with your bath? Budapest is blessed with more than 100 natural hot springs, unique geologic features that were first exploited by the Roman colonizers nearly 2,000 years ago. Years later, during the Turkish occupation of Hungary, scores of opulent baths were built to take advantage of what many believed to be the life-giving properties of the abundant mineral water. Several of those baths survive to this day, and among the most impressive are the Király Baths (pictured). One of the most important Turkish monuments in Budapest, the baths boast an ornate, cupola-topped pool with strategically-placed skylights that make bathing in the 104-degree water a surreal experience. The Király Baths date back to 1565, when Arszlán Pasha ordered them built within the city walls, drawing water from the nearby Lukacs Bath. With several renovations over the ensuing centuries, including a 1796 reconstruction that added classical wings, it remains the best spot in the city to float in the warm waters and reflect on the country's tumultuous past. The baths are open six days a week - three for women and three for men - so be sure to check the schedule before heading over. Guests at the nearby Le Méridien Budapest might enjoy a dip in these magical waters.

[image via Budapest Tourism Office]

Many people in the West don't realize that Hungary has a rich tradition of wine making, but the House of Hungarian Wines in Budapest aims to change that. Located in the historic Castle District of Buda, this temple of oenological knowledge offers guided wine-tasting walks in its special wine cellar, seated wine tastings accompanied by food and a presentation by a wine expert in the reception hall, and wine courses of varying intensity for those who just can't get enough wine knowledge. Enjoy samples of dozens of wines from different grape-growing regions, such as the Balatonfüred-Csopak, Somló, and Tokaj-Hegyalja regions (try repeating those names after a few glasses of wine), and learn about the effects the different terrain has on the flavors. The Tokaj-Hegyalja region, for example, is known for producing red wines with a high alcohol, sugar, and acid content, while the Somló area produces rich white wines from Riesling and other grapes grown in its volcanic soil. And whether it's a casual tasting or an intensive wine course, you'll come away from a visit to the House of Hungarian Wines with great grape education. Guests at the nearby Le Meridien Budapest hotel might want to drop by for a formal introduction to a family of excellent wines.

In the nineties she filmed men in a Budapest bathhouse and got famous. Nearly a decade later Katarzyna Kozyra returns to the Hungarian capital with her latest work "In Art Dreams Come True." And it's no lie. Kozyra has proven that with art, the sky's the limit. In this exhibition, which runs through October 28, at the Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art the Polish artist documents her development into an opera singer, and the extravagant acts she pulled off along the way, via approximately thirty videos presented with television screens, computer monitors, and projections. One sees her as a cheerleader in a new version of Gwen Stefani's song "What You Waiting For." Another dons an 18th century guise and culminates in a castration. They all examine gender roles, the wish to reinvent the persona, and the process one must go through to achieve the desired affect.

Kozyra created her new self with the help of Berlin drag queen Gloria Viagra, and a vocal coach, called simply, The Maestro. You can reinvent your self at the Le Meridien Budapest this fall with one of three special "Discovery" offers. Make like Tiger Woods and try your hand at golf; pretend you're a Hungarian queen during a treatment in the spa; or take a full day for yourself and just wander... transforming experiences await.