5 facts about the unique cave bath of Miskolctapolca
There are still some amazing but unexplored places in Eastern Europe.
If you can’t easily place Miskolctapolca on a map, let me help you:
Miskolctapolca, known in colloquial speech as Tapolca (not to be confused with Tapolca, a town located in western Hungary), is a suburb of Miskolc, the third largest city in Hungary. Here are 5 facts about this extraordinary place, just to get you more familiar with it:
1. Thanks to thermal waters that flow through a 150 m (164 yards) long limestone cave, Miskolctapolca is one the most popular towns in Hungary. The only other cave bath like this one can be found in Sklene Teplice, Slovakia. The Miskolctapolca cave bath features both covered and open-air pools.
2. The cave and thermal spring have been known since ancient times, but they became popular only after the Ottoman occupation (16th — 17th century).
3. The transformation of Miskolctapolca into a bathing spot occurred in 1711, an idea suggested by (of all people) an abbot. By the mid-19th century, the cave bath and its first outdoor pool had opened exclusively for wealthy guests.
4. The thermal water has a 30°C (86°F) temperature and is reputed to cure joint pain. It has a lower salt content than other thermal waters (around 1000 mg/liter), which means that people can stay in it for as long as they like. Except for January, the cave bath of Miskolctapolca is open year round.
5. The cold water springs of Miskolctapolca provide half the total water supply for the city of Miskolc.
Useful information about the Miskolctapolca cave bath, spa prices, and accommodation can be found here.
Written by Alexandra Palconi.
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