Hidden Budapest bath a locals' favorite for vibe, healing power

Hungary's capital owes its popularity as a tourist destination partly to its numerous hot springs and bathing culture which have drawn visitors to the area since Roman times.

Bathhouses range from large, ornate 19th-century buildings like the Gellert and the Szechenyi to tiny Ottoman Turkish-era hamams, some of them more than 500 years old. However, few command such fierce loyalty from locals as Lukacs, an intimate bath complex wedged between the Buda hills and the Danube river.

Tucked away in a leafy hospital courtyard, Lukacs offers not only swimming and bathing facilities but also boasts special healing powers for its mineral-rich waters.