Are the spas in Central Europe open to tourists for short visits (1-2 days or even day visits) or are they generally only for people with certain medical conditions? I cant find a good guide on this.

I should clarify on my original message above. We are looking at Czech, Slovak and Hungary for a couple of spas to visit and cant seem to get good info on which spas are open to the public and which are with doctors' orders only. And at which the general public could stay overnight. Thanks.

Hungary:<BR>http://www.gotohungary.com/<BR>http://www.danubiusgroup.com/<BR><BR>Czech Republic:<BR>http://www.czechcenter.com/travel.htm<BR>http://www.lazneluhacovice.cz<BR><BR>Slovakia:<BR>http://www.spa-slovakia.com/<BR><BR>Slovenia:<BR>http://www.slovenia-tourism.si/index.htm<BR><BR>There's plenty of information regarding spas at these websites. There are certain treatments that you cannot receive without doctor's orders but most of the spas are open to the general public. Some baths in Hungary have alternating days for men &amp; women.

Dear Mr Kligman<BR><BR>I hope Fodors will forgive me if I quote from the Lonely Planet guide for East Europe. This says that in Hungary more than 100 thermal baths are open to the public. There are public thermal pools at Budapest, Eger, Harkany, and Szeged. The thermal lake at Heviz is probable the country's most impressive spa. It is open from 9 to 6 in winter, two hours longer in summer. The indoor spa at the entrance to the park is open from 7 to 4 or 5. Eger has indoor baths dating from Turkish times. Harkany has large open air thermal pools open in summer and indoor baths open all year round. All these places have hotels, and Heviz is a spa and resort town, while the other places have a range of attractions.<BR><BR>The guide says that all the Czech spas have colonnades where you may join the &quot;Drinking cure&quot; by drinking quantities of warm spring water then walking up and down to stimulate circulation. Admission is free but you bring your own cup. It has no note on spas in Slovakia. So I turned to Erhard Gorys and his book Czech and Slovak Republics and find he lists leading spas there at Bardejovske Kupele, Novy Smokovrec, Piestany, Strbske Pleso, and Trencianske Teplice. But so far as I can see, the Czech rules apply: you drink, but you do not swim.<BR><BR>Please write if I can help further. Gesundheit.<BR><BR>Ben Haines, London<BR>

Excerpted from a previous posting which might be relevant to your question:<BR><BR>Karlovy Vary - - Article in The New York Times<BR> <BR>Author: Marc David Miller ([email protected])<BR>Date: 04/22/2002, 07:47 pm<BR><BR>Message: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/21/travel/KARL.html<BR><BR>Registration required but free<BR><BR>----------------------------------------<BR> <BR>Author: Rex ([email protected])<BR>Date: 04/22/2002, 09:03 pm<BR><BR>Message: I thought about posting this one yesterday, too, Marc. Article on spas in southern Poland too - - Cieplice (pronounced chee-PLEET-suh)- - to be specific, at http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/21/travel/POLE.html<BR> <BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>