As if the nation needed an excuse to celebrate its legendary bathing heritage, every October it stages Hungarian Spa Culture Day. This Saturday, four of Budapest’s most venerable baths lay on tours and special events, with a nod towards the Ottoman roots of this unique feature of Hungary’s capital.

Four of Budapest’s most historic baths – the Gellért, Király and Lukács on the Buda side, the Széchenyi in the City Park – are hosting a range of special events to mark Hungarian Spa Culture Day this Saturday, 12 October.

The idea is to familiarise bathers with the tradition and heritage behind their favourite places for rest and relaxation.

Although the guided tours and workshops will be carried out in Hungarian, even those with a minimal grasp of the language would enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at these fascinating landmarks.

In addition, the Király hosts traditional Turkish music group Canlar at noon and 3pm, and a belly-dancing show at 5pm, 6pm and 7pm. During the day, a bazaar will be set up, with Turkish food and products on offer.

Each of the four baths is offering tours and water tastings. To register, email info.gellert@spabudapest.hu, kiraly@spabudapest.hu, lukacs@spabudapest.hu and info.szechenyi@spabudapest.hu.

For the full schedule, see here (Hungarian only) and for all general information, see here.