Five of the best bathhouses: here’s a range to suit all tastes across the city. Admission prices vary, but are rarely more than £5. At most baths, your ticket is checked as you leave and you are given a small refund if you have stayed less than a certain length of time. All offer a range of extra treatments, from massage to pedicure, for a fee.

Visit www.spasbudapest.com for prices, hours and other information.

The finest of the old Turkish bathhouses is Rudas (00 36-1 356 1322). It is segregated, but has mixed bathing during the day on Saturdays, as well as late on Fridays and Saturdays. Dating from the 16th century, it is creepily atmospheric.

Gellert (466 6166) is possibly the most tourist-friendly bathhouse in town. It adjoins the Hotel Gellert (guests have free access via an independent entrance). While the women’s thermal pools are being renovated, the baths are mixed. It boasts one of the world’s most elegant swimming pools. In summer, you can also enjoy its outdoor sunbathing terraces.

On a warm summer’s day, the wonderful outdoor pools at Szechenyi (363 3210) have a holiday atmosphere, as people enjoy the cafes and sun terraces. In winter, there is a camaraderie of the “cheerful in the face of hardship” sort. A cathedral of bathhouses.

Quite institutional in feel, as it is part of a much larger hospital complex, Lukacs (326 1695) is a place for aficionados who swear by the restorative effects of the mineral waters. As at Szechenyi and Gellert, a wave machine is turned on for short periods every hour.

Kiraly (202 3688) is another of the great Turkish baths. It’s segregated, with alternate men’s and women’s days. You may find there is something of a gay scene on the men’s afternoons.

Where to stay: for location, it is difficult to beat the K+K Hotel Opera (269 0222, www.kkhotels.com ; doubles from £100), next to the opera house and one block from the best restaurant, bar and cafe street in Budapest, Andrassy utca. For a trendy classic, the Gresham Palace Hotel (268 6000, www.fourseasons.com ; doubles from £189) has a swimming pool on the top floor and great Danube views. More modest, the Hotel Kulturinnov (224 8100, www.mka.hu ; doubles from £47, B&B) is clean and simple, on Castle Hill. Alternatively, rent your own flat; with Budapest Apartments (00 36 70-323 5049, www. budapestapartments.co.uk ), prices start at £35 a night.

Where to eat and drink: the best restaurant in town is Klassz, at 41 Andrassy utca. Try the duck breast with grilled foie gras and caramelised apple, served with a delicate risotto, for £6. Reservations are not accepted. Budapest has a thriving cafe and bar scene. It starts with the grand old coffee houses: the Central (235 0599), on Karoly Mihaly utca, and the Gerloczy (235 0953, www.gerloczy.hu ), on Gerloczy utca, are atmospheric places for a coffee and a pastry, or a full meal.

At the other end of the scale are funky bars such as Ellato, at 2 Klauzal ter, or Siraly (621 5155), at 50 Kiraly utca, where the clientele is bohemian, friendly and young.

Tour operators: British Airways Holidays (0870 243 3406, www.ba.com/holidays ) has four nights at the four-star K+K Hotel Opera from £242pp, B&B, including British Airways flights from Heathrow. Or try Great Escapes (0845 330 3434, www. greatescapes.co.uk ), or Kirker Holidays (020 7593 2288, www.kirkerholidays.co.uk ).

Getting there: there are flights to Budapest from nine UK airports, and Dublin. BA (0870 850 9850, www.ba.com ) flies from Gatwick and Heathrow.

Other airlines include Malev (0870 909 0588, www.malev.com ), EasyJet (www.easyjet.com ), Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com ), Ryanair (0871 246 0000, www.ryanair.com ) and Aer Lingus (0818 365000, www.aerlingus.com ).

Getting around: rent a bicycle through Budapest Bike (00 36 30 944 5533, www.budapestbike.hu ), which has an office in the Szoda cafe, at 18 Wesselenyi utca. Hiring a standard bike costs less than £9 a day. The company also offers guided pub crawls, lasting four hours, for £15pp.