New beaches in Budapest

Text: Eszter Götz
Photos: László Beliczay

The key to Budapest’s unique location is the river Danube, which bisects the city. It is rare in Europe to have a capital that boasts such a long riverbank, and it has not even been concreted through the early 21st century. The centuries-long bathing life of Buda and Pest, the world of Danube beaches and boathouses were ended in the 1970s by river pollution and boat traffic. However, by the early 2010s, water pollution had been reduced to a fraction and wastewater treatment now maintained almost the entire length of the river. In the summer of 2021, two Danube beaches opened on the Buda side: SHO Beach at the Kopaszi Dam and Plázs on the Római-part.