A Week I’ll Never Forget
Sometimes something happens that you can’t fully plan in advance. A small group of people, a green island in the middle of the Danube, Pilates twice a day, thermal baths, good conversations… and a city that everyone found breathtaking.
From 30 July to 4 August 2026 I got to experience exactly that with a wonderful group of six women.
We stayed on Margaret Island – that green island in the middle of the Danube, a peaceful oasis right in the heart of a vibrant city. At the Ensana Grand Hotel, with its own thermal spa and massage facilities. Morning Pilates under the trees, another class in the evening. We also did a reformer session and a sound healing. After the morning class we headed into the city. I took everyone around as a local guide: the famous highlights and the places only locals know.
And how they loved the city. We walked through the Castle District, climbed the basilica (the view from the top was overwhelming), went up Gellért Hill to the Citadella, visited the Parliament, explored the Great Market Hall, and strolled for hours through the shopping streets. We crossed the Chain Bridge with the wind in our hair and took in the view of the castle and the Danube. It was hot, sometimes very hot, but so worth it. Everywhere you could feel the history, the atmosphere and the life of the city.
In the afternoons we immersed ourselves in the thermal baths. Lukács felt the most authentic – as if we had stepped back into the 1950s. The most special evening was at Rudas: first the rooftop thermal bath with a view over illuminated Budapest, and then we discovered the authentic Turkish baths from the Middle Ages with their old steam rooms. Everyone was tired when we arrived, but after that discovery no one wanted to leave. We stayed until deep into the night, simply enjoying it.
In between we ate wonderfully. Our welcome dinner on the island, lunches at Anna Café opposite the basilica (lángos and csirkepaprikás), the atmosphere and food at Kiosk (my absolute favourite), and the desserts at Boho in the Balna. Even the octopus was perfectly cooked – and that in a landlocked country. I was proud.
The most moving moment came after the sound healing. We drew cards and then sat down for dinner together. Everyone opened up. Personal stories, listening, understanding, supporting each other. It felt safe, honest and warm. That evening I really felt how special this group was: open, caring and kind to one another. And everyone looked after themselves. If someone was tired, she simply stayed at the hotel for wellness or went for a quiet walk in the city on her own. No tension – just respect.
It was a week of moving, discovering the city, restoring, tasting, laughing and connecting. Body, mind, taste and balance – exactly as I had hoped, and even more beautiful because of the people who were there.
In 2027 I’m doing it again.
Twice, and once more in a small group, so that same warm chemistry can grow.
- 10 – 15 June 2027
- 29 July – 3 August 2027
Would you like to join? Send me a message or request the information. I deliberately keep the groups small, so everyone can truly enjoy the experience.
I can’t wait to be back on that green island in the middle of the Danube, with that beautiful city all around us.
With warm regards,
Marianna Czene
Boutique Pilates Studio Maarssen
