Why are Danube beaches not being opened to replace docked boats?
Residents of Budapest have long yearned for more open-water beaches along the Danube, and recent developments suggest that this dream may soon become a reality. While the city currently only has two open-water beaches, Flava Beach and Roman Beach, the water quality of the river itself is conducive to more bathing areas.
Drawing lessons from the urban planning surrounding the Paris Olympics, Budapest can learn valuable insights on how to navigate the process of opening new beaches on the Danube. The similarities between the histories of the Danube and the Seine in terms of open-water swimming further underscore the potential for Budapest to rekindle its relationship with the river.
Challenges such as the occupation of riverbanks by hotel and event boats, as well as soil contamination at the Óbuda gas plant site, need to be addressed before new beaches can be established. However, compared to the costly cleaning efforts undertaken in Paris to prepare the Seine for swimming activities, Budapest is in a favourable position due to the Danube’s already good water quality.
Accredited measurements have shown that multiple locations along the Budapest stretches of the Danube have suitable water quality for bathing, indicating the feasibility of opening new beaches in the near future. The Valyo – City and River Association is spearheading efforts to establish new beach baths along the inner-city stretch of the Danube, with the goal of creating modern bathing areas that cater to residents’ needs.
By leveraging the lessons learned from the Paris Olympics and capitalizing on the natural resources at their disposal, Budapest has the potential to transform its relationship with the Danube, providing residents with more opportunities to enjoy open-water swimming in the heart of the city.
