It feels great to freshen up at one of these baths after a morning full of delicious food that we will hopefully consume together in one of my markettours. If you’d like to read more about it you can do it here or you can book the experience here.
Budapest is famous for its thermal baths. They are natural hot springs that have been used for centuries for healing and relaxation. The city has a rich history of bathing culture, dating back to Roman and Ottoman times. Today it offers a variety of baths to suit every taste and budget. In this article, I will explore some of the best thermal baths in Budapest, and what makes them unique and worth visiting. In part two, I will showcase a few lesser known but still pretty cool ones.
There are multiple sites to buy your ticket including third party vendors such as Viator, GetYourGuide, etc., however, they typically overcharge you anywhere between 20-40%. Most of Budapest’s baths are owned and operated by Budapest Gyógyfürdői és Hévizei Zrt., a private enterprise that is owned by the City.
Make sure you visit their official site, and buy your tickets there. You can also see the various baths the city has to offer, purchase your tickets there that will help you skip the line. You can read all the up to date information needed. I highly recommend getting your tickets directly generally but in this case it is even more important. I had clients telling how they basically got ripped off as they bought tickets from a third party vendor. As it turned out it was not a valid ticket to enter the spa as well as the ticket wasn’t the one they actually purchased. One particular case they thought they purchased a full day ticket but the harsh reality was that the ticket was only valid if the entry happened before 9 AM. Budapest is truly a city of spas, and visiting a thermal bath is a must-do activity for any traveler.
Széchenyi Baths
Széchenyi Thermal Baths is one of the largest and most popular bath complexes in Europe with the hottest hot spring in Europe with a whopping 77°C (170°F). It is located in City Park (Liget) and has 18 pools, including three outdoor pools, and various saunas, steam rooms and massage services. The water temperature ranges from 18°C (64°F) to 40°C (104°F), and the water contains minerals such as calcium, magnesium and sulfate, that are said to have beneficial effects on the joints, muscles and skin. The architecture of the bath is truly impressive, featuring neo-baroque and neo-renaissance styles.
The bath first opened in Budapest doors in 1913 but unfortunately the architect Gyozo Czigler (Czigler Győző) died by then. It was damaged during WWII and renovation consisted of mostly patching up that needed to be patched up. The real renovation started in 1997. The atmosphere is lively and festive again, especially on weekends and summer nights. What I mean by that is it tends to get crowded.
Széchenyi Baths is open every day from 6 AM to 10 PM, and the entrance fee is 8400-14000 HUF (23-37 EUR). They also offer overpriced swim gear such as robes, towels, slippers if you happen to not have them on you. I highly advise anyone visiting to buy those accessories at a department store for a fraction of the price. It is one of the best, most stunning and biggest bath complex Budapest has to offer. https://www.szechenyibath.hu/
Rudas Bath
Rudas Baths is one of the oldest and most authentic baths in Budapest. It dates back to the 16th century, when it was built by the Ottomans. It has a distinctive Turkish dome and an octagonal pool that has been operating as a therapeutic swimming facility. There is a sauna as well as six smaller pools with different temperatures and mineral compositions. The water contains fluoride, sodium and bicarbonate, which are claimed to help with degenerative joint diseases, chronic inflammations, and spinal problems. The thermal bath also has a modern wellness section with a rooftop pool that offers, one of the best views of Budapest and the Danube.
Rudas Baths is open every day from 6 AM to 8 PM, but the Turkish bath is only open for men on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and for women on Tuesdays. On weekends, the bath is mixed, and the wellness section is open until 8 PM. They also offer night bathing from 10 PM to 3 AM on Friday and Saturday. No kids under 14 are allowed. The price ranges from 6400 HUF (17 EUR) to 12600 HUF (33 EUR). For the most up to date information please visit the official site of Rudas bath.
Gellért Baths
Gellért Baths is another iconic thermal bath in Budapest. Located in the same building as the elegant Gellért Hotel. It was built in the early 20th century. However there are records about the “miraculous” springs spurting up in the area as early as the 15th century. These springs were favored by the Turks. The building features stunning art nouveau style architecture with colorful mosaics, stained glass windows and marble columns.
The bath has 13 pools, including an indoor wave pool and an outdoor pool with a jacuzzi and a fountain. The water temperature varies from 26°C (79°F) to 40°C (104°F), and the water contains calcium, magnesium, sulfate and chloride, which are supposed to improve blood circulation, digestion and metabolism. The bath also offers various treatments, such as massages, mud therapy and aromatherapy.
Gellért Baths is open every day from 9 AM to 7 PM, with prices ranging between 10500 HUF (27 EUR) and 20000 HUF (52 EUR) for a 90 minute private session for two. https://www.gellertbath.hu/
Lukács Baths
Lukács Baths is a less touristy bath in Budapest, located near Margaret Island (Margitsziget). It has a long history of being a healing center, and it has a wall of marble plaques from grateful patients who were cured by the water. The bath has six pools, including four thermal pools and two swimming pools, and the water temperature ranges from 24°C (75°F) to 40°C (104°F). The water contains calcium, magnesium, hydrogen-carbonate, sulfate and fluoride, which are believed to help with rheumatic and muscular disorders, kidney and urinary problems, and also stress. The bath has a sauna world with five different saunas, an ice cooling pool, an igloo and a heated roman bench.
“In the 12th century, knights of the order of Saint John engaging in curing the sick settled in the area of today’s Lukács Bath, followed by the orders of Rhodos and Malta. The bath operated through the time of the Turks but the energy of the springs were used primarily to produce gunpowder and for grinding wheat. After the reoccupation of Buda, the bath became the property of the Treasury. In 1884, Fülöp Palotay purchased the bath from the Treasury, thus a series of transformations began.” (source: https://en.lukacsfurdo.hu/past-and-present) It also has a drinking fountain that was built in 1937.
Lukács Baths is open every day from 7 AM to 7 PM. Prices are 4800 HUF to 5200 HUF (12-14 EUR) https://en.lukacsfurdo.hu/