Budapest Baths are one of the top reasons Budapest is visited by hundreds of thousands of travellers and we certainly hope you will have a lovely time at the geothermal baths, swimming pools, boutique spas and wellness facilities in Budapest. If you can’t decide which works best for you, drop us a line.

Booking Bath E-Tickets with 24h Cancellation

Szechenyi, Lukacs & Rudas Baths

Opening hours (may be subject to change over the year) in the thermal baths. Pools are to be emptied 30 min before the closing hours, cashiers close 1 hour before the closing time.

Holidays 2026- Szechenyi Bath Budapest

• 23 – 25 May open: Pentecost, holiday rates
• 29-31 May open: UEFA, holiday rates
• 24-27 July open: F1 days, holiday rates
• 20-23 Aug open: National Holidays, holiday rates
• 23-25 Oct open: National Holidays, holiday rates
• 18 Dec – 6 Jan open: Christmas & NY, holiday rates

Szechenyi Bath: open all week. More info: Szechenyi Bath Opening Hours. Opening times may be modified. Please check closer to the date for any potential changes.

Szechenyi Baths alone is visited by over a million bathers per year, approx. 90% of whom are from abroad: spa tourists, or visitors who want to feel what it is like to be in one of the baths of Budapest. Each bath in Budapest gives a special experience, unlike the others, so if you can, visit more than one of the Budapest Baths.

Budapest the City of Spas

Budapest has several nicknames, like the Paris of the East or the Pearl of the Danube, and also the City of Spas. Beneath the city lies an extraordinary network of natural thermal springs — imagine a vast cauldron gently simmering deep under Budapest — feeding dozens of healing baths across the capital. For centuries, Hungarians have embraced these warm mineral waters.

No wonder that by the 21st century, Budapest has re-invented itself as the city of medicinal waters and amazing thermal spas. The bathing culture of the Hungarians is very lively and health-conscious: not only are water sports held in great respect, but the young and the old all enjoy the spa waters and the fun bath complexes. Aqua therapy is part of the regular – state subsidised – medical practice, and doctors often prescribe water treatments in the healing spa waters for Hungarian patients (balneotherapy is also available as a high end private service). In the last few years, the bathing culture has even been fused with electronic music as spa parties (Sparties), so you can even try a pool party.

Spa Baths in Hungary

Budapest is not the only settlement in Hungary blessed with powerful thermal water sources. Across the country, numerous spa bath towns and bath complexes operate thanks to natural mineral springs, including several baths near Lake Balaton, such as Zalakaros Spa Baths. Outside the capital, perhaps the most important spa town is Hévíz. Its name literally translates as “hot water” (hév = warm, víz = water), perfectly reflecting its natural thermal lake, which is one of the largest biologically active thermal lakes in the world. See how to book your bath day trip to Heviz (from Budapest to Heviz and back to Budapest, a day return trip).

Bukfurdo Thermal & Spa is in Western Hungary (close to Austria) while Miskolctapolca Cave Bath (in a literal karst cave is in the eastern part of Hungary), just like Zsóry Thermal Bath and Spa near Mezokovesd. According to estimates, Hungary has approximately 1,000 natural thermal spring sources. This remarkable geothermal wealth explains why bathing culture is deeply embedded in Hungarian history and remains an essential part of the country’s health, leisure, and wellness traditions today.

Many of the thermal baths in Budapest are century-old, most importantly the Turkish baths, like the Kiraly Bath, Rudas Bath or Veli Bej Bath (the former Kaiser Bath or Császárfürdő). Interestingly enough, the most popular bath complex in Budapest, Szechenyi Baths and Pool, was only opened at the end of the 19th century (in a makeshift house, later on, transformed into a beautiful palace). Another Budapest bath, which is architecturally equally stunning, or maybe more, is the Art Nouveau spa baths complex, the Gellert Baths at the foot of the Gellert Hill. Needless to say, the Turkish baths are unique with their original octagonal Turkish pools – such as the one in Rudas Bath or Veli Bej Bath.

Kindly note that Gellert Bath is due to scheduled renovation work, with completion planned for 2028.

Booking

Which are the best baths in Budapest?

One of the most common questions we get from tourists is which is the best Budapest bath. Our answer is usually, it depends. It depends on what you like, how much time you have, if you are in Budapest with your partner, or with kids, if you are interested in a budget ticket, pampering spa services, massage or just a few hours of fun time at a great bath. If you spend more than 3 days in Budapest, we strongly recommend trying more baths. Each has a distinct character and is worth a visit for its own merits, pools, architecture, history, style, programs.

If you only have three days, you can try the most popular bath, the Szechenyi Baths and Pool in the City Park (mixed all week), or the Turkish Rudas Baths (mostly mixed at weekends), or, if the beautiful Gellert Baths (mixed all week). Budget travellers may find the recently refurbished Veli Bej Baths a great option (also has a historical Turkish pool). The more ruinous Kiraly Bath currently closed due to reconstructions works – may appeal to those who like odd, cool, historical – communist things (weird in a good sense, ‘quirky’ – as in a cool special historical bath, with odd white-clothed personnel from the communist times, outdated interior, cheap prices, completely local clientele). Lukacs Baths is probably the most visited by Hungarians, so if you are a tourist who wants to mingle with the locals and keenly seeks out non-touristy places, Lukacs is your best bet.

Palatinus Bath & Lido / Beach is a sprawling thermal bath complex offering a wide range of pools, slides, and attractions for all ages on Margaret Island Budapest. Enjoy the relaxing thermal waters, experience the thrill of the water slides, and soak up the sun in the spacious sunbathing areas. The indoor pools are open through the winter months and one larger outdoor thermal pool too with scenic views of the spring coming to life on the island. Conveniently located near the Danube River, Palatinus Budapest is easily accessible by public transportation (number 4 – 6 tram) and offers a fun-filled day for the whole family.

For a quiet, small and cozy boutique bath one of the best choices in Budapest is Mandala Bath & Spa.

Relaxing and Exciting baths in Budapest

How can these baths be both relaxing and exciting? Well, most of the baths in Budapest, have several pools with various sizes, facilities, activities, temperature etc. so there is bound to be a pool, which you will like. During day time, the baths are mostly visited by those who want to feel the healing power of the water, use the jets in the pools to get some water massage, play chess with old pals, chat with friends, take their foreign friends to the baths to share the joys of bathing, enjoy a massage, giggle at the fish pedicure, revitalize in the saunas and steam rooms (plus the cold plunge pools), do laps in the swimming pool, have a few beers at the cafe, laugh at the whirlpools (Szechenyi Baths) and at night may go and enjoy the Sparties (Spa Parties).

Booking

Most baths have various bath tickets. Full-day tickets usually include the use of all bath pools and facilities, but not the personal care services (massage, manicure or hairdressing). If you are planning to spend a spa day or half a day in a Budapest bath, make sure that you book the spa services in advance (the pools and facilities do not need to be booked, but in the high season the baths get very full, so you can save yourself about 45 min by buying the tickets in advance at the more well-known baths, especially the Szechenyi Baths)

Last updated on Apr 30, 2026