Budapest Baths are one of the top reasons Budapest is visited by hundreds of thousands of travellers.
BookingSzechenyi, Gellert, 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.
Szechenyi Bath: open all week. More info: Szechenyi Bath Opening Hours. Saturdays: special Bath party night until 2 am
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. Indeed, there are so many natural warm spring waters under the city (imagine a cauldron topped with some layers) that Budapest has had several great thermal baths for many centuries. The Turkish baths along the river Danube are still functional and much favoured. But more than a thousand years before the Turks, the Romans and even before them, the Celts have been enjoying the warm spring waters as baths, healing waters and drinks.
No wonder that by the 21st century, Budapest has reinvented 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 medical practice, and doctors often prescribe water treatments in the healing spa waters for Hungarian patients. In the last few years, the bathing culture has been ingeniously fused with trance spa parties (Sparties), so you can even be part of once in a lifetime cool bath parties.
Spa Baths in Hungary
Budapest is not the only settlement in Hungary with a powerful source of spa waters. There are many many baths in Hungary called Fürdő (Furdo): from BukkFurdo to Zsorifurdo. Heviz, the most important bath town in Hungary, literally translates as ‘hot water’ (hév-víz or Hévíz). According to estimates, there are approximately 1000 natural spring water sources in Hungary.
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 covered with mysterious domes with colourful glasses.
BookingWhich 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 hour 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 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.
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 fun wave pools (Gellert Baths), and at night may go and enjoy the Sparties (Spa Parties).
BookingMost 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 Oct 11, 2024
I ordered my ticket and it never was e-mailed to the e-mail address I put it but the money was taken out through my paypal account. How can I get my ticket???
Dear Melanie,
we have sent the eTicket for you, please check your spam box, if you still did not receive it, and let us know. Have a lovely time in Szechenyi Baths!
Hi I ordered 2 tickets for tomorrow (September 4th) and they were never e-mailed to my e-mail address, but the money was taken out through my paypal account. I have checked my spam folder and it is not there. Could you please send the e-tickets to my email again?
Hello Sam,
thank you for letting us know. The confirmation email of your thermal bath products (which is basically the same as your ticket) was already automatically sent to you, to the email address you have provided in the booking form: please make sure to check the spam folder in case it ended up there. At any rate, we have manually resent it again. Please let us know if there should be any further inconvenience, or if you wish to get the ticket sent to a different email address too.
Have a great time in Budapest, and enjoy the hot spring spas!
Hi there.
I’m looking to book a group party on the afternoon of Sunday 4th September of 14 people. Could you give me a quote? Thanks
Hi Hannah,
the Group ticket for the price of €36.5 per person is the next cheapest option after the Early Bird Ticket (which is still available for your preferred date, Saturday, Sept 3, 2016 – the Budapest Bath Party is only on Saturday nights, from 10.30 till 3.00 am). Both Ticket types are limited, so booking in advance is highly recommended.
Group discount with Group ticket: after every ten tickets you will get 1 free ticket.
The way you can book it is 10+1 batch. For your group of 14 people it will mean booking in two steps:
1st batch of 11 people
3 more single tickets.
Please note that these tickets are available in very limited numbers, so if you are lucky you can get it, but they usually sell out very fast.
The party ticket is not valid for the day time bath use, and vice versa. To check the availability and make a valid booking, please follow this page:
http://szechenyispabaths.com/budapest-bath-party-dates/
Please let us know if we can be of any further help with your booking.
Is it possible to take a tour of the place without using the baths?
Dear Grace,
there are guided tours in Gellert Spa for bigger groups visiting Budapest.
There are visitor tickets in Szechenyi Baths which you can buy on the spot (it may take up to 30- 60 min to join a group for a round tour inside).
It is free of charge to enter the main hall in either Gellert Spa (Art Nouveau) or Szechenyi Spa Baths though, so you may just wish to peep inside even if you cannot get around the whole building.
Hello
We are trying to book for 10 people on 24th of december but wea re unable to find the slot .
Kindly assist also confim the opening hours.
Dear Suraj,
Thank you for your inquiry about services between Dec 24, 2019, and Jan 7, 2020 in the baths.
Due to the high number of visitors during the festive winter days, the thermal baths’ managerial decision was made that no fast track entries or cabins (changing cubicles) are sold during these days, with the notable exception of the pre-NYE night party tickets, which will be bookable for December 30 as usual (in Szechenyi Baths http://szechenyispabaths.com/szechenyi-baths-new-year-bath-party/).
Guests of day time visit will be checked in on a first-come-first-served basis. As long queues are expected there may be some lines waiting in the cold. Please find more details, advice and other thermal bath alternatives on the following link: BathsBudapest.com/Dec
Thank you for your kind cooperation. Enjoy the thermal baths in winter Budapest and explore some more if it is not your first visit in the city.
Festive guides recommended during the month of Dec:
Budapest Christmas ideas, activities, programs and events
New Year Budapest things to do
Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Hi I would like to book for 16 people on Saturday 7th may 2016? Is there a discount?
Dear Alexa,
thank you for your inquiry. We have sent you our offer for Budapest Baths group discount in e-mail.
Hello
I am dealing with a major concussion rehabilitation.
Can you advise if any of the baths are noted to help brain injuries.
What other services might also help with recovery?
I will be in hungary for 15 days in june.
Any insights would be appreciated.
Thank you.
R
Hello Rayna, we suggest consulting with your doctor / GP before visiting the thermal waters to find out if hot spring pools would be safe / beneficial for you to use. There is no expressed help for brain injuries soaking / swimming in the thermal pools.