The list of the 10 Best Spas and Hot Springs in Budapest, information, history, and reviews. Plus the things to absolutely see in the Hungarian capital.
The spas of Budapest are one of the many attractions for which it is worth visiting the Hungarian capital, born from the union of two cities, Buda and Pest, and a third less famous city, Obuda.
Each one with its own peculiarities and its history, from old to modern, an exciting city full of vitality.
The Thermal Baths of Budapest
Budapest is famous throughout Europe for its Spas, frequented not only by Hungarians but also by the many tourists who go there attracted by the idea of being able to relax, enjoying the benefits of the waters as well as massages and additional services offered at very convenient prices.
There are more than a hundred underground thermal springs in Budapest, around which many Spas have been built, the city is known as the Queen of Waters.
The Hungarian capital is therefore the capital of fumes, vapors, and mineral waters. Some say that thanks to the spas in Budapest you can even rejuvenate!
Type of structures
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The spa facilities are very diverse: some were built where the Roman baths were already present, maintaining their style, others are more modern and others in the Art Nouveau style.
Being so numerous, it is not possible to visit them all during a short stay in the city, below in the article we will list the most characteristic structures not to be missed.
In some cases, it is possible to stay in hotels and have access to the thermal baths directly, although most provide an independent daily entrance. The thermal baths can be visited all year round.
Practical Tips
The thermal baths are located almost everywhere in the city, it is not difficult to find and reach them. Generally, after 5 pm they offer a discount on the admission ticket and considering that many close in the late evening, you will still have plenty of time to enjoy.
In addition to the thermal baths, it is possible to have additional services at your disposal, such as massages or Turkish baths, which do not have exorbitant costs and can make your stay much more pleasant.
In general, the services are quite essential, so it is advisable to think about bringing a towel, slippers and a change of clothes as well as the necessaire after the shower.
In upper structures the service is richer in comfort, so everything needed for the bathrooms is also delivered. If in doubt, it is good to check the sites and be sure there are safety deposit boxes to leave your belongings.
The Most Famous Spas in Budapest
There is certainly plenty of choice for those traveling to Budapest in search of a spa facility. Below we list some that are among the most famous in the city.
You can check the availability and costs of those that have hotels or see the offers of places to sleep near the spa facilities.
1. Gellert Spa & Hot Springs
These Budapest hot springs are among the best known in the city. The structure is in full liberty style, giving the swimming pool a particular charm.
Inside the Gellert Spa & Hot Springs, there are ten swimming pools and during the relaxing baths, you can admire all the mosaics, statues, ceramics, and stained glass windows that color the beams of light crossing them.
They have recently celebrated their 100th anniversary, they opened in 1918, even if their history dates back many centuries; there are in fact testimonies on curative and even miraculous activities that date back to the Middle Ages.
The water comes from the springs of Saint Gerard Mountain, this historic bath is located not far from the Liberty Bridge, and with a ticket costing 15 euros you can stay for the whole day – really a must-visit to be added to any Budapest tourist itinerary.
2. Rudas Thermal Baths
The spas have their roots back in time; in fact, the dome supported by large octagonal columns dates back to the Ottoman domination. But it was at the beginning of the twentieth century that this spa was officially opened to the public.
The pools are available to everyone, men and women, so there is no access problem, while for what concerns the entrances to the Turkish baths, be careful, as there are separate entrances with different times.
3. Kiraly Thermal Baths
This spa was also built in the Ottoman era. There are several pools with increasing temperatures, from the coldest to the hottest, from 26 to 42 passing through 38.
Since they do not have their own spring, these spas use a hot water spring that comes from the Lukacs spas via an aqueduct. Night events are often organized.
4. Szechenyi Thermal Baths
The Szechenyi thermal baths opened to the public in 1881. In the structure, there are 18 pools with variable temperatures, up to 40 degrees.
The pools are both internal and external so that they can be experienced both in winter and in summer, they are located in the area of the Városliget park.
The environment is also well suited for outdoor events complete with DJs and entertainment for parties and receptions.
5. Danubius Grand Hotel Margitsziget Spa & Hot Springs
At this hotel, located on Margaret Island, right in the middle of the river, are these other spas, it is a spa that is not strictly reserved for its customers, but is open to external visitors.
The center also offers the possibility of using other spaces where there are saunas and solariums. Reachable by metro 2.
6. Dandar Hot Springs
Located in the street with the same name, there are these hot springs, considered among the best in the city. It can be accessed every day and its waters are particularly rich in calcium and magnesium.
7. Dagaly Hot Springs
Seen from above they are very special: there are eight pools of different shapes and with waters at different temperatures. They are suitable for both children and adults and have a rather affordable day pass.
8. Veli Beji Hot Springs
For lovers of luxury, the hotel Csaszar Hotel, offers refined environments and a magical atmosphere from other times. You will feel like you are living in the Ottoman Empire.
9. Bük Hot Springs
If you want to take a trip outside Budapest, you could go to a beautiful family hotel, the Corvus Hotel Bük which offers an intimate atmosphere and the possibility to choose between 19 swimming pools divided as follows: 12 outdoor, 1 half indoor and the remaining completely inside.
In addition to the leisure that so many swimming pools can offer, the hotel also offers a very recently renovated recreation park.
10. Csillaghegy Hot Springs
Although it is not really to be considered a spa, this establishment is the oldest in Budapest, so you can try the three swimming pools, also open in winter, by paying a ticket that also allows you to use a locker to leave your belongings.
What to see in Budapest
Take some free time to explore the city between one hot pool and the next, the Hungarian capital is rich and diverse, for all tastes.
It is no coincidence that it has been called the Paris of the East. There are, in fact, analogies: for example, the Danube that cuts through the city like the Seine in the French capital and a hill that recalls that of Montmartre.
The Buda district is the place that gave rise to the city and here you can visit the famous castle, Budavári Palota in Hungarian, where the inhabitants of Pest took refuge following the Mongol raids in the Hungarian territory.
The changes due to the different historical passages can be found in the places of worship, which were first Christian and then Muslim.
Pest is the youngest face of the city and although it does not have the great museums found in Buda, it is the most creative area of the city, attractive to tourists and artists.
Here you can visit the Cathedral of Saint Stephan, the great synagogue, and the House of Terror, a notorious place of torture, used by both the Nazis and the Communists.
For art lovers, a must is the Museum of Fine Arts where you can see the greatest masterpieces of European artists, from Giotto to Tiepolo, from Raphael to Titian, from Rembrandt to Picasso, from Monet to Cezanne, just to name a few.
More singular and a little off-center, but easily accessible by public transport is the Park of the Statues where the statues used during communism are kept, or at least those that were not destroyed after the fall of the Soviet Union. They are certainly not refined works, far from it, but they represent an era and preserve its memory.
If, on the other hand, you want to take a walk in nature or a nice ride, you can choose to go to the Island of Santa Margherita. Not to be missed are the gothic spiers of the parliament building, one of the main images on postcards of the city of Budapest.
Interested in a Spa trip in Europe?
- The Best Hot Springs and Spas in Tuscany, Italy
- Saturnia Hot Spring, Tuscany
- The Amazing Spas and Thermal Baths of Slovenia
- Petriolo Hot Springs, a Noble Bath in the Ombrone Valley
- Rapolano Terme Hot Springs
- Tuscany: Bagni San Filippo Hot Springs, the Baths of the White Whale
Or in the USA:
- The Best Hot Springs Resorts in Arizona
- 6 of the Best Natural Hot Springs in the US | Info + Reviews
- The 9 Best Hot Springs in Southern and Northern Idaho
- Northern and Southern Utah Hot Springs – Natural, Free, or Resort
