Open year-round baths/summer baths
There are several types of baths in Budapest. The first notable difference is that most have indoor pools, so you can relax in them all year round, but there are also thermal summer baths, which are only open from April-May to the end of September. A public company (Budapest Gyógyfürdői És Hévizei Zrt), owned by Budapest City Council, manages ten year-round thermal baths (including the best-known and most popular) and three open-air summer baths, spread between Pest, Buda and Óbuda. What's more, in summer, the year-round baths often feature seasonal outdoor pools in their gardens. Such is the case of the Palatinus baths, dating from 1919, and the Gellért, with two large outdoor pools (including a wave pool) that give a singular impression of an Art Nouveau-style "Budapest beach". Unusually, the Veli Bej baths are the only ones to be run separately, by a religious order. Please note that two baths are closed for renovation: the Király and the Gellért. In this guide, we have chosen to deal with seven baths, which are more central and more likely to welcome foreigners, as the staff in all the city's baths are not always able to speak English. But brave souls are free to explore the other baths listed on the company's website!
The distinct historical heritage of Budapest's baths lends each a special ambience: intimacy for the authentic Rudas, Király and Veli Bej Turkish baths, elegance and sumptuous architecture for the Széchenyi and Gellért. As for the Lukács and Palatinus, they may be more discreet, but they too are over one hundred years old.
Please note that thermal water is not recommended for children under 14; in fact, the Király, Veli Bej and Rudas baths do not accept children. The Palatinus, on the other hand, is a little paradise for youngsters, offering a myriad of non-thermal baths in summer!
The water in each bath (ranging from 18 to 45°C) has different properties, depending on its composition, which is always posted on the website. They are even prescribed by doctors in Hungary and reimbursed by the local social security system.
With the exception of Veli Bej and Király (before its renovation), the baths listed in this guide have non-thermal pools where you can swim laps (and the Király baths, after renovation, should have a swimming pool - by the end of 2022). Always supervised by a lifeguard, discipline reigns and swim lines must be strictly observed. Admission is included in the price. It can also be purchased separately at a preferential rate, in which case access to the baths is not included. All baths feature saunas, steam rooms and whirlpools. Rudas and Lukács offer additional access to a whole range of saunas known as szauna világ (infrasaunas, salt cabins, scented steam rooms...). Many massages are available on request.
Opening hours, mixity, discounts
Some baths open at 6am, others close at 10pm. All Rudas baths are even open at night on Friday and Saturday evenings until 3am. A unique opportunity to immerse yourself in an atmosphere of tranquil relaxation in a whirlpool bath overlooking the Statue of Liberty. The "Sparty" or more rarely "Cinetrip" evenings let you discover the Széchenyi baths until the wee hours of the morning, vibrating to the rhythm of unique electro sets!
In any case, plan to take your time: at least three hours to fully enjoy this microcosm. All the baths in Budapest are now mixed, except for the Turkish section of the Rudas baths, which is only mixed three times a week: Friday afternoons from 1 p.m., and all day Saturday and Sunday. On non-mixed days, bathers often bathe naked. The other two wings of the Rudas are open to everyone at all times. Pensioners and students benefit from reduced morning rates at the Lukács and Rudas. At the Széchenyi and Palatinus baths, bathers enjoy a 25% discount from 5pm on weekdays. You should also know that a single changing room is included in the ticket - shared with the rest of the clientele, with reduced privacy. In this case, you still have access to a lockable locker for your belongings. Alternatively, you can use the lockable personal cabin to change and leave your belongings, at a small extra cost. But don't leave your precious belongings in the cabin, or take them with you. Families and children are entitled to discounts at the Palatinus. At weekends, ticket prices are higher at almost all baths, including the Palatinus, Széchenyi and Gellért.
Other practical details and modus operandi
You buy your ticket at the ticket office or by pre-sale online on the official website (perfect for bypassing the queues), which you can pay for by card. On site, you'll be given an electronic wristband to keep track of your time, which you leave in the small gantry before exiting.
You'll need a swimsuit, cap (generally compulsory in pool areas), flip-flops, towel, shampoo, bathrobe if necessary, a bag to carry it all in, and so on. If you forget, you can rent all these accessories (€3 to €5 per item on average, much more in Rudas). Flip-flops, on the other hand, are rarely offered.
All baths have sun loungers and often a cafeteria-café, or even a restaurant, as at the Rudas baths (bathrobes are also available). In high season, you can head to the natural "solarium" to lounge on the terrace.
For the baths to take full effect, the rule is to move gradually from the warmest to the hottest pool. Don't stay more than a few dozen minutes in the hottest waters (the recommended time is displayed in Hungarian above the pools). Then take a trip to the sauna-hammam, not forgetting the cold pool at the end. Take a rest before starting again, and finish off with a glass of medicinal water from the thermal fountains.
For more information on the Budapest baths, visit the official website: www.budapestgyogyfurdoi.hu.
