Opening times vary depending on the day of the week, and many baths now open at night on the weekends. A great way to pamper yourself and soothe your sore muscles after a day of exploring the city is to hit up one of the local baths and take a dip in their hot therapeutic waters. Web Visit website. 2 Comments Often crowded - come early or late. The baths are less crowded in winter, and it’s pretty cool to soak outside in steaming hot water, while snowflakes fall around you. However, summer means you can enjoy Széchenyi … Younger couples or friends meet at Gellért or Király, the latter of which has dark stone walls and skylights whose perforations look like stars (a long-overdue renovation and expansion of this Turkish-style bath is set to be complete in 2020). You can avoid some of it by booking in advance: Some established baths now offer online tickets, which saves time waiting in lines, and the separate costs are spelled out a little more clearly. Best time to visit the Thermal Baths in Budapest. It’s about community and tradition, wet and mostly undressed. It’s recommended to stay in a thermal bath for 20 minutes, then rest on a recliner. My favorite thing about Budapest is its plethora of thermal baths. Mid and late afternoons are more popular with tourists, especially in the summer months (from June to September). Except for Rudas, all Budapest baths are coed and require a bathing suit. Answer 1 of 11: We are thinking of either visiting Gellert or Szchenyl baths when we visit Budapest in a couple of weeks time. If you go to Széchenyi or Gellért, try to get there early in the morning (between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.) — that's when you'll find the few remaining local regulars and the baths won't be so crowded. See details below on Rudas. Otherwise, head there at nigh t for a cool experience. The original Roman baths remain only as archeological sites, but they kicked off centuries of soaking. Baths Budapest Families with children are best to visit one of the open air lidos of Budapest, especially Palatinus Pools on Margaret Island and Dagaly Lido close to Arpad Bridge. Not only is the weather great, but you also get to escape the queues that come with the peak season crowds. Hot Spring Baths in Budapest Szechenyi Baths are the biggest baths complex in Budapest and a must experience. Answer 1 of 11: We are thinking of either visiting Gellert or Szchenyl baths when we visit Budapest in a couple of weeks time. Széchenyi Thermal Baths. the best baths with little ones is perhaps off the city center of Budapest in the north of the city to be more precise, but is usually a huge fun for families: as April can be on the cool side it is a good choice to visit the water theme park in Budapest which has many child pools and slides (the name is Aqua World) But winter has its offerings too, with sprinklings of snow only enhancing the city’s enchanting skyline. October 11, 2016 The Király, the Irgalmasok Veli Bej, and the Rudas Medicinal Bath, for example, are all still in operation and welcome bathers in Budapest, while the Rác is set to reopen its doors in the future. (Rudas Baths the only thermal Baths which offers men only and women only days on weekdays. There are many different types of baths in the city and it's up to you to choose where to enjoy a relaxing thermal bath and spa. If you’re looking to relax in hot water in incredibly beautiful surroundings, then I think that the best Budapest hot baths are … Budapest attracts a lot of visitors at the height of summer. Answer 1 of 6: Good afternoon all you Budapest experts!, A group of us will be visiting the glorious Hungarian capital for the first time over the Easter weekend! Honestly, I think the best time to visit Budapest’s baths depends on you. Price: Admission starts at 2,400 HUF. The best time to visit Budapest is in the early fall (September and October) or late spring (May). 118! Often crowded - come early or late. Often crowded - come early or late. We were initially swayed by the cheaper flights, but visiting Budapest in March offers many other benefits. When I read the reviews on trip advisor it seems to say they get very crowded and busy. Avoid the tourist rush and go to the larger baths as early as you can, even at 6 a.m., when most open; or linger on Friday or Saturday nights at Rudas, which stays open past midnight. And, ultimately, is it worth it? I’m one of them. Here are some highlights of Budapest Thermal Baths. Skip the line and purchase tickets online. Rudas Baths address: Budapest, Döbrentei tér 9, 1013 Hungary After pondering which was the best baths to visit in Budapest, I opted for Rudas Baths for my thermal bath experience. For years, I’ve been thinking that winter was the best time to visit Budapest, to enjoy the outdoor thermal pools in Szechenyi. Best time to visit the Gellert Baths. Veli Bej Baths. As one of the tourists wrote in their Szechenyi Baths review on a travel forum “We were there today, arrived at 1.30pm, and by 3.30pm it was chock-full of tourists. When is the best time to visit to avoid the crowds? The only time I would suggest Géllert is in the middle of winter. Taking the waters is an integral part of Budapest’s culture, and joining in is a instant lesson in understanding the Hungarian soul. Get directions. Required fields are marked *. 465 reviews. The baths are less crowded in winter, and it’s pretty cool to soak outside in steaming hot water, while snowflakes fall around you. The cultural experience of visiting Budapest’s grand spas, like Szechenyi, should not be missed. A smattering of Budapest’s bathhouses are much newer (post-communist Hungary didn’t want to stay stuck in history forever): The Helia and Aquincum, both contemporary hotel baths, have brought Budapest bathing up to date. Plenty of picture opportunities – and it’s a surreal experience during sunset. Budapest sits on a total of 123 thermal springs that pump out natural mineral-rich water. This plunge primer will dampen your fears about coed nudity, tipping, and mean masseuses. Thank you for your comment. Baths Budapest: Budapest thermal bath guide with medicinal pools, spas, hot spring baths. What about tipping? Below, some answers: No, nudity is not required; in fact, Budapest’s baths no longer allow it, as most went coed within the past decade. Why Winter is the Best Time to Visit Budapest. In the main Thermal Baths of Budapest all days are mixed, so you don’t need to plan ahead for coed visits. The Széchenyi baths is one of the largest natural thermal baths in Budapest. Budapest’s thermal baths are popular all year. Hammam-style baths with octagonal main pools, like Rudas and Király, date to the 150-year Ottoman occupation era (1541–1699). The Széchenyi complex consists of 18 pools with varying degrees of heat. The Szechenyi Thermal Bath is the largest outdoor thermal bath in Europe and the first thermal bath of Pest. May 1, 2019 - Szechenyi Baths are the best in Budapest, with thermal pools, saunas and everything else you need to feel like a Roman. Best Thermal Baths in Budapest – Palatinus Thermal Baths – The One On the Island The ‘Pala’, as locals call it, is located in the heart of the Margaret Island, the green refuge of Budapest. Budapest baths have a past. It has more thermal and medicinal water springs than any other capital city in the world so if you’re looking for a thermal bath… Whichever season you go, the mornings see the least crowds at Szechenyi. Guy groups spend the men’s days lounging at the atmospheric Rudas, under a domed and vaulted interior built in the 16th century by an Ottoman pasha and in continuous operation since the year 1572 (it was tastefully renovated in 2014). For some, the mere mention of Budapest evokes images of steamy, tiled pools, tough-love masseuses, and lots of exposed skin. Soon, the thermal baths in Budapest became a must-see. While the therapeutic effects of the calcium, magnesium, and bromine-laden waters might be medically disputable, floating weightless in hot water in a subdued atmosphere is simply relaxing. 84, 1027 Hungary. According to previous visitors, one of Budapest's best thermal baths (and the largest of its kind in Europe) is Széchenyi Baths in City Park. Best time to visit the Thermal Baths in Budapest. Remember where your locker is, tie its key around your wrist or ankle, then venture into the hazy maze with your towel in a waterproof bag. Should you want to choose the best time of the day, we suggest to visit the baths either in the morning at around 10 am, or around noon. the best time to visit I know it’s not fun to wake up early when you’re on vacation but if you can, I highly recommend visiting Szechenyi Baths early in the morning. Did you know that there are 118 mineral pools in Budapest? For more popular baths such as Széchenyi and Gellert, it’s suggested that you arrive as soon as the baths open in the morning to avoid the crowd. TIP: If you want to avoid queuing, go in the early morning. For most tourists, Spring, Summer and Fall are the best times to visit Budapest. (Try the drinking water here, which apparently cures many ills, too.). Plenty of picture opportunities – and it’s a surreal experience during sunset. Planning Your Visit to Budapest's Baths. JayWay Travel Blog » Hungary » Budapest » Budapest’s Best Spas No visit to Budapest is complete without a leisurely soak at one of the city’s legendary baths. Understand your body’s limits: If you feel dizzy, get out and cool down. With many thermal springs, Budapest is rich in thermal waters with healing qualities; visit the Széchenyi Fürdő – the largest medicinal bath in the world and one of Europe’s largest public baths – and soak in one of the 18 pools (15 have spring-fed water! Balneology, the study of mineral hot springs and their medicinal effects, is an official thing.) Two good towels—one to use during the bath and one to dry off with after the last shower, A swimming cap, if you intend to use a bath’s conventional swimming pool, Your own soap and hair products; there are no spa-style dispensers here, And lastly, a pair of flip-flops—floor tiles can be hot, and catching a foot fungus is no fun. So early morning is probably the best time to visit. The early morning hours (between 6 am and 8 am) are less busy, as well, the pools are almost only used by local people. Do bathers have to be naked? Inside the complex, you can find 15 indoor pools, three huge outdoor pools, and saunas. Thermal baths to visit in Budapest 1. In the 12th century the Knights of St. John settled near the site of the present Lukacs Baths, using the thermal water to heal the sick. Budapest Houses of Parliament at night. Szechenyi and Gellert are among the best thermal baths in Budapest – visit at least one of them! Good evening, if booking is unavailable can we still visit the baths? The Szechenyi thermal baths can get very busy at times. You get to see the spas in the day, during sunset and at night. the best baths with little ones is perhaps off the city center of Budapest in the north of the city to be more precise, but is usually a huge fun for families: as April can be on the cool side it is a good choice to visit the water theme park in Budapest which has many child pools and slides (the name is Aqua World) Beyond the obvious soothing qualities of hot water, there’s a strange intimacy and sense of tolerance and ritual to the Budapest bath experience, one that’s clearly endured for many centuries and won’t stop anytime soon. (Remember that 37 degrees Celsius is body temperature; in many baths the temperature is marked, in Celsius, in tiles on the wall; the hottest is usually 40 degrees, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit.) Speaking is certainly not forbidden, but unless you’re in an outdoor area of a bathhouse complex, do keep conversations low. Visit the Baths. What Shall I Take With Me to the Spa Baths of Budapest. While all these things are available to rent on site, lines can be long and dispensed towels can be more like bedsheets than absorbent terry. Your email address will not be published. Easy to get to by the subway. Yes, tickets will be available only on the spot between 24th Dec 2019 and 7th Jan 2020. You get to see the spas in the day, during sunset and at night. Dagaly Baths – child friendly lido in Budapest. Answer 1 of 6: Good afternoon all you Budapest experts!, A group of us will be visiting the glorious Hungarian capital for the first time over the Easter weekend! However, Budapest has something to offer all year, even during the the hot summers and frigid winters. ... One of the greatest pleasures of winter in Budapest must surely be the city’s spectacular thermal baths. Or go where the locals go: Less ornate baths like Lukács are where Budapesters, especially the intellectual set, hang out. #18 of 167 Spas & Wellness in Budapest. Hot Spring Baths in Budapest Szechenyi Baths are the biggest baths complex in Budapest and a must experience. Dear Jo, And for Budapesters, communal baths have long been a place to both unwind and socialize; tales abound of communist-era whisper deals cut in a haze of thick, drippy fog. Whether you’re going for a full range of massages and wellness treatments, or just stopping in for a steam and a quick dip, there are baths throughout the city designed in a wide range of styles. Weather in March: 1 to 10 degrees. It is a Budapest thermal bath that the whole family can enjoy. For a long time it was only available in summer with open-air pools, but recently they opened an indoor section as well, and it is still not as crowded as some of the town baths. Although we think Budapest is great any time of year, we recognize some parts of the year are more appealing. 118! The stunning environment, the many thermal baths, saunas and steam cabins are definitely worth a visit. 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