Budapest Vacation Service...Budapest Spas and Thermal Baths
Vacation rentals by owner in Budapest self-catering apartments - in the best central Budapest locations. See our Budapest apartments pages to view our short break flats for rent with rates from just 35 € fully inclusive, for holidays, weekend breaks, corporate and dental tourism patients. Why not plan a visit to one or more Budapest thermal baths and spa's? Check the addresses and Budapest baths opening times here.
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Budapest Thermal Baths and Spas
Hungary is world renowned for its many thermal baths and spas and the Budapest thermal baths and spas attract visitors every year from all over the world, for both therapeutic treatments and recreational purposes.
Since 1934, Budapest has been known as "the city of spas" and over 100 natural springs deliver more than 70 million litres of thermal water daily, with temperatures ranging from between 20 and 75 degrees centigrade.
The Romans who settled in Budapest in the 2nd. century A.D. named the province Aquincum. They built the first Thermal spas to take advantage of the abundant natural springs and wells, which supply the warm, healing waters to the numerous spas, baths and public pools which can be found in Budapest to this day.
During the 150 years period of Turkish occupation and rule of Hungary in the 16th and 17th. centuries, the Turks further developed the thermal bathing culture and evidence of this is still present in some of the Budapest baths, such as the Király, Rácz and Rudas Baths.
Today the spas cater for all tastes - whether you enjoy the beautiful architecture of the historic baths like the Gellért Baths or Széchenyi Baths, want to indulge in one of the Turkish baths or would rather join in the hedonism of a night time `spa party` (or Sparty) complete with DJ.
Regardless of whichever spa you decide to visit, some advice and rules of etiquette should be followed:
Be Prepared
Make sure you bring a towel, shower gel or soap, a cap if you plan to swim, some change to tip the attendants and some slippers (the warm baths are the ideal breeding grounds for verrucas and other fungal infections.)
Hygiene
Take a shower before you enter the baths - this is not only compulsory but also good manners to fellow bath users.
When to go
Many baths have separate days and sessions for men or women only as well as mixed sessions, check out the opening hours with each bath. On mixed gender days you must wear a bathing suit. Some baths will give you a tiny cloth to wear on single sex days but don`t feel self conscious about this; everyone else will be wearing the same - if in doubt follow what the Hungarians are doing! Baths tend to be open the whole year round, with the main baths only closing on the 24th and 25th December and for the evening on the 31st January but do check opening times with your preferred spa.
Treatments
When you enter the spa, select which treatments you would like and pay the cashier, who will normally give you a separate ticket for each treatment. The use of the sauna is usually included in a standard ticket. It is worth noting that cashiers in Budapest Baths normally shut up shop an hour before closing time.
After the baths
Don`t plan any strenuous activity, have a relaxing dinner in a local restaurant or go back to your apartment or hotel for a rest.
Visiting with children
Children love the experience of visiting the thermal baths. The Dagály Baths have a large lido and all sorts of adventure pools for kids.
`Sparties`
Spa Parties are held in various baths around the city organised by Cinetrip, a Hungarian party company. They are a unique blend of audiovisual laser fire and water based theme show, party and spa experience. The Sparty is a fairly unique experience, but is not a hedonistic free for all - you are expected to obey the rules (not least of which is that you must wear a bathing suit.)
Even if you don`t think you have the finances for a trip to visit one of Budapest`s thermal spas, or even to experience a Sparty, its worth checking the internet - one advantage of our dire economic conditions is that you can get some brilliant late deals which might bring a short trip within your budget.
Precautions
The following is advised for all visitors to the thermal baths and spas:
If you have any medical problem, in particular heart or circulation problems and high blood pressure, you should inform and seek advice from your doctor before using the steam room, sauna or hot water pools.
Hungary is world renowned for its many thermal baths and spas and the Budapest thermal baths and spas attract visitors every year from all over the world, for both therapeutic treatments and recreational purposes.
Since 1934, Budapest has been known as "the city of spas" and over 100 natural springs deliver more than 70 million litres of thermal water daily, with temperatures ranging from between 20 and 75 degrees centigrade.
The Romans who settled in Budapest in the 2nd. century A.D. named the province Aquincum. They built the first Thermal spas to take advantage of the abundant natural springs and wells, which supply the warm, healing waters to the numerous spas, baths and public pools which can be found in Budapest to this day.
During the 150 years period of Turkish occupation and rule of Hungary in the 16th and 17th. centuries, the Turks further developed the thermal bathing culture and evidence of this is still present in some of the Budapest baths, such as the Király, Rácz and Rudas Baths.
Today the spas cater for all tastes - whether you enjoy the beautiful architecture of the historic baths like the Gellért Baths or Széchenyi Baths, want to indulge in one of the Turkish baths or would rather join in the hedonism of a night time `spa party` (or Sparty) complete with DJ.
Regardless of whichever spa you decide to visit, some advice and rules of etiquette should be followed:
Be Prepared
Make sure you bring a towel, shower gel or soap, a cap if you plan to swim, some change to tip the attendants and some slippers (the warm baths are the ideal breeding grounds for verrucas and other fungal infections.)
Hygiene
Take a shower before you enter the baths - this is not only compulsory but also good manners to fellow bath users.
When to go
Many baths have separate days and sessions for men or women only as well as mixed sessions, check out the opening hours with each bath. On mixed gender days you must wear a bathing suit. Some baths will give you a tiny cloth to wear on single sex days but don`t feel self conscious about this; everyone else will be wearing the same - if in doubt follow what the Hungarians are doing! Baths tend to be open the whole year round, with the main baths only closing on the 24th and 25th December and for the evening on the 31st January but do check opening times with your preferred spa.
Treatments
When you enter the spa, select which treatments you would like and pay the cashier, who will normally give you a separate ticket for each treatment. The use of the sauna is usually included in a standard ticket. It is worth noting that cashiers in Budapest Baths normally shut up shop an hour before closing time.
After the baths
Don`t plan any strenuous activity, have a relaxing dinner in a local restaurant or go back to your apartment or hotel for a rest.
Visiting with children
Children love the experience of visiting the thermal baths. The Dagály Baths have a large lido and all sorts of adventure pools for kids.
`Sparties`
Spa Parties are held in various baths around the city organised by Cinetrip, a Hungarian party company. They are a unique blend of audiovisual laser fire and water based theme show, party and spa experience. The Sparty is a fairly unique experience, but is not a hedonistic free for all - you are expected to obey the rules (not least of which is that you must wear a bathing suit.)
Even if you don`t think you have the finances for a trip to visit one of Budapest`s thermal spas, or even to experience a Sparty, its worth checking the internet - one advantage of our dire economic conditions is that you can get some brilliant late deals which might bring a short trip within your budget.
Precautions
The following is advised for all visitors to the thermal baths and spas:
If you have any medical problem, in particular heart or circulation problems and high blood pressure, you should inform and seek advice from your doctor before using the steam room, sauna or hot water pools.
Video clip featuring scenes from the Gellért Baths, Rudas Baths, Széchényi Baths, Lukacs Baths, Dagály Baths, Palatinus Open-Air Baths and a Cinetrip nighttime spa party or 'Sparty'.
Short clip showing some of Budapest Thermal Baths and Spas.
Budapest Thermal Baths Opening Times and Addresses :
Gellért Thermal Spa,
Kelenhegyi út 2-4, Budapest 11th district
Open daily from 06:00 to 20:00
Széchenyi Spa,
Állatkerti krt. 11. Budapest 14th district
Open daily from 06:00 to 22:00
Lukács Thermal Spa,
Frankel Leó u. 25-29, Budapest 2nd. district
Open daily from 06:00 to 20:00
Rudas Baths,
Döbrentei tér 9, Budapest 1st. district
Females only: Tuesday
Males only: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Mixed gender: Saturday and Sunday
Swimming pool: Monday – Wednesday: 06:00 to 18:00, Thursday – Sunday: 06:00 to 20:00
Steam bath: Daily 06:00 to 20:00
Night bath: Friday and Saturday: 22:00 to 04:00 (mixed gender days)
Dagály Baths,
Népfürdő u. 36, Budapest 13th. district
Open daily from 06:00 to 20:00
Király Baths,
Fő utca 82-86, Budapest 2nd. district
Open Monday, Wednesday, Sunday
from 08:00 to 20:00, Tuesday, Thursday Friday, Saturday from 10:00 to 22:00.
Males only: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Females only: Monday, Friday
Mixed gender: Wednesday, Sunday
Below: British TV presenter, Michael Palin at Gellert Baths
Gellért Thermal Spa,
Kelenhegyi út 2-4, Budapest 11th district
Open daily from 06:00 to 20:00
Széchenyi Spa,
Állatkerti krt. 11. Budapest 14th district
Open daily from 06:00 to 22:00
Lukács Thermal Spa,
Frankel Leó u. 25-29, Budapest 2nd. district
Open daily from 06:00 to 20:00
Rudas Baths,
Döbrentei tér 9, Budapest 1st. district
Females only: Tuesday
Males only: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Mixed gender: Saturday and Sunday
Swimming pool: Monday – Wednesday: 06:00 to 18:00, Thursday – Sunday: 06:00 to 20:00
Steam bath: Daily 06:00 to 20:00
Night bath: Friday and Saturday: 22:00 to 04:00 (mixed gender days)
Dagály Baths,
Népfürdő u. 36, Budapest 13th. district
Open daily from 06:00 to 20:00
Király Baths,
Fő utca 82-86, Budapest 2nd. district
Open Monday, Wednesday, Sunday
from 08:00 to 20:00, Tuesday, Thursday Friday, Saturday from 10:00 to 22:00.
Males only: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Females only: Monday, Friday
Mixed gender: Wednesday, Sunday
Below: British TV presenter, Michael Palin at Gellert Baths
Gellért Thermal Spa and Bath
Rudas Thermal Baths
Széchenyi Thermal Bath and Spa
Tip: If you're visiting the Gellert Baths, why not visit the Gyalog-H Health and Beauty Clinic, also located in the Gellert Hotel, for one or more treatments.
The Gyalog-H Health and Beauty Clinic offers several different health-care and beauty treatments, from a full-body screening for diagnosing and treating all kinds of health problems to personalized weight-loss programs and 15 different types of massage, including 24 carat gold massage, red grape massage, cellulite massage, lava stones
and oil massage and even synchronized massage for couples.
Special packages are available for tourists and weekend visitors.
See full details and price list, including a discount coupon at:
http://www.budapestvacationservice.com/health_and_beauty.html
The Gyalog-H Health and Beauty Clinic offers several different health-care and beauty treatments, from a full-body screening for diagnosing and treating all kinds of health problems to personalized weight-loss programs and 15 different types of massage, including 24 carat gold massage, red grape massage, cellulite massage, lava stones
and oil massage and even synchronized massage for couples.
Special packages are available for tourists and weekend visitors.
See full details and price list, including a discount coupon at:
http://www.budapestvacationservice.com/health_and_beauty.html