Budapest is a city full of Turkish Thermal Baths since it is a land full of natural hot springs. Budapest is one of the only cities in the world with thermal water resources inside the city center. There are lots of Turkish baths here dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries to experience. Szecheny bath is not one of the cities Turkish baths but a beautiful palace. Szechenyi is an ornate thermal set of baths, built in 1913, with a cupola, massive swimming pools & water jet massagers. It is one of the largest bath houses in Europe housing 21 different pools. There are health and wellness services, massages, saunas, gymnastics and aqua-fitness included in the entry. The Neo-baroque palace was specifically designed for hosting Szechenyi Baths as Hungary is the country of baths (and Budapest the City of Baths) for many centuries: because of the Roman settlers who built the first spa baths, through the 16th century Turkish occupiers built many of the famous Turkish baths in Budapest to the 19-20th century natural medical trends like aqua therapies and their benefits. The beautiful spa baths are the design of Gyozo Czigler (Győző Czigler) who started to build Szechenyi Furdo in May 1909.
Read my top 5 bath houses in Budapest guide.
Location
Szechenyi Thermal Bath is located in the city park, or Varosliget. By public transportation it is a stop on the trolleybus number 72. The millenium underground train goes to the city park as well. This thermal bath is huge and it is easy to get lost. Click here for maps of the bath house and grounds. The bath is close to the city centre of Budapest: by M1 metro (underground) you can easily get to the bath complex in 15 minutes from the heart of the city, i.e. from the transit hub square called Deak Square (Deák tér), where all Budapest metro lines meet. Szechenyi Baths is in the City Park, a 5 minute walk from Heroes’ Square.
Budapest Tourist Map here with the bath house
Szechenyi Thermal Bath address:
9-11 Allatkerti korut Street, Budapest, District 14 (on maps, you will see District XIV), H-1146. (i.e. the post code is 1146)
Hours
Open daily 6am-10pm, pump hall open 9am-5pm daily.
- Christmas bath event
- New years bath event
- Valentines day bath event
- Easter day bath event
- There are lots of events that occur and you can check their website for a full schedule
Night Parties at Szenchy Bath
Every night, the three outdoor pools of Szechenyi Spa Baths are open until 10pm, Monday to Sunday, and in all four seasons. Note: the 15 indoor pools and facilities also close at 10 pm. This makes a great pool to do in winter time as well when it is cold and you can sit in the warm thermal tubs. Or it is nice to do in the summer time with the cool tubs.
In the summer season, every Saturday night you can join the world famous hip Szechenyi Bath spa parties, known as Szecska sparties, or the more rare summer parties called Water Circus parties, or sparties.
Sparties are a one of a kind experience of all night pool parties in the 3 outdoor pools in Szechenyi Baths including laser shows, DJ and VJ electronic discos. There are lots of young people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. Night parties are not nude, swimwear is mandatory, you can bring floating toys. Drinks are sold at the parties, that take place every Saturday night in summer months. Other months of the year they have night parties but at different bath houses.
Cost
Prices from 8 January, 2019
| Tickets: Szechenyi Ticket Bath Ticket Prices from Jan 8 2019 | Prices in HUF ( Hungarian Forint) | |
| (weekends and holidays the right column prices) | Weekdays | |
| Full Day bath ticket with cabin usage in Szechenyi Baths in HUF (order online with fast track entry in Euro) | 6 300 HUF (buy) | 6 500 HUF (buy) |
| Full Day Fast Track bath Ticket & Cabin in Szechenyi Baths in Euro (can be ordered online in advance) | €21 (buy) | €22 (buy) |
| Pool Party Ticket from 10.30 pm to 3 am in Szechenyi Baths (order online) | no party on weekdays. Try a boat party. | €50 Standard, €65 with Drinks (buy) |
| Full Day bath ticket with locker usage at Szechenyi Baths | 5 800 HUF (buy) | 6 000 HUF (buy) |
| After 7pm bath ticket with cabin usage | 5 400 HUF | 5 600 HUF |
| After 7pm bath ticket with locker usage | 4 900 HUF | 5 100 HUF |
| Morning bath ticket with cabin usage for 2 hours (6-8 am) at Szechenyi Baths | 5 700 HUF | 5 900 HUF |
| Morning bath ticket with locker usage for 2 hours (6-8 am) at Szechenyi Baths | 5 200 HUF | 5 400 HUF |
| Ticket paid in advance, with cabin usage at Szechenyi Baths | 6 300 HUF | |
| Ticket paid in advance, with locker usage at Szechenyi Baths | 5 800 HUF | |
| Visitor ticket for guided tour at Szechenyi Baths | 3 000 HUF | |
| Cabin ticket at Szechenyi Baths | 500 HUF | |
| Bath Kit (own towel, flip flop, swimming cap, shampoo & bath gel, bottle of mineral water) | 8 500 HUF | |
| Buy Towel (own towel with Szechenyi logo) | 4 500 HUF | |
| Bath Kit + Fast Track Entry + Cabin | 14 500 HUF | |
| Buy Towel + Fast Track Entry + Cabin | 10 800 HUF |
| Services at Szechenyi Baths | Prices |
| 20 minutes thermal massage at Szechenyi Baths | 7 900 HUF |
| 20 minutes aroma relax massage at Szechenyi Baths | 7 400 HUF |
| 45 minutes harmony aroma massage at Szechenyi Baths | 16 300 HUF |
| Pedicure (30 minutes) at Szechenyi Baths | 4 200 HUF |
Types of Baths (21)
- There are 11 thermal water pool (indoors) 28 °C – 40 °C
- 1 cooling pool (indoors) 20 °C
- 1 immersion pools (indoors) 18 °C
- 1 swimming pool, 50 meter long (outdoors) 26 °C – 28 °C
- 1 activity pool (outdoors) 30 °C – 34 °C
- 1 thermal water pool (outdoors) 38 °C
- 2 immersion pools (indoors) 18 °C
- There are 3 day care hospital pools
Hot Spring Water
The water source for the bath is from the Saint Stephen Well Nr.II commissioned in 1938. It is a hot-spring water that includes calcium, magnesium, hydro-carbonate, sodium and sulphate, with a large content of fluoride and metaboric acid. It is said that soaking in the mineral pools helps with:
- Diseases of the joints (degenerative joint diseases)
- Arthritis (chronic and sub-acute arthritis)
- Orthopaedic and post-traumatic treatments
- More information about aqua therapies and the baths mineral content here
- Health conditions for those who should not use the baths here
Tips
- A Budapest card gives you a 10% discount on entry fees
- All the pools are coed and shared at this bath house so no nudity allowed
- Bring your own towel the renting service is an expensive deposit, is normally at least a 30 minute waiting line and can only be rented at the Cashier building that is hard to find.
- There are not tickets without a locker or cabin. Lockers are 120x30x65 cm (1200 x 300 x 650 mm). The cabin is your own private changing room with a bench you can step into. The cabin tickets are only 1.5 Euro more expensive than the standard bath tickets. This is a really nice private feature of the cabin tickets. I recommend getting a cabin it is not much more but gives you a private changing room and secure place to store your things.
- Early morning or late at night is least busy. Week days and before 1pm at the bath house is the most empty with just locals bathing.
- There is a cafe at the bath where you can buy meals, drinks and all kinds of snacks. This cafe is a bit more pricey and I packed in my own picnic from the grocery store that I kept in my changing cabin and would come and eat.
- You can buy fast track tickets that skip you past the line but they are only available 9am-6pm and do not allow you the evening time of a normal ticket.
- On a standard ticket you can stay all day and it is worth the money as a day long spa and pool day in the sun.
Photo Gallery of the bath house
