Budapest Thermal Baths 2026: The Best Baths Compared

Booking choice: The Széchenyi day ticket, from $44 per person. Check dates Compare the options below

Budapest has more thermal baths than most visitors will ever see, and they are not interchangeable. Some are grand public baths with outdoor pools; some are Turkish baths; some are modern day spas in hotels or private buildings. Prices, ages and rules differ, and in 2026 one of the most famous, Gellért, is not open at all.

This guide compares the options on this site: Széchenyi, Rudas and Lukács as thermal baths, the Mandala and Margaret Island day spas, which are not public thermal baths, the cheapest ways in, what to do with children, and Sparty for a night out. For Széchenyi in detail, start with the tickets guide.

The quick answer

Széchenyi is the biggest and the easiest first choice, with warm outdoor pools all year. Rudas offers a Turkish bath, a rooftop pool and night bathing; Lukács is quieter and more local. Gellért has been closed since 1 October 2025, reopening expected in 2028. Széchenyi and Rudas are 14 and over, so families should look at Csillaghegy, Paskál or Palatinus. Mandala and Margaret Island are day spas, not thermal baths.

The painted interior of a dome above an indoor pool — A painted dome above an indoor pool at Széchenyi.

Which are the best thermal baths to go to in Budapest?

Széchenyi for the classic outdoor experience, Rudas for a Turkish bath and the Danube, Lukács for a quieter local bath. Gellért is closed.

Here is how the options on this site compare. From-prices are GetYourGuide's, per person in USD; ratings and review counts are theirs too, and they move. The two day spas are labelled as such: they are spas, not public thermal baths.

Bath	Type	Best for	Age	Rating	From
Széchenyi	Thermal bath, City Park	Outdoor pools, a first visit	14+	4.3 (28,357)	$44
Rudas	Thermal bath, Buda bank	Turkish bath, rooftop pool, nights	14+	4.1 (1,368)	$84 with a meal
Lukács	Thermal bath, Buda	A quieter, local bath	14+ (listing)	4.0 (337)	$37
Gellért	Thermal bath	Closed since 1 October 2025; reopening expected 2028
Mandala	Day spa, not a thermal bath	Calm, adults only, 3 hours	16+ (listing)	4.6 (3,447)	$43
Margaret Island	Hotel day spa, not a public thermal bath	Quiet, towels included		4.3 (551)	$37

An octagonal Turkish pool under a dome lit by coloured light from small round skylights — A Turkish pool under a dome, lit through small skylights.

Is a thermal bath in Budapest worth it?

For most visitors, yes: Széchenyi alone has outdoor pools at 38 °C and 34 °C, indoor pools from 18 °C to 40 °C and 10 saunas and steam rooms, open every day of the year.

The bath has history too: deep drilling in City Park fed an Artesian bath from 1881, and the present building opened in 1913, to plans by Győző Czigler. The flagship ticket's 4.3 rating from 28,357 reviews reflects a broadly happy crowd, with honest grumbles about crowds and upkeep. Go knowing the rules: bring a towel and flip-flops, swimwear only, and no under-14s. What to bring covers it.

An indoor thermal hall with arches, columns and warm pools, empty — An indoor thermal hall at Széchenyi.

Start with the classic: the Széchenyi day ticket, rated 4.3 from 28,357 reviews, free cancellation up to 24 hours.

Check dates for the Széchenyi day ticket

What is the cheapest thermal bath in Budapest?

Of the options here, Lukács and the Margaret Island day spa have the lowest GetYourGuide from-prices, $37 each. At Széchenyi, the cheapest ticket is Good Morning, 10,500 Ft.

At Széchenyi the Good Morning ticket needs entry by 9:00 and is sold on the spot only, Monday to Friday. The standard ticket costs 13,200 Ft from Monday to Thursday, and the Budapest Card takes 20% off it on the spot. The hidden cost is equipment: nothing can be rented at Széchenyi or Rudas, so a forgotten towel and slippers cost 11,100 Ft at Széchenyi's shop. The Margaret Island day spa includes towels in the ticket, which closes some of the gap.

An outdoor pool at dusk — Lukács: one of the lowest from-prices of the baths here.

A full day at a quieter thermal bath on the Buda side, with a cabin or locker. Guests report more locals than tourists. 14+.

★ 4.0 337 reviews · Full day · from $37

Explore the Lukács day ticket

Which Budapest bath is best with kids?

Not Széchenyi or Rudas, which admit visitors aged 14 and over only. The Széchenyi Bath names Csillaghegy, Paskál and Palatinus for families.

Since 1 August 2025, children under 14 are not admitted to Széchenyi at all, outdoor pools included; the only exception is a specialist's medical certificate approved 24 hours ahead, and ID may be checked. The other listings on this site have their own limits:

Széchenyi, Rudas, Lukács: 14 and over.
Mandala Day Spa: adults only; the listing says not suitable for children under 16.
Sparty and the BeerSpa: 18 and over.
Families: Csillaghegy, Paskál and Palatinus, as the Széchenyi Bath advises.

A statue and fountain in the courtyard by the outdoor pools — The Széchenyi courtyard: 14 and over only.

Mandala or Margaret Island: which day spa is better?

Mandala for a calm, adults-only 3 hours with the highest rating here; Margaret Island for a full day on the island with towels included. Both are day spas, not thermal baths.

The Mandala Day Spa is a modern private spa with 4 pools at different temperatures, a jacuzzi for 10, a steam cabin and a sauna. The basic package does not include a towel or slippers; the higher packages do. Guests report that numbers are limited, so it rarely feels crowded. The Margaret Island day spa is the wellness centre of the Ensana hotel on Margaret Island, with indoor pools, a thermal pool and an outdoor pool in the summer season. Guests report a quieter experience than the city baths, though one found it small and busy at peak hours.

Empty modern spa pools at the Mandala Day Spa — The Mandala Day Spa: a modern spa, not a thermal bath.

A calm, adults-only day spa for 3 hours, with 4 pools, a jacuzzi, a sauna and a steam cabin. 16+.

★ 4.6 3,447 reviews · 3 hours · from $43

Explore the Mandala Day Spa

Which bath is best for nightlife?

Sparty at Széchenyi, every Saturday night from February to December. It is 18+ and the ticket is non-refundable.

The GetYourGuide Sparty ticket runs from 21:30 to 2:00, with last entry at 1:00, and includes a locker; the premium option adds drink coupons. Bars take only SpartyPay cards, topped up with 20,000 Ft, of which 3,000 Ft is a deposit for the card. Daytime services are not available during the party, and towels and flip-flops are not included. Guests report a spectacular light show and good organisation, and that drinks are expensive.

For something quieter, Rudas has night bathing on Fridays and Saturdays from 22:00 to 3:00, and Széchenyi's Friday evening bathing runs to 22:00.

A light show over the outdoor pool at night — Sparty: Saturday nights in the outdoor pools.

Saturday night in the pools: the Sparty ticket with a locker. 18+ and non-refundable, so be sure of your date.

Check dates for the Sparty night spa party

How hot are Budapest thermal baths?

At Széchenyi the outdoor thermal pool is 38 °C, the leisure pool 34 °C and the lap pool 26 °C; indoor pools range from 18 °C to 40 °C.

Most indoor pools at Széchenyi sit between 28 and 38 °C, with an 18 °C cold plunge and a 40 °C hot plunge. The Rudas listing describes a 42 °C thermal pool and an 11 °C plunge pool in its wellness area, and guests at Lukács report a hottest pool of 40 °C. Medical pools at Széchenyi are used only with a prescription. If you have a health condition, ask your doctor before a long soak; this guide does not give medical advice.

Morning steam over the outdoor pool — Steam over the 38 °C outdoor pool on a cool morning.

Do you have to book Budapest thermal baths in advance?

Not usually. At Széchenyi you can buy at the door at the same price, but online tickets have priority when the bath is full, and fast track is online only.

The bath's own online tickets are non-refundable and cannot be re-dated; they can be booked up to 180 days ahead. The GetYourGuide tickets on this site, except Sparty, have free cancellation up to 24 hours before. If you plan a bath and an evening on the river, the Danube cruise with unlimited Prosecco lasts 75 minutes. The best time to visit guide helps you pick the hour.