Baths and Spa
The Budapest thermal baths are a highlight for tourists and locals alike, they are open throughout the year and make for a perfectly reinvigorating and relaxing experience. This is no accident, as Budapest sits on land that is home to naturally heated springs, and thermal baths have existed in the area since the time of the ancient Romans. While only ruins remain of those baths, Budapest boasts an architecturally rich selection of spas, from 16th century Ottoman baths to Neo Baroque palaces and Art Deco inspired hidden gems.
Beyond the spas, the classic medicinal baths, Budapest is also home to complexes with water theme parks, modern spa wellness treatments and even all-round family entertainment. Spas are hugely popular among international tourists, especially the famous Széchenyi Thermal Bath, and during peak season it can get extremely crowded. It is a must-see, but it isn’t your only option in Budapest, and here I will show you the ins and outs of choosing and booking passes at Budapest’s finest.
Choose a Bath, Buy a Pass
The Széchenyi Thermal Bath is the biggest medicinal bath in Europe, and it continuously attracts large numbers of tourists throughout the year. It seems to always get first mention among Budapest’s thermal baths scene, and, helping its cause, the next most famous bath, Gellért, was closed for renovation in 2025 and is not set to reopen until 2028. But Széchenyi is not your only option. There are plenty of thermal baths in the city that have the therapeutic waters you can submerge into.
The Rudas Baths are central and has a rooftop pool that overlooks the Danube. The Lukács is on the Buda side, outside the main touristy areas and has a quieter ambiance. There is even a spa on Margaret Island with added wellness facilities that you can pamper yourself with.
Here, I will highlight the different Budapest thermal baths and the types of passes and experiences they have to offer.
Best Budapest Thermal Baths
There is a reason why the thermal baths are one of those Budapest bucket list items that practically all tourists go to. Here’s the thing, most locals do too, although we tend to be split between the more famous options and lesser known local joints like Dandár, Paskál or Pesterzsébet.
The more famous locations are not well-known for a reason, and if you have never been to a thermal bath, then these are really the best options to soak up the grandeur, do what the people do, and leave with a newfound experience for the whole thing.
Our Best Thermal Baths page is the go-to place to learn about the different baths, what’s included in the tickets, optional extras, and Budapest thermal bath comparisons.
And these are the key attractions, the ones that headline most Budapest travel brochures.
Best Budapest Beer Baths
If a standard day or half-day pass doesn’t sound exciting enough, then you can always skim through the various alternative spa experiences. The most common is the Budapest beer bath, a type of treatment that first gained prominence in Czechia, but the Budapest thermal baths have since made it their own.
This is not a booze-oriented experience, not unless you want it to. While there are draught beer taps and the bottomless service, you can always go just for these special baths. You aren’t soaking yourself in beer but in a concoction of brewer’s salts, hops, and malts, which have proven skin rejuvenation and circulation benefits.
To learn more about what these packages comprise, the optional upgrades, and just what you are getting for your money, read our Best Beer Baths page.
The best sellers in this category are the Szechenyi and Lukacs beer baths.