Széchenyi Thermal Baths, Hungary – opening hours, admission, info, accommodation, reviews

The Széchenyi Thermal Baths are hidden right in the heart of the Hungarian capital, Budapest. These thermal baths in Europe attract tourists from all over the world who flock here for therapeutic procedures and recreation. Széchenyi Baths are only a few hours away by train from the Czech Republic.

Széchenyi Baths, Budapest, are the perfect prototype of the word “thermal baths.” The historic building offers healing water, but is also an amazing historical monument. The historic panorama frames the City Park (Városliget) with the well-known Heroes’ Square in Budapest.

Where are the Széchenyi Baths located?

History of the Széchenyi Baths

The first spring for the baths was discovered by geologist Vilmos Zsigmondy in 1879. Two years later, the same man opened the baths to the public. He thus built upon the Hungarian tradition of thermal baths, which dates back to the period of ancient Rome.

The greatest development of the Széchenyi Thermal Baths occurred in 1913 when the new spa complex was completed. In 1938, a drilling operation discovered a second spring, and the baths thus took on their current form.

Breathtaking Architectural Monument

Classical style with Neo-Renaissance elements and were designed by architect Győző Czigler. However, he did not live to see the construction itself. He died before the first excavation, and the construction was carried out by Jenő Schmitterer.

The baths consist of two mirror-image wings and a main building. Both wings originally served to separate the male and female sections. However, since 1981, the baths have been mixed, and the eastern wing is used exclusively for rehabilitation purposes.

Transport

It is difficult to find more accessible thermal baths in Hungary than those in Budapest. You can arrive in the Hungarian capital from Prague, Brno, and Ostrava by train or bus without a single transfer.

The Széchenyi Thermal Baths are located approximately 30 minutes on foot from the main train station. You can also use the historic M1 metro line or the 72M trolleybus line. The MOL Bubi bike rental is also popular, costing the same as public transport in Budapest.

What conditions are treated in the thermal baths?

Széchenyi Baths are known for their beneficial effects on the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis, neuritis, and post-injury convalescence. Their water is also used for drinking cures to treat the respiratory and digestive systems.

Both spa springs are located at a depth of approximately 1250 meters and have a temperature of 74C and 77C. The thermal water contains the following elements and compounds:

• Sulphur
• Calcium
• Fluorides
• Boric acid
• Magnesium bicarbonate

Patients from all over Central Europe rehabilitate here in pools with healing water, therapeutic baths, and mud wraps. They have absolute peace for their treatment thanks to the separation of the convalescent eastern wing from the rest of the baths.

Pools at Széchenyi Baths

In the Széchenyi Thermal Baths, you will find three outdoor and fifteen indoor pools. The water temperature ranges from a cool 20C to almost hot 40C.

The indoor pools are located in an Art Nouveau setting, one of which is styled after Roman baths. Next to the hot water pool, you will also find a cooling pool with a temperature of 20 C. Saunas and steam baths are also located in the indoor section.

The three outdoor pools have water temperatures between 30C and 36C. This also applies to the special swimming pool, which you will find under the upper gallery. Remember that you can only enter the swimming pool with a swimming cap.

Regular parties and film screenings

Széchenyi Baths, Budapest, prepare special events for their visitors. One of them is CineSpa – film screenings combined with bathing. New films and old silver screen classics are shown here every Tuesday.

If you are not a film lover and prefer nightlife, you will appreciate the ColorBath program. This is nothing other than a pool party in specially lit baths. The baths also have extended opening hours until 11 PM on this day. The water fun takes place every Friday.

Accommodation near Széchenyi Baths in Budapest

Széchenyi Baths, as one of the few in Hungary, do not offer direct accommodation or a spa hotel. However, Budapest is interwoven with all types of hotels. If you don’t like walking and want to be only a few meters from the baths, the following hotels are located at the edge of Városliget park:

• Hotel Foldana – 650 meters from the thermal baths
• Alice Hotel – 850 meters from the thermal baths
• Mirage Medic Hotel
• Ibis Budapest Hotel
• Baroque Hostel & Coworking

The price for accommodation depends on its quality. However, Budapest is not one of the cities with expensive hotels. A night at the Ibis Budapest Hotel costs approximately €61.20.

If you want to save on accommodation and don’t mind lower comfort, try AirBnb. You will find hundreds of shared and private apartments in Budapest, and the price per night is only a few euros.

Unfortunately, the Széchenyi Thermal Baths do not offer camping near the baths.

Admission Price List – Széchenyi Thermal Baths

Given the number of services provided, the Széchenyi Thermal Baths are not among the cheapest. Even so, you won’t pay more for admission than at an average aquapark abroad.

Admission Type	Days	Price
All-day Admission	Monday to Friday	€22.70
All-day Admission	Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays	€26.22
Afternoon Admission (from 6:00 PM)	Monday to Friday	€17.14
Afternoon Admission (from 7:00 PM)	Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays	€18.37

The admission includes access to all indoor and outdoor pools and to the Finnish and steam saunas. The admission price includes a chip for a locker in the communal changing room.

If you long for pampering, the prices for massages and other services are as follows:

Package Type	Inclusions	Price
Basic Package	Ticket, towel, bathrobe, slippers, swimming cap, hair tie	€55.51
Premium Package	Ticket with private changing room, towel, bathrobe, slippers, swimming cap, hair tie, 45-minute massage, handmade soap	€85.71

Széchenyi Baths also offer massages. You can also pay extra for other premium services beyond the standard offer. The price list for these services is as follows:

• Aroma Massage (20 minutes) – €27.35
• Regenerating Massage (20 minutes) – €27.35
• Premium Regenerating Massage – €65.71
• Safe Deposit Box – €2.45
• Private Changing Cabin – €2.45
• Towel – €15.10
• Bathrobe – €30.20
• Swimming Cap – €15.10

The price list for services at Széchenyi Baths is simply not cheap, which also applies to the premium services. It is all the more regrettable that the Széchenyi Thermal Baths do not offer discounted family or student admission.

The prices are valid at the time of writing this article. Please verify the current price on the official website of the baths.

Opening Hours – Széchenyi Thermal Baths, Budapest

However, the thermal baths make up for the shortcomings with above-standard opening hours. The baths are open every day, including public holidays. During the night screening, the opening hours are extended until 11 PM.

Széchenyi Baths Opening Hours:

Day	Hours
Monday to Saturday	7:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Sunday and Public Holidays	9:00 AM to 9:00 PM

If you were considering using the afternoon admission, forget about it. A fractionally lower price gives you access to the pool for only two hours. And believe me, you will barely have time to explore the Széchenyi Baths in that time.

However, the opening hours on weekdays are so generous that it pays to take the time and visit the baths for a whole day. Leave your food at home, though. The baths include a small café that serves cold and hot dishes. The café is open from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM every day.

Visitor Reviews and Experiences

Experiences with the Széchenyi Baths are generally positive. On the travel website Tripadvisor, they are listed as the third-best thermal baths in Hungary.

If customers complain about anything, it is the quality of the food in the local café and the staff at the baths. Visitor experiences recommend paying extra for a private changing cabin where you can store your belongings. Some visitors were also surprised by the obligation to wear spa footwear in the indoor parts of the complex.

Visitors also recommend setting aside enough time for the Széchenyi Thermal Baths. Three or four hours are not enough to fully utilize the ticket.

What to do in Budapest?

The Hungarian capital is not just the Széchenyi Thermal Baths. Budapest offers many other tourist attractions that you must not miss.

The dominant feature of the city is undoubtedly the Parliament building, Országház. This imposing building is located on the bank of the Danube right in the middle of the city. Within sight of it is also the Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial, which commemorates the execution of 3500 Jews during the Nazi occupation in this area.

Sights in Budapest don’t end there. On the other side of the Danube, you will find Buda Castle. A monumental medieval monument whose courtyards are accessible to the public. And from there, it’s just a few steps to Gellért Hill (where you will also find another significant bath, the Gellért Baths), where the 14-meter Statue of Liberty stands, celebrating the liberation of Hungary from Nazism.

If you are not a fan of monuments, you will find ruin bars scattered throughout Budapest. This is a special concept of a bar located in former demolished houses – ruins. The current owners, in cooperation with artists, have reconstructed these places, creating a unique atmosphere of the night city.

Our tip: Best thermal baths to visit in Budapest

Summary

The Széchenyi Thermal Baths will amaze you with their size. You should set aside at least one day for the 15 indoor and 3 outdoor pools along with Finnish and steam saunas. You will also be captivated by the classical architecture for which these baths are famous.

However, be prepared to pay extra for the experience at the thermal baths. Unlike other baths, not only in Budapest, you will pay over €16.33 for an all-day ticket. But we say the experience is worth it.

Photo Gallery

Photo source: www.szechenyifurdo.hu