Rudas Thermal Baths (Rudas Gyógyfürdo)
Döbrentei tér 9, Budapest, HUN
In a city full of bathhouses, Budapest’s medieval Rudas Thermal Baths (Rudas Gyógyfürdo are among the most popular. Established as early as the 16th century at the foot of Gellert Hill, the traditional Turkish bathhouse features a swimming pool, six therapy pools, a sauna, and a rooftop Jacuzzi, plus massages and other spa services.
Design your own spa experience at Rudas, from a brisk exercise in the lap pool to a soak in the muscle-soothing thermal pools; temperatures range from 60–107°F (16–42°C). Unwind with a massage or body scrub, which you can book in advance or at check-in. Treatments usually incorporate local elements such as Hungarian wine and mountain herbs.
A separate wellness center has additional hot-water pools and a rooftop gastropub where you can supplement your spa experience with a multi-course meal overlooking the Elisabeth Bridge and Danube River.
- Some baths are gender-specific on weekdays, but most are open to everyone on weekends.
- Certain baths allow you to wear an apron instead of a swimsuit on gender-specific days; however, swimsuits are mandatory in all areas on the weekends. Swim caps are always required for the lap pool.
- Children under the age of 14 are not allowed.
- Bring your own flip-flops and a towel.
The Rudas Baths sit at the base of Gellert Hill near the Elisabeth Bridge on the Buda side of Budapest. Take tram 18 or 19, or hop on buses 5, 7, 8, 86, or 112.
The baths are reserved for men only on Mondays and Wednesdays to Fridays, and for women only on Tuesdays. Saturday and Sunday are co-ed. Weekends have extended hours.
Public bathing is a centuries-old tradition in Budapest thanks to its natural thermal springs, and the city has dozens of spring-fed bathhouses to choose from for a quick soak or indulgent spa day. Széchenyi Thermal Bath is the largest in Europe, with a sprawling outdoor pool and many soaking tubs inside an ornate neo-baroque bathhouse. Gellert Baths is a local favorite for its gorgeous Art Nouveau design, while Lukács Baths are known for its extensive menu of medicinal treatments.
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