Széchenyi Thermal Bath – Állatkerti krt., Budapest

The Széchenyi Thermal Bath is Budapest’s best-known spa, set in the middle of City Park (Városliget) in the Pest side of the city. From the street it looks more like a palace than a bathhouse: a long, butter-yellow neo-baroque façade with three green copper domes, statues, arched windows and a formal garden in front, framed by the trees of the park.

The bath opened in 1913, designed by architect Győző Czigler, and was expanded in the 1920s with the outdoor pools that made it famous. Its water comes from deep thermal springs beneath the park, and it is often described as the largest medicinal bath in Europe. Like the city’s other historic baths, it is part of the reason Budapest is known as the “City of Spas”.

Inside the complex are around 18 pools, from steaming outdoor pools you can sit in even in winter snow to indoor thermal pools at different temperatures, plus saunas, steam rooms and a wide menu of massages and treatments. One of the classic Budapest sights is locals playing chess on floating boards in the warm outdoor pool, while on selected Saturday nights the bath turns into a party venue with music and lights, known as “Sparty”.

It makes an easy pairing with the rest of City Park, which is home to Vajdahunyad Castle, the Budapest Zoo and the Museum of Fine Arts nearby on Heroes’ Square. Bring a towel and flip-flops or rent them on site, and plan for at least two or three hours to try the different pools.

Good to Know

• Address: Állatkerti krt. 9–11, 1146 Budapest, Hungary (inside City Park)
• Opening hours: open daily, usually from early morning until late evening (check before visiting, especially on holidays)
• Tickets: day tickets with a locker or a private cabin; booking online is recommended in high season
• Getting there: right next to Széchenyi fürdő station on the M1 (yellow) metro line
• Website: szechenyifurdo.hu