Two thousand years ago, the Romans discovered the amazing benefits of Hungarian thermal water and they built the first thermal bath in the ancient city of Aquincum (present day Budapest.) The rest you can say is history… (click here to read more on the history of thermal waters in Hungary)
To this day, there are over 100 thermal springs in Hungary. If you plan to visit the country, you can’t leave without visiting one of Hungary’s iconic thermal baths.
With so many to choose from, read on for our top tips on which thermal baths are a must visit:
- Szechenyi Thermal Bath: One of Budapest’s finest and most popular baths, Szechenyi is open all year long. Enjoy a variety of activities during your visit; sauna sessions, steam room, medical treatments, chess, or perhaps a world famous Hungarian facial. People visit here to help with issues they have in their joints such as arthritis. It’s not just all about wellness though, Hungarians like to party and as a result ‘pool parties’ take place every weekend during the summer. Address: 1146 Budapest, Állatkerti körút 11.
- Lukacs Thermal Bath: This thermal bath in Buda was created by the knights of Saint John’s order with the ambition to cure sickness. These thermal baths were completely refurbished 15 years ago and are now offering indoor and outdoor pools, sauna, Himalaya salt wall and even a rooftop to catch some rays. Address: 1023 Budapest, Frankel Leo Utca 25-29.
- Rudas Baths: One of the oldest in Budapest, Rudas offers a nice mixture between the old and new style of baths in the city today. This 400 year old Spa was built during the Ottoman occupation and contains 6 pools including one on the roof with panoramic views of the city. Address: 1013 Budapest, Döbrentei tér 9
- Kiraly: This is another of Budapest’s oldest thermal baths, built by the Turks in the 16th century. The Turkish architecture has remained the same since then.
- Hévíz Spa, Lake Hévíz: Lake Heviz is Europe’s largest biologically-active natural thermal lake (and also the source of the Hungarian Moor mud which is used in our bestselling Moor Mud Collection.) You can receive all sorts of treatments here - the hot springs feeding the lake are rich in sulphur, radon and therapeutic minerals, while mud sourced from the lake is used for medical treatments. Address: H-8380 Hévíz, Dr. Schulhof Vilmos sétány 1.
- Egerszalok (about 80 miles from Budapest); Here visitors can take a dip in one of the 17 indoor and outdoor pools at this thermal bath. Here the hot waters from two ancient thermal springs have been flowing out of the side of a hill for ages, leaving behind beautiful mineral formations, called the ‘Salt hill', that cascade down the hill like a frozen waterfall. The thermal waters here are great for a variety of health issues including degenerative musculoskeletal disorders, back pain, psoriasis and eczema. Address: Forras ut 4, Egerszalok.
- Zalakaros: This is a 800 year old spa located 20km from Lake Balaton. The thermal water here reaches a boiling 96 degrees. Perfect for children, there are plenty of attractions to ensure they’re kept entertained throughout the day (we are fans of the water slides!) Address: Thermal u.4, Zalakaros 8749.
- Sárvár: Also called “The Royal Spa of Europe”, this thermal bath is located in Western Hungary and is one of the biggest in the country. The complex is separated into two sections, one for medicinal purposes and one for family entertainment. Address: Sárvár, Vadkert krt. 5, 9600
Which thermal bath will you be visiting?