During my budget weekend in Budapest, we decided to head to one of the baths to engage in some local culture. We opted for the Gellért Baths, one of the two largest and most popular in the city. Here’s what you can expect if you are visiting the famous Gellért Baths in Budapest.
Gellért Baths in Budapest: why go?
When it comes to thermal spas, Budapest is pretty much the go-to place. The city is located on a geological fault line which (according to Wikipedia) means it has lots of geothermal springs – apparently over 100. Going to the baths has been a big part of the city’s culture for centuries, which makes it a must-do for tourists, too.
We decided against going to the Széchenyi Baths because we were worried it might be a bit crowded and while Gellért Baths is also pretty popular, we thought that the beauty of the baths would make up for it.
The baths are NOT a spa – they are big social places for people to hang out, catch up and spend time together. Do not expect the quiet sanctity of a spa!
Gellért Baths: what to expect
The changing rooms & lockers: we paid the basic price for just a locker. After navigating a bit of a maze and traipsing up a lot of stairs, you’ll find a very long, narrow room packed with lockers and occasional changing cubicles (with lockable doors). Simply find a locker that isn’t being used and claim it as your own and then remember your locker number!
On the same floor are also some basic showers and toilets (both separated by gender). You can get changed either by your locker or wait for a changing cubicle to free up. The locker room is not divided by gender, so if you do opt to strip down by your locker, there might be both men and women strolling past.
The thermal pools: inside, the Gellért Baths have 5x thermal pools, 3x sauna rooms, 2x steam rooms and an indoor pool. Outside is another large pool, plus several more thermal pools. The thermal pools are all varying temperatures, so make sure to test them all out to find your ideal one. The outdoor pools are only open May-October.
When using the pool, everyone leaves their robes, towels and flip flops on benches by the side. If you are worried about valuables, it’s probably better to keep them stowed in your locker. I had my phone and a water bottle in a carrier bag and felt perfectly fine leaving them on the side with my towel when I went for a dip.
The thermal pools have beautiful tiling and feature ornate statues like this one.
The atmosphere: one thing that came as a bit of a surprise to me was that the baths are NOT a spa. In Germany, a quiet, peaceful atmosphere is strictly maintained in a spa and absolute silence is expected in saunas or steam rooms.
However, bath houses are quite different – they are big social places for people to hang out, catch up and spend time together. There were plenty of big families there with children. No-one was afraid to make noise and with the cavernous chambered ceilings, it was pretty loud at times.
I took my camera into the baths to capture the beautiful tiling
Are photos allowed?
Taking photos is allowed in the baths, but I have to admit I didn’t feel 100% comfortable whipping my camera out too much. No-one said anything to me, but there were very few other people with cameras and obviously everyone there is just trying to have a good time and relax. Plus, I felt a bit of a creep taking photos with everyone in their bathing costumes, which is why I took so few.
Was it busy?
It was fairly busy. I wouldn’t say it was packed and there was plenty of space to explore, but it wasn’t as if we had the place to ourselves. I could imagine things being very busy in high season though, although once the outdoor section is open, the place probably doubles in size.
Even the showers are beautifully tiled
Going to the baths: is it for me?
Even just a year or two ago, I think I would have avoided the baths all together. I didn’t see appeal of spas or baths and to be honest, it was just outside of my comfort zone. And for quite a few people, it probably still is – the baths probably won’t appeal to everyone, but they really are made for anyone. We saw people of all shapes, sizes and ages there and no-one was really too bothered about looking at anyone else, everyone was there just to socialise, chill out and enjoy themselves.
If you’re feeling self-conscious about changing, it might make sense to pay for a cabin so you can enjoy a bit more privacy.
The baths probably won’t appeal to everyone, but they really are made for anyone.
Gellért Baths: what does it cost?
On our visit in February 2019, the cheapest weekend adult ticket cost 6,200 HUF (€19.50/£17). This is an adult ticket with locker, but you can pay more for a private changing cubicle or ‘cabin’. The floor with the lockers does have several changing cubicles for use, though.
Cost of entry to the baths was definitely the largest single expense we had (Budapest is a great budget destination), so it felt quite expensive. But in the end, we reasoned that even more basic spas in Cologne charge around €15 for a three-hour pass, so it was actually great value.
One thing to remember is that the baths are cheaper during the week, so if you’re in Budapest for more than a weekend, it probably makes more sense to go on a week day. Full prices can be found here: http://www.gellertbath.com/prices-location.php
What should I bring to the Gellért Baths in Budpest?
The essentials: at the very least, you should bring:
- your bathers/swimming costume/bikini
- a pair of flip flops
- a towel
Recommended: the following is probably a good idea to bring with you for maximum comfort, but I wouldn’t panic if you haven’t brought any with you.
- A swimming cap – you will need to bring a cap with you (or be prepared to rent one) if you want to swim laps in the main pool. It’s forbidden to enter the pool without one.
- Shower stuff (i.e. shampoo, body wash etc) is also a good idea for your shower afterwards.
- A refillable bottle of water – there are a few drinking taps in the thermal baths, so it’s a good idea to fill up a bottle for the duration of your time in the baths. Saunas, steam rooms and hot pools are pretty dehydrating!
- Phone/camera – the baths are pretty beautiful so you might want to take some photos.
- Carrier bag – I walked around the baths with a bright orange Sainsbury’s carrier bag and while it was hardly a sexy look, it was a practical way to keep all my stuff together.
If you have forgotten something, don’t panic. Almost everything you need can be rented from the baths directly (including bathers – ew), but it is definitely not cheap. A towel is 2,000 HUF (around €6/£5.50) including another 2,000 deposit.
How to get to Gellért Baths
From the city centre, the easiest way is probably via the 47 or 49 trams, which stop just outside the grand Gellért Hotel. You can also get there from a leisurely walk along the river.
