A hot spring resort widely regarded as the largest in Europe.
If you think of it more as a tourist attraction than a place to relax, it’s definitely worth a visit.
Like a Massive Royal Palace
In business since 1913.
The oldest thermal spa in the Pest district on the east bank of the Danube, and the largest thermal spa facility in Europe.
The Széchenyi Thermal Bath is right outside the Széchenyi fürdő station on Metro Line 1.
It is also the world’s oldest electrically powered subway system and the only subway system listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
That huge, yellow, palace-like building is it.
There are three entrances, and since each one serves a different purpose, it’s easy to get confused.
At the small entrance closest to the station, only same-day tickets are sold.
If you enter from here, you won't be able to reserve a private cabin, and you'll have to use the coed lockers (plus private changing rooms).
The main entrance, which faces the south garden, is for guests who purchased Fast Track tickets online.
As you’d expect from having to pay an extra fee for the priority admission, the luxury really stood out.
I used the entrance on the north side, near the zoo and the circus.
Both people who bought tickets online and those who buy tickets on the day of the event can enter here.
You can also choose between renting a private cabin and using lockers.
Since I was visiting while pulling a carry-on bag, I decided to pay the additional fee (1,000 HUF) to rent a cabin.
A small room big enough for about two adults.
Use the wristband you received at the front desk to open and close the wooden door.
After changing into my swimsuit, I headed to the outdoor pool area.
Sandals are required, so please bring your own if you want to avoid buying them locally at inflated prices.
A swimming pool with lanes in the center.
A semicircular pool with a flowing water feature on the west side.
Thermal water is not used in these two pools.
The semicircular pool on the east side has water that's a greenish 99 degrees F
It appeared to have been chlorinated, but it was clearly geothermal water.
There are two sources: a well drilled in 1878 to a depth of 970 meters, and another well added in 1939 to a depth of 1,256 meters.
It is worth noting that both were artificially excavated to a very great depth.
The newly added source had a high flow rate and a temperature of 171 degrees F, making it possible to fill many pools by diluting the water.
On the south side of the outdoor area, there ware spaces near the top of the building where visitors could rest.
On the north side is the indoor soaking area.
The interior is divided into a complex network of rooms, with more than 10 pools and saunas of various sizes scattered throughout.
There was a pool set to the perfect temperature of 104 degrees F, and this room on the east side was where I spent the most time.
Unlike outdoors, I didn't notice any smell of disinfectant here.
On the other hand, it’s true that the place was packed with noisy tourists, all with smartphones in hand, so it wasn’t exactly a relaxing atmosphere.
I was one of them, and it was actually a fun experience to be able to take photos without feeling self-conscious.
Summary
Széchenyi Thermal Bath, Budapest, Hungary
My rating
Type: Walk-in
Rule: Clothing required
Chemical use: Yes
Water temp: Up to 104 degrees F
Don't Forget to Drink It
At the eastern end of the south garden, there was a place where visitors could drink the thermal water.
Although there was a fee, they filled my bottle with drinking water from the source.
I didn't notice any particularly distinctive sensation while in the pools, but when I took a sip, it tasted like a light broth with a hint of salt.
