By Alaric 
It could be considered a crime not to visit a thermal bath in Budapest and there are many to choose from in the ‘City of Spas’.
A popular choice is Gellert Thermal Baths located inside the world-famous Hotel Gellert.
This magical spa is designed in Hungarian Art Nouveau. So, it’s not only a temple of rejuvenation but a feast for the senses.
I found the architecture breathtaking and it honestly felt like I had walked onto a Wes Anderson movie set!
It makes an incredible place to relax for the day but all this holistic luxury comes with a price tag.
Here is a complete guide to visiting the Gellert Thermal Baths, Budapest and whether it’s worth the price.
History of Gellert Thermal Baths
Budapest is known as the City of Spas as it sits on a fault line. For centuries, the sacred heated waters of this city have been known to heal.
Before this Art Nouveau spa was created, King Alexander II built a hospital on this site in the Middle Ages.
Later, the Ottoman Empire built baths in the 16th and 17th centuries that they called a ‘magical healing spring’.
The baths were called Sárosfürdő or ‘muddy baths’ as the silt contained important minerals.
The complex we see today was built between 1912 and 1918 in the Succession Art Nouveau Style.
It was damaged during WWII but was then rebuilt and has remained open ever since.
The water contains minerals such as alkalis, calcium, chloride, fluoride, magnesium, hydrocarbonates and sulfates.
It’s meant to help with spine problems, degenerative joint problems, inflammation and inhalation issues including asthma and bronchitis!
For obvious reasons, it’s very popular with locals and tourists alike. In my opinion, this is the best thermal bath in all of Budapest.
How to get to Hotel Gellert in Budapest
The thermal baths are inside the Hotel Gellert close to Gellert Hill & Rock Chapel.
You can find them on the Buda end of the Liberty Bridge, a gorgeous green 19th-century suspension bridge that spans the Danube.
You can easily walk to the baths from attractions like the Central Market Hall on the Pest side.
There is a wealth of public transport to visit Gellert Baths as well. You can take a tram to the ‘Szent Gellért tér’ tram stop and/or ferry port.
Taxis also work well in the city and I recommend either Uber or the FreeNow app. It uses local taxi services but guarantees a fixed price.
Gellert Thermal Baths ticket prices
Tickets for the Gellert Baths are only sold as a day ticket with locker usage and the price depends on the day of the week;
Monday – Thursday: 11,000 HUF / £22.67 / $28.29
Friday and weekends: 12,500 HUF / £25.76 / $32.15
Holidays or peak season: 13,500 HUF / £27.82 / $34.72
Although it can seem a bit pricey for swimming pools in Hungary, it is a full day out and you’re paying for the beautiful environs.
The first time I went to a thermal bath, I visited Széchenyi but these are now almost double the price.
I found this spa more peaceful, better value for money and a better thermal bath experience overall.
Warning: Purchase tickets for Gellert Baths on the official website. There are lots of third-party ticket sellers with hiked-up prices and you may experience issues that cannot be resolved with the spa.
Arriving at the spa & lockers
When you first arrive at the spa, you’ll enter the gorgeous Art Nouveau building of Hotel Gellert.
The reception is breathtaking with its lofty design and a stained glass roof letting in natural daylight.
You’ll find colourful mosaic tiles, swans, Greco-Roman statues and foliage all around.
I arrived here a little before opening time and so spent some time admiring the decor before joining the queue.
Once the spa opens, you present your e-ticket to those on the desk or you can purchase a ticket on the day.
You’ll then be given a rubber bracelet that acts as your key to a personal locker. These lockers look like a blast from the past in the best way.
Once inside, place all your valuables in your locker (remember to take your towel, sliders and phone) and then head into the spa to explore!
Things to do in Gellert Thermal Baths
As I mentioned, the tickets can seem quite expensive for these thermal baths.
But, there is a lot to do here that makes it worth the price. You could easily spend a whole day if you want to.
It’s a place of relaxation and peace that’s good for the body and mind and I always say that you can’t put a price on health.
Here are all the things to look forward to at Gellert Thermal Baths.
The main swimming pool
When you first enter, you’ll immediately find the main swimming pool.
This is a gorgeous large pool with carved columns that looks like a Roman bathhouse. There’s also a huge glass skylight overhead.
It’s a lovely place to relax and large enough to do laps if this is what you’d like to do.
The water is kept at 27 degrees Celsius so it’s much ‘colder’ than the thermal baths. It may be a shock to enter them after the hot pools.
You do need a swimming cap to cover your hair to enter the main swimming pool and this is why I didn’t enter the water.
As much as I could have rented a cap, I had just washed my long hair which is a nightmare and so there was no way I would put it in rubber.
However, I did enjoy their solar. There are several sunbeds around the main pool on the mezzanine balcony.
I’m like a cat when it comes to warmth and I enjoyed relaxing here for a spell.
Art Nouveau thermal pools
The most beautiful part of this spa is the thermal pool area that they call the medical healing pools.
The architecture is Art Nouveau and the room is decorated in stunning azure and teal tiles with mosaic patterns.
There were also gorgeous nautical statues with trickling cascades and waterfalls you could use.
It feels like you’ve stepped back in time to a bygone era or like you’ve walked into a Wes Anderson movie set.
This room took my breath away and it was a peaceful paradise to bathe in.
As I got here for opening time I pretty much had the place to myself for a while. It was so relaxing after a few days of exploring the city.
Steam rooms & sauna
After you’ve had a good soak in the healing pools, you can head to the steam rooms.
There are 5 heated air chambers and they are the perfect place for a detox.
The temperatures range from 50, 60, 70 to 80 degrees Celsius if you’re hardcore.
You can also use their sauna before heading back to the comforting heat of the thermal pools.
Outdoor pool
Gellert Thermal Baths also has an outdoor area open seasonally in summer from around May to the end of September.
The terrace is again stunning and decorated in Hungarian Art Nouveau with Greco-Roman statues and lots of gorgeous colourful flowers.
There are plenty of sun beds here to relax and read if you don’t want to swim.
The outdoor pool used to be a wave pool but now is a place where you can relax.
The temperature is kept at 26 degrees Celsius all year so it’s warm enough not to freeze.
On my visit, the sun was shining and it was so nice to take a break outside in the cooler water.
They also have an outdoor thermal pool that’s kept at a warm 36 degrees Celsius. It’s perfect for chillier days.
Massages & treatments
As a holistic spa of rejuvenation and healing, Gellert Thermal Baths also has a whole range of treatments you can choose
They have a menu of classic and premium massages including aroma massages and even pedicures using the mud.
The price depends on the treatment but make sure to book in at reception as soon as you arrive.
All of the products they use are from their Budapest Spas shop so you can buy some soaps to take home too!
Can you eat and drink at the spa?
Yes, there is a café at the spa that serves up drinks and light bites throughout the day.
It is very convenient, meaning you could spend all day at the spa if you wanted to.
I enjoyed having a cold Diet Coke and a lemon-lime Calippo ice lolly on the outdoor terrace here in the sunshine. It was so refreshing after the hot baths.
On my visit, they only took card or contactless payments but I thought this ideal as most visitors would pay on their phone anyway.
Remember to take a water bottle with you as there are many drinking fountains to keep hydrated.
What time does Gellert Baths open?
Gellert Thermal Baths are open daily from 9 am until 7 pm. You could easily spend the whole day here.
It’s a very popular spa in Budapest for tourists and locals alike. So, for a more peaceful experience, I would arrive at opening time!
I did this and found it was a far better experience. By 11 am, the thermal pools were quite full.
It’s good to note that the cash desk closes one hour before closing time and the pool area starts to close around twenty minutes before the building.
Do you have to get naked?
No, this is a worry that many visitors have when visiting the thermal baths.
I was in the same boat after my spa trips in Scandinavia and visiting Hammams in Morocco and Turkey.
Although other countries are quite liberal with stripping for the spa, Budapest thermal pools are very different.
It’s a mixed-gender spa so everyone has swimming costumes on when you enter the pools, steam rooms and saunas.
The only exception is when you get a massage or treatment but you’ll be given disposable spa underwear.
Important things to know before you visit
- If you want a more peaceful experience, I would arrive at opening time. I got here at 9 am and it was quiet for around an hour or so.
- You must put all your belongings in a personal locker. This is activated with a rubber bracelet. Don’t lose it or you’ll pay a fine.
- Make sure to use the showers before entering the thermal baths and pools.
- You can bring your phone and take photos and videos but try not to get other spa users in them for privacy.
- You need a swimming cap to bathe in the main pool. If you don’t have one these can be rented. I did see some people wearing shower caps.
- Bring your towel, swimming costume and sliders/flip-flops. You can pay for these at the spa too if you need some.
- This is a spa of peace, healing and relaxation so they ask to keep chatter to a minimum. But, I found that was pretty much impossible here.
Are the Gellert Baths worth visiting?
Yes, the first thermal bath I visited in Budapest was Széchenyi. Although it is the oldest and prettiest, it really put me off.
It was packed full of people and so noisy, I could barely get in the pools let alone find any peace to enjoy myself and that was in the early morning on a weekday in November!
The Gellert Thermal Baths completely changed my mind as not only was the spa beautiful but also a peaceful oasis from the busy streets outside.
I left feeling rejuvenated and I thought my ticket to this spa was worth every penny.
If you’re on the fence, this is your sign to book. The Gellert Baths are a feast for the senses and a wonder for your body and mind.
Looking for more things to do in Budapest?
Budapest is one of my favourite cities in Europe and there is so much to see and do here, especially on the Buda side.
Just nearby, you can learn about the history of the Rock Church, or visit Gellert Hill for sunset with the famous citadel.
You can visit Buda Castle with the Hungarian National Gallery which has some stunning views over the city and Budapest Parliament Building.
Or, take a stroll around the castle district with a myriad of gorgeous buildings.
No visit would be complete without a visit to Fisherman’s Bastion, a fairytale viewpoint of turrets and archways that looks like something from Hogwarts.
Where to stay in Budapest
On my recent stay in Budapest, I chose to stay in the Anantara New York Palace and I’m so glad I made this choice.
As the world-famous New York Café is part of the hotel, you get to visit any time of day and dine here for breakfast each morning without a reservation.
Beyond having access to New York Café, the hotel itself is spectacular and the staff were so lovely. They couldn’t do enough for you.
The palace has a range of comfy rooms and suites. As well as a swimming pool, a spa area, a lounge bar, and two restaurants surrounding the café interiors. I would highly recommend it.
Read more about my Budapest travel guides
Parisi Passage – Visit a hidden secret arcade
How to visit the Metropolitan Ervin Szabo Library
A review of the New York Café Budapest
Fairytale Bory Castle – a perfect day trip from Budapest
My ultimate Budapest Bucket List
Save the Gellert Baths, Budapest for later!
