Bathing has positive physical and mental effects that your body will be thankful for. Why not treat yourself by visiting one of the below baths?
The Lidos of Budapest
We all love the splendour of Belle Époque bathing palaces and the mystical ambience of Turkish baths, but when summer hits, Budapesters flock to another kind of aquatic leisure institution. Since there are few better ways to spend a sunny day than frolicking around in the cool waters of an open-air swimming pool, we’ll give you a few tips on the best splashes of the city.
Palatinus Bath
Located on Margaret Island, Palatinus Bath has been in operation since the end of WWI. Today it comprises of 11 different swimming pools, including the iconic wave pool built in 1937, several giant water slides, a beach volleyball court, and a brand new indoor wellness section established during the Bauhaus-style main building’s most recent renovation. Complete with thermal pools, a steam chamber, and a number of saunas, Palatinus is the queen of open-air swimming complexes.
1138 Budapest, Margaret Island
Csillaghegyi Baths
The city’s greenest wellness facility is found in the hillside of north Buda’s Csillaghegy, a 20-minute train ride from Batthyány square. Opened in 1919, Árpád Baths was extended with a brand new, seven storey high bathing complex last year, and it now gives you more bang for your buck than other similarly priced bathing complexes: it boasts 15 pools, four different types of massage therapy, a water slide park, and a magical sauna world on the top floor, complete with a panorama sauna and a unique rooftop leisure pool.
1038 Budapest, Pusztakúti út 2-6.
Római Open-Air Baths
Known for its delicious spring water since the Roman times, the history of Római Open-Air Baths goes back to the 2nd century AD: you can still see the remains of an ancient structure next to the sauna house. The area of today’s lido gave home to a hospital in the 15th century, while the open-air bathing complex was opened to the public in 1930. Since undergoing a massive overhaul in 2000, Római now entices visitors with three pools (one for leisure activities, one for children, and one for swimming), giant slides, a playground, and a fitness park.
1031 Budapest, Rozgonyi Piroska utca 2.
