The best saunas in Budapest

In the Scandinavian culture saunas are “sacred places,” and they seem to have (almost) magical powers. This may not be entirely true, but there’s nothing better during the winter than sweating out the stress, and leaving as a completely new person. Welovebudapest.hu collected the best saunas in Budapest to do that.

Széchenyi Thermal Bath and Swimming Pool
1146 Budapest, Állatkerti krt 11.

The Széchenyi Thermal Bath and Swimming Pool is one of the biggest thermal bathes in Europe, and it is world famous with its steaming outdoor pools where elderly men play chess during winter. The bath has altogether 9 saunas, all of them heated with steam through a register. The new cascade is among the specialties, and it is halfway through between saunas and steam baths (76 °C thermal water is evaporating). This kind of sauna can only be run by baths which have special features, as it uses the bath’s own thermal water. Each sauna can accommodate 10-25 people. Prices.

Aquaworld Resort Budapest
1044 Budapest, Íves utca 16.

The Aquaworld Resort Budapest is a spa-and wellness centre with a great amount of saunas: it has a dry sauna (Finnish and Russian), an outdoor wooden sauna, two steam saunas, a bio sauna, an aroma sauna, an infra sauna, and a crystal sauna. Visitors can also enjoy the tepidarium, the ice chamber, the plunging pool, the treading Kneiff pool, and a quite resting area. The bio sauna is ideal for those who cannot stand the hot temperature of the regular saunas, because the bio sauna’s temperature it between 40-60 °C, and the air humidity is 20-40%. The crystal sauna is another speciality: crystals, Bristol stones, semi-precious-and precious stones are put above the sauna stove, which are told to have positive vibrations, which is good for the body and the soul. Prices.

Lukács Thermal Bath and Swimming Pool
1023 Budapest, Frankel Leó utca 25-29.

The Lukács Thermal Bath and Swimming Pool is one of the oldest baths in Budapest, and the Knights of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary already nursed sick people in the XIIth century here, where it stands today. The bath has an infra-, a Finnish-, and a salt sauna (with Himalayan salt walls), together with an aroma cabin, a snow-house (with ice dispenser), and a resting area. The bath has pool- and sauna parties every Friday; tickets can be bought on the same day from 7.30 pm, and the bath is open between 8 pm and 2 am. The cashier closes at midnight. Prices.

Rudas Thermal Bath and Swimming Pool
1013 Budapest, Döbrentei tér 9.

The Rudas Thermal Bath and Swimming Pool has probably the best location, and not only was it recently renovated, but it was expanded as well: the new wing has four adventure pools, a restaurant, and a Jacuzzi with an incredible view. The bath has three dry saunas which have a temperature of 45, 55, and 72 °C, and can accommodate 25 people altogether. There are also two steam baths (both have a temperature of 50 °C) and 23 people can use it at the same time; the Finnish sauna is 75-100 °C hot, and can accommodate 6 people. Prices.

Gellért Thermal Bath and Swimming Pool
1118 Budapest, Kelenhegyi út 4.

The Gellért Thermal Bath and Swimming Pool is built in an art-nouveau style, and it’s the most famous (and most expensive) bath, that was opened in the early 1900s in Buda. The bath only has one electric Finnish sauna which has a temperature of 90°C, but it stands outside in the garden with the fascinating panorama view of the Gellért hill, and after the sauna, visitors can cool down in the nearby tub. The bath also has two hot air chambers: one has three rooms with a temperature of 60, 70, and 80 °C, while the other has two steam cabins with different aromas like chamomile, peppermint, and lavender, and the temperature is between 45-50 °C. Prices.

Oxygen Wellness – Naphegy

The Oxygen Wellness centre is located at the Sun hill, and has the best equipped sauna park with 14 different saunas, such as Finnish saunas, sound- light- and aromatherapy saunas, herb saunas, infra cabins, steam cabins, tepidariums, and there’s a nudist section as well. Some say that the light sauna has special healing powers, and that every color has its biological effect. The Oxygen section regularly organizes sessions where anyone can learn how to make the best out of their sauna experiences. Prices.

based on an article of welovebudapest.hu
translated by Adrienn Sain

Photo: Kőrösi Tamás / We Love Budapest
Photo: Balkányi László / We Love Budapest

Copy editor: bm

Source: welovebudapest.hu