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Baths of Budapest
Ah Budapest. There is no place quite like it. Being a crossroads between east and west, Budapest has developed a unique character with a blended culture unmatched anywhere in Europe. Budapest is actually two separate cities – Buda and Pest – that were combined into one which in part contributes to its unique character.
In addition to the hybrid architecture that blends so seamlessly well together, Budapest is world renowned for something else; its extensive network of thermal baths. Budapest has several nicknames, like the ‘Paris of East’ or the ‘Pearl of the Danube’, but its designation as the ‘City of Spas’ is perhaps its most famous.



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Budapest has held the title ‘City of Spas’ since 1934, and boasts more thermal and medicinal water springs than any other capital city in the world. The Baths of Budapest were enjoyed by the Romans as early as the 2nd century AD. It was during the Turkish occupation of Hungary in the 16th century that the bath culture really started flourishing, and today there are 118 springs in the city, providing over 70 million liters of thermal water a day. Visitors can take a dip in one of the city’s 11 public baths to enjoy a unique spa experience and bathe your worries away. Make your choice wisely though as all the baths in Budapest are different, each with a unique flare. Perhaps the most famous, and the one I visited on my last trip in 2016, are the Szechneyi Baths. This is the largest medicinal bath in Budapest, and one of Europe’s largest public baths. Located in City Park, the Széchenyi Baths boasts 18 pools, 15 of which are spring-fed thermal pools. When I first walked into the complex I was flabbergasted. The sheer size of the compound, the number of pools, and the ornate architecture was something I had never before seen in a bathhouse or spa. It was almost like walking into a neoclassical palace in the middle of the city. In addition to its gigantic size and style was the abundance of amenities, unique areas of water, and the myriad of activities. You have your main pools, the sulfur pools, ice cold plunge pools, steam rooms, showers, more pools, more steam rooms, massage parlors, exercise equipment, and areas for dining and entertainment. It really is a full-on Disney World for the bath crazy Hungarians. You could easily spend all day here, which many do, but if you can’t do that I would at least spend a few hours to fully soak up the experience. Another feature that struck me as different was the efficiency and technological advancement of the place. Hungary is not the richest country in Europe, not even close, in fact there’s many places of the country that are impoverished, but the technology and workings of the baths are on a whole other level. As soon as you walk in you’re given an arm band that has a built-in chip which gives you access to all the areas of the bath house that you purchased for that day. It also gives you entry into a single locker into the underground locker room. All you do is walk up to the locker and put your armband up and it pops open. You can do everything in the complex with the armband so there’s no need to carry keys or money around with you. This is a huge convenience. We spent 4-5 hours soaking up the sunny rays, going from pool to pool, chatting with locals, and we even had an authentic Thai massage. Next visit I plan to spend more time checking out the other main baths of the city. It’s safe to say that if you’re in Budapest visiting you would do well to check out one of the many baths the city has to offer. It’s compulsory if you want a well-rounded experience!

Jack Baumann
Hi, my name is Jack Baumann, and I have a passion for helping independent travelers unlock the wonders of Europe. I founded Guidester - we build personal mobile guidebooks sourced from local experts - so travelers could cut through the noise and dive deeper into the wonders of Europe. I hope you enjoy my stories and tips!

Jack Baumann
Hi, my name is Jack Baumann, and I have a passion for helping independent travelers unlock the wonders of Europe. I founded Guidester - we build personal mobile guidebooks sourced from local experts - so travelers could cut through the noise and dive deeper into the wonders of Europe. I hope you enjoy my stories and tips!
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Local Tips
The Budapest Card provides several package options which include services and discounts for visitors to the city of Budapest. The goal of the Budapest Card is to give visitors a selection of discounted and free services from free transport, museum entry, to discounted spa, and dining options.
The best views of the city are from the top of Castle Hill, and Gellert Hill where you’ll also find Gellert Thermal Bath.
Budapest has held the title ‘City of Spas’ since 1934, and boasts more thermal and medicinal water springs than any other capital city in the world.
The Baths of Budapest were enjoyed by the Romans as early as the 2nd century AD, and it was during the Turkish occupation in the 16th century that the bath culture really started to flourish.
Today there are 118 springs in the city, providing over 70 million liters of thermal water a day. Visitors can take a dip in one of the city’s 11 public baths to enjoy a unique spa experience.
Budapest Broadway: Budapest Broadway is the area where Andrássy Avenue and Nagymező Utca meet with a plethora of great theatres like the Budapest Opera along with clubs, art galleries, and restaurants. You can find the Manó Mai House of Photography here, as well as the Ernst Gallery.
Public transit:
Budapest's public transport systems are operated by the company BKV. Their services include buses, trolleybuses, trams, underground trains (metro), and above-ground suburban trains (HÉV). Buses, trams and trolleybuses run daily from 4:30am until 11pm.
Tip: Tickets and passes must be bought before boarding; you cannot buy them from the driver (except on the night bus network).
Cabs:
Cabs in Budapest are marked with the word "Taxi", and are often accompanied by a company name or logo such as "City Taxi". All taxi vehicles must have a yellow registration plate, as opposed to the white background on regular car plates.
At sit-down restaurants it is standard to tip about 10% of the total for decent service, or up to 15% for outstanding service. Nowadays, many restaurants include a 12.5% “service charge” (“szervízdíj” in Hungarian) so make sure to check for this either on the bill itself or on the menu.
Where To Stay
The 5th district is the best overall neighborhood to stay in Budapest for tourists. This area has plenty of attractions, and loads of restaurants and cafés to enjoy. The 5th district is also well-connected by public transit. This area is also fairly quiet not directly in the nightlife hubs of the city.
Budapest’s 1st district is the Castle District, an upscale and cultural part of the city. This is a great place to stay for cultural tourists as it’s loaded with treasures from the city. This area is home to Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, and Matthias Church. The views from here are some of the best in the city.
Guidester Favorites

Széchenyi Bath & Spa
This is the largest medicinal bath in Budapest, and one of Europe’s largest public baths. Located in City Park, the Széchenyi Baths boasts 18 pools, 15 of which are spring-fed thermal pools. Definitely worth spending a couple hours or even half a day soaking up the experience here.

Buda Castle
Home to the Budapest History Museum and National Gallery, the Royal Place was the first royal residence built in the area after the Mongolians invaded in the 13th century. It was then expanded to become the largest Gothic-style castle of its time. Unfortunately, the original palace building was destroyed, but in the 1700s,a Baroque-style building was constructed.
Local Eats

Hungarian cuisine

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Budapest By Interest
This is just a small taste of what Budapest has to offer. For a full and complete personal guide see ‘Get your Guidester guide’ below.
- Art & History
- Foodie
- Outdoorsy

Borghese Gallery
This building is one of Rome’s renowned museums because of the vast number of Bernini statutes it houses; it is the biggest collection in the world. It is situated in the grounds of Villa Borghese and was first constructed in the 17th century by Cardinal Borghese.
Tip: Only those with a pre-paid admissions ticket will be let in. You can find the booking/ticket office in the basement.

Piazza del Popolo
Literally meaning ‘People’s Square’, this is one of the most famous squares in Rome. In addition to an Egyptian obelisk of Ramses II, Piazza del Popolo is famed for its twin churches: Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto.
Tip: Another must see is the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo, famous for its Renaissance art by some of the greatest artists ever to work in Rome: Pinturicchio, Raphael, Carracci, Caravaggio, and Bernini.

Baths of Caracalla
These ancient baths were opened in the 3rd century as a bathing complex that spread over 11 hectares. They were named after Emperor Caracalla and at one point could hold 1,600 guests bathing inside. The building used to be highly decorated with decorative mosaics and rich bricks, many of which are displayed within.

Day Trip to Tivoli
These ancient baths were opened in the 3rd century as a bathing complex that spread over 11 hectares. They were named after Emperor Caracalla and at one point could hold 1,600 guests bathing inside. The building used to be highly decorated with decorative mosaics and rich bricks, many of which are displayed within.

Horseback Ride Ancient Rome
If you love horses, nature and history, a walk on horseback along the spectacular Appian Way and surrounding Park will be an experience you will never forget.
With expert guides and horsemen, Sandro Bernardini and Andrea, you will see archaeological treasures, some of which would be difficult to reach except on horseback. 1hr, 2hr, 3hr riding tours.

Ziplining
Situated 730m above sea level in the small medieval town of Rocca Massima, the world’s fastest and longest zip line course is only an hour’s drive from central Rome. Travelling from sweeps from the Lazio coast in the Alban hills to the mountains of Abruzzo, the route passes through vast olive groves and karst areas gliding up the slopes of Monte S. Angelo Cradle of Falco Pellegrino.