Széchenyi Thermal Bath

A Summer Wellness Getaway in Budapest's Storied Baths

"The most tourist-addled of the baths in Pest’s City Park, Széchenyi offers a stunning Baroque Revival edifice built in 1913 with 18 pools, including a sprawling outdoor pool with pulsating jets."

I Visited Some of Europe's Most Charming Spa Towns by Train — Here's What It Was Like

"A large thermal bath complex with multiple indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, and steam rooms, known for its size and stunning architecture." - Carole Rosenblat

"It's an unforgettable experience: Getting up at the crack of dawn in mid-winter, walking through the large municipal park on the Pest side of town, checking in to the Széchenyi Thermal Bath (mostly with Hungarian pensioners because tourists usually arrive later), and slowly easing into one of its three large outdoor hot spring pools, surrounded by the golden yellow neo-Baroque palace—built in 1913 for the baths—while old men playing chess in the water. Then watch as the sun rises slowly, and your breath dissipates into the cold, crisp air. The spa has 15 indoor baths, too, as well as 10 saunas at various temperatures. This spa isn't about being posh, it's about easing into the kind of everyday self-care that Hungarians have known and avidly practiced for centuries. Just join them."

Budapest Travel Guide Resources & Trip Planning Info by Rick Steves

"▲▲▲  Budapest's steamy soaking scene in City Park — the city's single best attraction." - Rick Steves' Europe

Where to Stay in Budapest (Updated 2025)

"As the most popular thermal bath in Budapest, Széchenyi is a major draw in Terézváros and I noted how many travelers base themselves nearby because of its fame and proximity to other tourist sites." - Matthew Kepnes