On a chilly 25-degree New Year's Eve morning, we headed out in our bathing suits.
Budapest is renowned for its elegant thermal bathhouses with medicinal hot spring waters, which have been an integral part of its culture and history for centuries. With 120 hot springs, Budapest is known as the World's Spa Capital.
Thermal baths, part of life here for centuries, are a must-do while in Budapest. In winter, a thick steam cushion hangs over the hot outdoor pools.
A highlight of our trip, it is a unique and unforgettable experience to hide from the cold winter weather in the relaxing Szechenyi Bath thermal pools, the largest and most famous bath of Budapest
Don't miss the outdoor fun "whirlpool" that spins you around! Yoo-hoo! I called to the kids, whirling past them as they were still settling into the hot pool.
32 degrees outside, the 93-degree outdoor pool was exciting but not hot enough enough to sit still - if we weren't jetting around in the whirlpool. Jeremy said the way to warm up is to get out into the freezing air - then it feels really hot when you get back in! We found a warmer inside pool. I ended the experience in the steaming hot sauna that warmed me to the core. The overall experience was so much fun. I felt completely rejuvenated - a great way to start my birthday!
When we left two hours later, there was still no line but the pools were crowded enough to not move freely.
Szechenyi Bath has a total of 18 pools (3 outdoor/15 indoor). This map also shows the different pool temperatures.
Budapest tram 2, a route that provides some great sights, is decorated with approximately 40 thousand lights for the Christmas season
Spending New Year's Eve (called "Szilveszter") in Budapest is an exciting, crowded, noisy affair with a plethora of outdoor festivities
The St Stephens square had a light show every 30 minutes
As soon as it gets dark, people start lighting fireworks all over the city
We went back to the apartment after barely making it past a malfunctioned firework that exploded on the ground
Watching the midnight fireworks going off all over the streets of Budapest from the safety of our apartment
Logistics:
Szechenyi Thermal Baths: I missed the opportunity to get fast pass tickets that allow you to walk right in before 11am or after 3pm so we bought regular entry tickets that allow us to enter as space allows. We walked right in at 8:15am on December 31. Make sure to use the official website to buy your tickets.
Choose between the cheaper ticket that gives you a lockers and open gender-specific changing room or upgrade for ~$2 to your own private changing room; it belongs only to you so you can store your stuff there (instead of a locker). We chose the private route; our six rooms were randomly assigned nowhere near each other.
Flip flops (recommend waterproof) are mandatory. Don't forget a towel. Nothing can be rented; it can only be purchased. If you read that you can rent towels or slippers, the rules changed after Covid and your website is out of date.
Signs say you must take a shower before entering the pools but no one is enforcing any of the rules. Ticket includes access to pools, saunas, and steam rooms. When you're all done, after changing, look for bathing suit spinning machine - we found one in the private changing room area. In the main bathroom I found plastic bags.
You can bring in food or buy food and alcohol. Neither are allowed in any of the pools.
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