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Soak in Healing Waters at Budapest's Thermal Baths
Published by Megan Eaves, Writer
Country: Hungary 
The Experience
Called the "City of Healing Waters," Budapest sits along the Danube River where a fault line has produced a series of ancient and beloved thermal springs. For a long time, the residents of Budapest have prized these hot mineral waters, collecting them and utilizing them in thermal baths. During the Turkish Occupation of the area in 1541, then known as the Ottoman Empire, Budapest's bath culture expanded and the number of spas throughout Budapest grew significantly. Today, there are some 28 spas sprinkled across Budapest, and many hotels have also installed mineral spas and thermal baths on their properties.
There are many spas in Budapest to choose from, and although not as popular as the Gellért Bath and Széchenyi Bath, a visit to the Kiraly Baths is special, as it is one of the oldest surviving original thermal spas. Built during the 1560s, Kiraly Baths has a traditionally Turkish domed roof and is one of the few baths in Budapest which functions off a natural water supply rather than a hot water base. Kiraly Baths also offers a women's-only bathing time, and is open during winter, along with about half the thermal baths in Budapest.
Finding the entrance to the Kiraly Baths can be a little difficult, as it's hidden amongst a string of historic buildings and displays few exterior indications of its existence. Making my way inside the big, wooden door, a little old lady arrived and spoke to me in Hungarian through a small, screened window. By a process of innovative gestures and grunting, I made my intentions for an afternoon of bathing understood, and paid.
Following a group of matronly Hungarian ladies down a flight of old wet stairs, I found myself in a cavernous, dank circular room. In the middle was a large pool where several old women floated peacefully in the waters; the edges of the room were flanked by two smaller rectangular pools. Though I was too shy to part with my cute blue polka-dotted swimsuit, most of the women bathed naked.
For many, the experience at Kiraly Baths might be a little too local. It was not the cleanest place or the most beautiful. A more grandiose environ could certainly be found amid the white-columned indoor pools at Gellért Baths, or the palatial outdoor waters at Széchenyi. But for a truly authentic experience of sitting in a dingy, positively ancient pool next to naked Hungarian ladies, Kiraly Baths is a memory you'll carry forever.
There are many spas in Budapest to choose from, and although not as popular as the Gellért Bath and Széchenyi Bath, a visit to the Kiraly Baths is special, as it is one of the oldest surviving original thermal spas. Built during the 1560s, Kiraly Baths has a traditionally Turkish domed roof and is one of the few baths in Budapest which functions off a natural water supply rather than a hot water base. Kiraly Baths also offers a women's-only bathing time, and is open during winter, along with about half the thermal baths in Budapest.
Finding the entrance to the Kiraly Baths can be a little difficult, as it's hidden amongst a string of historic buildings and displays few exterior indications of its existence. Making my way inside the big, wooden door, a little old lady arrived and spoke to me in Hungarian through a small, screened window. By a process of innovative gestures and grunting, I made my intentions for an afternoon of bathing understood, and paid.
Following a group of matronly Hungarian ladies down a flight of old wet stairs, I found myself in a cavernous, dank circular room. In the middle was a large pool where several old women floated peacefully in the waters; the edges of the room were flanked by two smaller rectangular pools. Though I was too shy to part with my cute blue polka-dotted swimsuit, most of the women bathed naked.
For many, the experience at Kiraly Baths might be a little too local. It was not the cleanest place or the most beautiful. A more grandiose environ could certainly be found amid the white-columned indoor pools at Gellért Baths, or the palatial outdoor waters at Széchenyi. But for a truly authentic experience of sitting in a dingy, positively ancient pool next to naked Hungarian ladies, Kiraly Baths is a memory you'll carry forever.
When to Go to Budapest Thermal Baths
The best time of year to visit the thermal baths in Budapest is during the summer, when all of the city's 28 spas are open to the public. During winter, when Budapest can be hammered with cold weather, only about half of the bath houses are open, one of which includes Kiraly Baths. While a warm soak in healing waters can be a welcome relief from low winter temperatures, the beauty of many outdoor and nighttime bathing experiences can only be found during the warmer summer months.
Odds n' Ends
Entrance fees to Budapest's bath houses vary from quite affordable to moderate. A half day ticket at Kiraly Bath runs around 1500 HUF, or US$8, while day tickets to spas like Gellért and Széchenyi jump to 3600 HUF, or US$18. Discounted tickets are offered at several of the baths if you produce a Budapest Card (the city's tourist discount card), which will get you special prices and good deals at many outlets around town.
Rules of etiquette also vary between spas. At Kiraly Bath, bathing in the nude is permitted, and separate men's and women's bathing hours are offered on alternating days. At some of the larger spas, co-ed bathing is the norm, but bathing suits are required. Be sure to check online at http://www.spasbudapest.com for opening hours, prices and other regulations before you go.
Many spas also do not accept credit cards, so be sure to bring along a handy amount of cash for entrance tickets, as well as extras like locker rental (sometimes included in the standard ticket price), and towels (if needed). A pair of flip-flops is also a good move, especially if you're attending one of the larger spas with outdoor pools. It is also very important to keep hydrated while you are soaking, so keep bottled mineral water at hand.
Rules of etiquette also vary between spas. At Kiraly Bath, bathing in the nude is permitted, and separate men's and women's bathing hours are offered on alternating days. At some of the larger spas, co-ed bathing is the norm, but bathing suits are required. Be sure to check online at http://www.spasbudapest.com for opening hours, prices and other regulations before you go.
Many spas also do not accept credit cards, so be sure to bring along a handy amount of cash for entrance tickets, as well as extras like locker rental (sometimes included in the standard ticket price), and towels (if needed). A pair of flip-flops is also a good move, especially if you're attending one of the larger spas with outdoor pools. It is also very important to keep hydrated while you are soaking, so keep bottled mineral water at hand.
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