Budapest is popularly known for its spas and vibrant nightlife. It is also a great place to go if you are looking for relaxation. In the morning and afternoon, its spas are filled with visitors and locals, who come to a dip and play games in the therapeutic waters. But as soon as the sun sets, the city is filled with night-crawlers looking to party the night out. There are basement bars, clubs, and the popular ruin bars in abundance to tempt people looking for a good time. The city is also a great place for partygoers, and the highlight of its nightlife is the legendary Summer Night Spa Party.
History of Budapest spa parties
It was L. Laki Lászlo – subsequently the founder of Cinetrip – who first had the idea of holding a party in Budapest thermal baths. That was in 1994, and the first Budapest spa party was held in Széchenyi Baths, but only for people who knew the organisers. Regular bath parties for the public were launched in Rudas Baths in 1998. As the only spa party in the world at the time, and with a unique mix of music and visual displays, featuring video projection mapping, the party met with enormous success. The original home of winter bath parties is Lukács Baths, but such is their popularity that now Széchenyi Baths is also a permanent venue.
Features of a spa party
Budapest spa party combines popular known DJs blasting electro, hip hop and trance with light, video and laser visual effects and unlimited supplies of alcohol to party the night away. In the summer period, the Széchenyi Baths – well known as the largest thermal baths in Europe – attract lots of fun-loving people to party the night away in its pool. There is a party there almost every Saturday during the summer months. During the winter, the popular spa party destination is Lukács baths. Cinetrip also hosts annual mega parties – one in August and another before New Year’s Eve.
Things to know about spa party
The Budapest bath party at the popular Széchenyi thermal baths offers a unique experience that you cannot find anywhere else in Budapest. The Budapest spa party is held each Saturday in its steamy thermal waters. From November to February, Lukács Baths hosts the Magic Bath Parties, which are held indoors.
Budapest spa party ticket types
A Budapest day spa ticket is not what you need for Budapest spa party. If you are going to attend the party, you get an additional wristband. The basic price for a pool party ticket in Budapest is 12,000 HUF. However, it is worth paying a little extra and buying your ticket online, because the tickets often sell out.
Buying tickets online
Check the official page of the spa for the full description and price of the – highly recommended – online Budapest spa party ticket. There are basic individual tickets and tickets for a group of friends.
Buying tickets on-site
You can also buy tickets at the entrance of the baths, although buying in advance online is recommended. This is because you can skip the line with online ticket and – during the peak season in Budapest – the tickets sell out pretty quickly.
Things to know
The Budapest spa party is one of the major parties in Budapest, which attracts rich and influential international visitors, and it can easily get pretty wild.
Sparty Budapest Hours
This party begins at 10:30 pm and goes on till 3 am.
Party size
The summer party at Széchenyi Baths extends over the two big outdoor pools of the baths and can accommodate about 2000 people. The winter party at Lukács Baths can only accommodate about 500 people. It is best to plan accordingly and purchase your online tickets as early as possible.
Secure lockers
The general admission price includes lockers and these are available to people who come early. The lockers are accessed using the same plastic wristband and that gives you access to the thermal baths. If the baths run out of lockers, there are also cabins available, for an additional fee.
New Year’s Eve celebration in Budapest
If you are planning to go to Budapest for the New Year’s Eve celebration, you can join the VIP Cinetrip Pool Party, which takes place on December 30th. This party takes place in Széchenyi baths and is one of the two VIP Cinetrip parties that happen during the year. The other is held at the peak of the summer season and includes a variety of extras that elevates it above the weekly parties. To enjoy the VIP parties, you must dig deep into your pocket: the tickets cost about twice as much as those for the regular weekly parties.
After-party transportation
The Metro in Budapest stops running around 11:30 pm, so you will need some other kind of transport to get back to your accommodation after the party. The buses in the city, however, operate on a 24-hour schedule. Another great option is the Budapest spa party bus shuttle, which runs every 30 minutes till 3:30 am. This shuttle is a cheaper option for getting to the city centre than a taxi. Another option is to stay in a hotel within walking distance of the baths.