ABOUT THE SPA

Rudas Thermal Baths and Swimming Pool is based on a Turkish bath built by the Ottomans in the 16th century. The present building still preserves some elements of Ottoman-style Turkish baths, and its most prominent feature is a ten-metre diameter dome supported by eight pillars, above an octagonal pool. The therapeutic swimming pool and the sauna were built in 1896.

WATER COMPOSITION

The hot spring water is radioactive, with a significant fluoride-ion content. It also contains calcium-magnesium-hydrogen-carbonate, sodium and sulphate.

GETTING AROUND

There are three bath units at Rudas Thermal Baths. The thermal department consists of 6 pools. The temperature varies greatly, from 16°C in the Thermal Pool 1, rising up to 28 °C, 30 °C, 33 °C, 36 °C and 42 °C in Thermal Pools 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively.

The swimming pool is 80-180 cm deep and 20.5 m long and the water temperature is 29 °C.

The wellness department has two hot water pools (32 °C and 36 °C), a Juventus pool (42 °C), an immersion pool (only 11 °C) and a rooftop pool (36 °C).

There is a repository where you can leave your valuables in safety.

Rudas Restaurant & Bar

The baths also have a rental service and an ATM.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

There are lots of interesting and enjoyable things to do at Rudas Thermal Baths. The main features are the thermal baths and the swimming pool, but there are also many kinds of massage for health and pleasure, including Water Massage, Aroma Massage and Royal Thermal Massage. Then there is a range of treatments with Hungary’s natural treasures treatments, based on Mátra Mountain Herbs, Kolop medicinal mud and, most unusually, Hungarian Wines.

HEALING POWERS OF THE SPA

If you need a cure, the hot water at Rudas Bath has healing qualities for health issues such as joint pain, chronic and sub-acute arthritis, discus hernia and neuralgia.

Drinking cures are available to visitors. The water of the springs Hungária, Attila and Juventus are provided in the Drinking Hall.

MEDICAL SERVICES

The curative properties are used in tub bath treatment, medical massage and underwater waterjet massage, which is available by medical prescription.

WELLNESS SERVICES

A new wellness section opened in 2014, with four pools including a special 42-degree thermal pool and the 11-degree plunge pool.

Refreshments, snacks and even dinner are on offer in the Rudas Restaurant & Bar on the first floor, also accessible from the street.

The rooftop pool gives a splendid view of the city and the river Danube, and is a great place for the night bathing on Friday and Saturday evenings.

GOOD TO KNOW

The opening hours are 6 am – 10 pm from Sunday to Thursday, and 6 am – 4 am on Friday and Saturday.

You should bear in mind that the Turkish bath admits only for men on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and only for women on Tuesday. You don’t have to worry about gender restrictions at the new wellness section or the swimming pool, which are open to both men and women every day.

Children under the age of 14 may not use thermal pools.

A fine present for your family, friends or colleagues is a Rudas Gift Card, which they can use for any spa service within a year after purchase. Or they might prefer the Hydrus Gift Card, which includes an all-day ticket to Rudas Baths (as well as Gellert Spa, Szechenyi Spa and Lukács Spa) and a twenty-minute massage.

Visitors can also purchase Budapest Spas Cosmetics – shower gel, massage cream, shampoo and handmade soap specially designed with the valuable mineral water ingredients.

The Festipay card is a convenient means of cashless payment accepted in Rudas Baths.

TRIVIA

For many years the thermal bath was visited exclusively by men.

In the historic Turkish section, single-sex bathing is nude.

CONCLUSION

Szechenyi Baths might be the most famous, but Rudas Thermal Baths is the oldest spa in Budapest and is undoubtedly worth a visit. You will experience the authentic bath atmosphere and discover a social meeting place both for local Hungarians and for tourists who would like a taste of real Budapest life.