Rudas Thermal Bath and Swimming Pool

Rudas Gyógyfürdő és Uszoda is a medicinal bath in Budapest at the foot of Gellért Hill, on the Buda bank of the Danube. Its Turkish bath dates from 1550 and is still the heart of the building; a swimming pool, a wellness section and a rooftop panorama pool have been added around it. The water carries an official medicinal certification, and according to the venue it is used for skin complaints.

The Turkish bath

Six thermal pools sit under the Ottoman dome at 16, 28, 30, 33, 36 and 42 °C. The venue recommends 20 minutes in the water. The central pool takes 30 bathers at once, the smaller ones six each, and the plunge pool four. The Turkish bath cannot always be used by men and women at the same time on weekdays: Tuesday is women only and Wednesday men only.

The other pools

The swimming pool is 20.5 m long, 80 to 180 cm deep and held at 29 °C, with a swimming cap compulsory and room for 56 swimmers. The wellness pools run at 11, 32, 36 and 42 °C, 80 to 90 cm deep, with neck showers and back massagers, and the venue describes the alternating hot and cold immersion as a contrast bath. The panorama pool on the roof is held at 36 °C, 90 cm deep, and takes 16 people, with a view over the Danube and the city.

Saunas

The sauna world has two Finnish saunas at 90-100 °C and 60-70 °C, an aroma sauna at 40-50 °C, a steam cabin at 45-50 °C and a salt cabin at 25-30 °C. The Turkish bath and swimming-pool sections add three more Finnish saunas at 45, 55 and 72 °C, another steam cabin at 45-50 °C, and a Finnish sauna at 70-100 °C by the pool.

Visiting

The bath opens at 06:00 every day, closing at 22:00 on Mondays and at 20:00 from Tuesday to Sunday, with night bathing on Friday and Saturday. Cash desks close an hour before the bath, and the pools have to be left 20 minutes before closing. A day ticket for all zones is 12,000 Ft from Monday to Thursday, 15,000 Ft from Friday to Sunday and 16,000 Ft on holidays and in high season; a fast-track ticket is 2,000 Ft more. A Turkish-bath-only or wellness-only day ticket is 8,000 Ft on Mondays and Thursdays, and on Fridays until 10:45. The night ticket on Fridays and Saturdays is 15,000 Ft. Massages start at 10,000 Ft for 20 minutes and are available from the age of 14. The bath is at Döbrentei tér 9 and has step-free access.