Budapest Thermal Baths Besides Széchenyi: Which One Instead?
Updated October 13, 2026 · 5 min read
If you want a proper thermal bath but not the Széchenyi crowd, the Lukács Thermal Bath Full-Day Spa Ticket at €33 is the plain like-for-like swap. Choose Rudas for the Ottoman dome and a rooftop pool over the Danube, Palatinus for a family day on Margaret Island, and Mandala for a quiet, adults-only evening. Gellért, the bath most guides still name, is closed.
Gellért is closed
According to Time Out, the Gellért closed on 1 October 2025 for a renovation of about three years, with reopening expected in 2028. There is no Gellért ticket in the offers we compared. If an older guide recommends it, the closest replacements for its historic setting are Rudas and Lukács.
The alternatives compared
| Bath | Ticket | From | Reviews | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lukács | Full-day spa ticket | €33 | 342 | A plain thermal bath |
| Rudas | Turkish bath or spa day pass with 3-course meal | €74.99 | 1,380 | Ottoman bath, Danube view |
| Palatinus | Full-day admission | €27 | 465 | Families, open air |
| Mandala Day Spa | 3-hour entry, packages | €38.40 | 3,474 | Adults, quiet |
For comparison, Széchenyi starts at €39 and has 28,534 reviews.
Lukács
The listing offers a full-day entrance with a cabin or locker, depending on availability, in a historic building with indoor thermal pools, saunas, steam rooms and heated outdoor pools with jets and waterfalls. A recent reviewer measured 40 °C in the hottest pool and 70 °C in the sauna, and liked the rooftop sunbathing area. The same reviewer thought the price should be lower for the size of the thermal pools, and the value-for-money rating on the page is 3.8 out of 5. The booking page lists it as not suitable for children under 14 or for pregnant women, and swimwear covering the whole body is not permitted.
Rudas
Rudas is sold as a bundle: the entrance together with a three-course meal at Rudas Bistro, from €74.99. You can pick the full option including the Turkish bath, or a wellness ticket that excludes it. The wellness area has saunas, a 42 °C thermal pool, an 11 °C plunge pool and a panoramic rooftop pool overlooking the Danube.
The Turkish bath follows gender days: women only on Tuesdays, men only on Wednesdays, and on some other weekdays mixed only after a men-only morning. A wellness-only ticket does not include it. Pick your date by the day of the week. The spa side opens at 11 am and closes at 8 pm according to the booking page, children under 14 are not allowed, and towels, robes, swimwear and slippers are not rented; the bath sells them.
Palatinus
Palatinus is the family option: it lies on Margaret Island, and the listing mentions outdoor and indoor pools, a wave pool and a children’s pool. At €27 it is the cheapest of the four. Two cautions: the venue closes at 3 pm in the winter season, and some reviewers arrived to find pools or saunas closed and wanted clearer notices. Check the opening hours for your date before you travel. Bring flip-flops and beachwear.
Mandala
Mandala is a day spa, not a historic bath. The listing counts four pools, a jacuzzi for 10, a steam cabin and a sauna, with an adults-only rule and a minimum shoulder height of 120 cm. The basic ticket is three hours and does not include a towel or slippers; the next package adds both and a glass of champagne. A reviewer praised the atmosphere and said three hours is the right length, while noting a small changing room with only two hairdryers. It carries a 4.6 rating from 3,474 reviews.
How to choose
- Same thing, fewer people, lower price: Lukács.
- A bath that feels like Budapest history: Rudas, with a date that suits the Turkish bath schedule.
- Children or an outdoor day: Palatinus. According to the booking pages, children under 14 are not admitted at Széchenyi or Rudas, and Lukács lists the same age as unsuitable.
- An evening without a crowd: Mandala.
All baths are in the thermal baths category. If you want an evening with a drink after the bath, the Danube cruises mostly start from the Pest embankment.
