The Jetpacker

Visiting a thermal bath in Budapest is a lot like riding a roller coaster: the wait to get on is stressful and nerve-wracking, but the payoff is worth it. And the Széchenyi Baths is the biggest roller coaster of them all.

Located in City Park, the Széchenyi Baths is the largest thermal bath complex (think public pool, but bigger, fancier, and more “medicinal”) in all of Europe. This neo-Baroque structure is the size of a palace. It’s a complicated and confusing maze of rooms, each one containing relaxing baths of different shapes, sizes and temperatures (some very cold, some piping hot). There’s also a snack bar, various saunas, and service rooms for things like manicures, pedicures and massages.

But before you can relax and enjoy the baths, you have to figure out what the heck you’re doing. The Széchenyi Baths is one of the only baths in Budapest that list prices in English (though it still manages to be confusing). We spent equal amounts of time trying to decide how to buy tickets and what teller looked most likely to speak English.

After successfully buying two tickets and a cabin rental, we passed through the entrance and immediately felt lost. A man who didn’t speak much English guided us into a cramped locker room that smelled like sweat and old shoes. We walked up creaky stairs to the second floor and gave our ticket to a nice older woman who opened our cabin. The cabin is nothing more than a small fenced cube draped with sheets and a bench to sit on. Prisoners get larger cells and more accommodations than this.

We changed into our bathing suits and walked downstairs to rent a towel. Americans and Hungarians must have two different interpretations of the word “towel” because what we received was a bed sheet. A king size bed sheet. It was white, thin, cold and crisp. It would have served better as a surrender flag than a towel.

And at this point, we were about to use it as such. We felt discombobulated and intimidated. Everyone seemed to know what they were doing and where they were going… except us. But instead of turning back, we followed some locals. The stress immediately washed away once we stepped outside.

It was like crossing through a portal into ancient Rome. The exterior is indescribably massive, with two huge pools in the shape of half circles, enclosed by tall yellow walls and surrounded by opulent statues and stunning fountains.

The water is a warm and relaxing 77 degrees, thanks to natural thermal springs. We spent the majority of our time in the north pool, which contains massaging jets as well as an enclosed hollow horseshoe whirlpool that whisks you around the inner Jacuzzi in just a few seconds. It’s a thrill ride for those that aren’t brave, and you can get off at any time. There are hundreds of jets, varying in orientation and intensity, spread throughout the pools.

Surprisingly, the average age of the other bathers was probably around 45 years old. Men seemed to out-number women by at least 2-to-1, but it wasn’t a distraction, and at no time did it ever feel like anyone was being ogled. This is a perfect retreat for someone of any age, from kids all the way to grandparents.

The baths are expensive (about $40 for two tickets, towel rental, cabin rental and tips for the cabin and towel attendants) and it can be very foreign and confusing at first. But the experience is worth it.

Check out their website here.