The Most Beautiful Turkish Bath in Budapest
Location:
- Döbrentei tér 9., Buda, Erzsébet Bridge, district I. (View on Map)
- Tel: (+36 1) 356 1322
Getting There:
- Trams 19, 41, 56, 56A
- Buses 7, 8E, 108E, 110, 112
- Night Buses: 907, 973
- M4 metro, Gellért tér station, just a short walk from there: 900 m/cc. 10 min
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Opening Hours:
- Swiming pools: every day: 06.00 – 20.00, wellnes & sauna centre: every day: 08.00 – 22.00, night opening hours on Friday-Saturday: 22.00-04.00 (except for the panorama pool on the rooftop and the saunas)
- Steam Bath: every day: 06.00 – 20.00, night opening hours on Fri-Sat: 22.00 – 04.00
- Ladies’ day: Tuesday
- Gentlemen’s days: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday till 10.45
- Mixed Days (bathing suit is compulsory): Friday from 11.00 am all Saturday, Sunday
Cashier closes 1 hour before the bath’s closing time.
Children under the age of 14 cannot use the pools.
TIP: Bring your own towels, slippers, swim cap, swim suit because these items can cost quite a lot if you have to buy them in the bath. A towel is 6 000 HUF, slippers: 4 000 HUF, swimm cap 2 000 HUF, swim suit (man/woman): 6 000 HUF (in 2024).
Wellness & Dining in Rudas – A Nice Romantic Program
We highly recommend the following program to fully enjoy the bath’s amnities, the Rudas Bistro’s food and the fantastic view from the rooftop jacuzzi.
TIP: To avoid crowd go early afternoon on a weekday.
You get to
- Relax in the healing waters of Rudas Baths,
- Savor a delicious meal with coffee of wine (depending which option you choose), and
- Enjoy breathtaking views of the Danube River and the Pest side of the city.
Food You Can Enjoy From the Rudas Bistro’s Menu:
Night Bathing – Fridays & Saturdays – 22.00 – 03.00 am
For a unique and romantic experience visit the bath during nighttime on Friday or Saturday from 22.00 till 03.00 am.
Savor a glas sof champagne while taking in the dazzling night panorama of Budapest from the rooftop jacuzzi.
Price Of Night Bathing
- 12 600 HUF, available only online, includes using all of the pools.
Note: Saunas don’t operate and massages aren’t available during night bathing. Please wear slippers.
Why & When To Visit The Rudas Bath?
The Rudas Bath complex sits at the foot of the Gellért Hill in the Buda side.
It is just a short walk from another renowned Budapest Bath, the Gellért on Szt. Gellért tér, at Liberty Bridge (Szabadság híd).
For a truly romantic and memorable program drop by on Friday or Saturday night.
Besides enjoying the pools, ou will get to enjoy the amazing night view by a glass of sparkling wine.
For female travellers we recommend Tuesdays when the whole day is dedicated to them. The pools are closed for male visitors on Tuesdays.
If you prefer to go at less crowded times then time your visit on a weekday afternoon.
TIP: If you want to immerse yourself in local bath culture and the handful of historic spas you can try the Gellért Bath one day then Rudas on another day of your visit. Or, since they located close to each other you can do both on the same day to get a full experince.
Bathing Etiquette In the Turksih Bath – Mostly For Men, Tuesday Is Only For Women
The Turkish Bath used to be mainly open to men. To these days they can exclusively enjoy the Turkish pools on
- Monday, Wednesday between 06.00 – 20.00, on
- Thursday from 06.00 till 12.45. and on
- Friday between 06.00 – 10.45
Tuesday only female visitors can use the steam pools during the opening hours: 06.00 – 20.00.
Mixed Days – Both Women & Men can Enjoy The Hot Pools:
- Thursday: 13.00 – 20.00
- Friday: 11.00 – 20.00
- On whole of Saturday and Sunday both genders can enjoy the bath between 06.00 – 20.00.
Swimming costume is compulsory.
500 Years Old Bath with Fantastic Panoramic Views
The historic Ottoman bath was completely renovated in 2014.
Four new pools (with temperatures 11 °C, 32°C, 36°C and 42°C, and a jacuzzi (36°C) with fantastic panoramic view have been also added to the complex.
You can enjoy Turkish-Hungarian fusion cuisine in the Rudas Bistro restaurant on the first floor.
Lots of modern architectural and design elements including vast glass surfaces enhance the experience in the Rudas.
Ticket Prices in the Rudas Bath (2024)
20% discount with Budapest card on the morning ticket with cabin use on weekdays.
Note: Children under 14 are not allowed to use the thermal pools.
As with other baths, prices are fairly complicated (there are more options that you can find on the bath’s official website):
Tickets In 2024:
Daily Ticket To All Zones (Turkish Pools, Wellness Area, Panorama Jacuzzi):
- Weekdays: 9 300 HUF
- Weekends: 12 200 HUF
- During Holidays in 2024: March 15-17, March 29 – April 1, May 18-20, August 17-20, December 21, 2024 – January 5, 2025: 13 200 HUF
Daily Turkish Bath Ticket (on Thursdays until 12.45, on Fridays only until 10.45 am):
- 6 400 HUF every day
Daily Wellness-Spa Ticket (on Thursdays until 12.45, on Fridays only until 10.45 am)
- 6 400 HUF
Night Ticket (on Fridays and Saturdays):
- 12 600 HUF
History of The Rudas Bath
This fine bath was built around 1550. Sokoli Mustafa Pasha rebuilt it in 1566.
Eight columns support the cupola under which lies the octagonal Turkish pool.
This still functions as the centre of the bath. The light shafts shining through the stained glasses of the cupola openings cause a colourful, vibrant effect inside the pool.
The Rudas used to be a men-only bath (since 2006 women can use the bath exclusively on Tuesdays), tough it had a swimming pool for both men and women.
Healing Thermal Water
The pool, which is filled with 29°C medicinal water, was built in 1896 and it was Budapest’s second indoor swimming pool. In the hall of the bath you can drink medicinal waters supplied by the Hungaria, Attila and Juventus springs.
You have to pay some money for it at the cashier. A complete physiotherapy department operates on the second floor of the spa complex.
The Rudas has opened its doors to women:
Since 1st June 2006 women can enjoy the Turkish bath without a swimming suit on Tuesdays between 06.00 – 20.00.
Moreover, on Thursdays, Fridays and the entire weekend both men and women can simultaneously enjoy the bath in bathing suits.
Rudas is the only original Turkish bath in Europe that provides this service. There are also bathing parties in swimsuits on the weekends.
Water temperature ranges between 16 – 42 °C
Massages and Other Services:
You can treat yourself to a range of massage and other wellness treatments. Rudas also offers various medical services such as medical tub bath, medical massages, underwater jet massage.
- 6 thermal bath basins and 4 wellness pools (temperatures: 11 °C, 32°C, 36°C and 42°C) and a jacuzzi (36°C) in the loft offering a dazzling view of the city,
- Underwater jet-massage,
- Complex balneotherapy treatment
- New service is the aromatherapy massage in the steam unit of the bath,
- Foot care,
- Dry and steam saunas, and
- Buffet.
Massages, Pedicure In Rudas Bath
Note: Massages are available only with valid bath entry ticket.
You can also get various types of massages for example
- A Classic 20 minute Aroma Massage is: 9 000 HUF, 45-minute: 14 000 HUF
- a 60-minute Premium massage if you really wish to pamper your body is: 20 000 HUF for one person, for couples: 40 000 HUF
You can also get a 30-minute medical pedicure for 5 000 HUF and a complete spa pedicure (60-minute): 9 600 HUF.
Read more details at the official site of the bath.
Related:
- Ottoman Baths – main page of Ottoman-era spas: Király, Rudas, Rácz Bath and Thermal Hotel, and the Veli Bej.
- Budapest Spas – a bit of spa history, bathing etiquette and some useful tips
- Turn-of-20th-Century Baths in Budapest – the chic Gellért Bath, the large Széchenyi Bath and the Lukács Bath.
- Outdoor Baths, Beaches – if you want to enjoy bathing in open-air pools during the hot summer months.