Gellert Spa is one of the most popular Baths in the city of Budapest.
Its 13 baths, including medicinal pools, plunger pools, traction pools, sitting pools, and three outdoor pools, have helped thousands of visitors find healing and relaxation every day.
The sensory experience is heightened by the opulent Art Nouveau structure design, with beautiful tiles and mosaics surrounding the pools.
Locally, this collection of the finest Thermal Baths is referred to as Gellert Gyogyfurdo.
This article covers everything you must know before booking tickets to the Gellert Spa Baths.
Top Gellert Spa Tickets
Table of contents
- What to expect at Gellert Spa
- Where to book tickets
- How do online tickets work
- Gellert Spa ticket prices
- Gellert Spa tickets
- How to reach Gellert Baths
- Gellert Spa’s opening hours
- Best time to visit Gellert Spa
- Visiting Gellert Spa with kids
- Gellert Spa Cabin or Locker – which is better?
- Gellert Spa’s dress code
- What to bring to Gellert Spa Baths
- Map of Gellert Spa
- History of Gellert Spa
What to expect at Gellert Spa
Check out the video below to know what Gellert Spa Baths is all about –
Immerse in the healing embrace of century-old thermal pools, surrounded by opulent Art Nouveau architecture.
Feel the stress melt away in saunas and steam rooms or opt for a blissful massage by skilled therapists.
The medicinal pools have mineral-rich thermal water with lots of health benefits, while the cold water plunger pools invigorate the body through improved circulation.
The traction pools provide relief for conditions like arthritis and joint pain through water jets, underwater massage, or other hydrotherapy techniques.
The outdoor pool, with its wave generator, adds a touch of fun.
VIP services and private cabins elevate your experience, while the tranquil relaxation areas and on-site café provide the perfect finishing touch.
Where to book tickets
Tickets for Gellert Spa are available online and at the venue.
When you buy online, you can avoid the long queues at the ticket counters.
Online ticket prices tend to be cheaper than tickets at the attraction.
Because some attractions sell a limited number of tickets, booking early helps avoid last-minute disappointments.
How do online tickets work
Visit the booking page for Gellert Spa, select your travel date and the number of tickets, and make the booking.
Once you complete the booking process, the tickets will be mailed to you.
You do not need to carry printouts.
Show the e-ticket on your smartphone at the entrance and walk in. Carry a valid ID.
Gellert Spa ticket prices
Tickets for all ages for a Gellert Spa tour with a private locker cost HUF 16,562 (€42).
A Gellert Spa ticket for spa entrance with a private cabin costs HUF 17,351 (€44).
Children under 14 can step into the pool after providing a medical certificate.
Discounts at Gellert Spa
Kids under two years of age can enter Gellert Spa for free – that is, they get a 100% discount.
There is no other discount on Gellert Spa tickets.
All visitors above two years, all students, and all seniors pay the same ticket price to enter the Thermal pools.
Note: Children who haven’t been potty trained yet can’t enter the pools.
Gellert Spa tickets
This ticket is valid for all of the indoor and outdoor pools and other facilities for a full day, including a private changing cabin or locker.
With this ticket, you get to experience wave machines, thermal pools, plunge pools, the swimming pool, sauna, steam room – all the facilities the Spa has to offer.
This ticket also entitles you to a complimentary Hungarian Palinka brandy at the Palinka Museum.
Inclusions
- Entry to all pools
- Cabin or locker (whichever you choose)
- Use of the services until the Spa closes
- Outdoor Fun Pool with jacuzzi and whirlpool
Cancellation: 24 hours before your visit date for a full refund.
Ticket Prices
Entry ticket with Locker: HUF 16,562 (€42)
Entry ticket with Cabin: HUF 17,351 (€44)
Wristband at Gellert Baths
Once your Spa tickets get validated at the entrance, you will get a Smart wristband, which you must wear at all times.
This Silicon wristband also helps you lock and unlock the lockers and Gellert Spa Cabins.
If you lose your wristband, you can get one by paying an additional fee.
Visual Story: 15 must-know tips before visiting Gellert Spa
Visitors to Budapest wonder if they must visit Szechenyi Baths or Gellert Spa. Follow the link for a detailed comparison of the two attractions based on 11 parameters.
How to reach Gellert Baths
Gellert Spa & Thermal Baths is on the Buda side of Budapest, just by the river Danube, at the foot of Gellert Hill.
Address: Budapest, Kelenhegyi út 4, 1118 Hungary. Get Directions.
The Spa is easily accessible by public transportation.
By Bus
Fővám Tér bus stop is a four-minute walk away from the Spa.
Szent Gellért Tér bus stop is a five-minute walk away from the Gellert Spa.
Móricz Zsigmond Körtér M bus stop is a six-minute walk away.
These Bus lines stop near Gellért fürdo:133E, 15, 5, 7
By Train
If you prefer the Metro, board the Line M4 train (Green Line) and get off at the Szent Gellert Ter station.
Gellert Spa’s entrance is only 150 meters from the Metro station.
The other option is to take tramways 18, 19, 47, and 49 and get down close to Gellert Spa.
By Car
Put your starting point here to navigate to the Gellert Spa.
Several parking spots can be easily found in the vicinity.
Gellert Spa’s opening hours
Gellert Spa in Budapest is open from 6 am to 8 pm every day of the week.
Visitors with online tickets can enter the Baths till 6 pm.
If you reach the Gellert Spa Baths after 6 pm, you must buy tickets at the venue with cash.
All visitors must start exiting the pools by 7:45 pm.
Christmas hours
During Christmas times, Gellert Baths follow slightly altered timings.
On Dec 24, 25, 26, and Jan 1, this Budapest attraction is open from 12 noon to 6 pm.
Winter timings
The winter timings remain the same.
However, the outdoor Wave Pool is closed from October to May.
The second outdoor thermal pool stays open until freezing time.
The outdoor thermal pool also gets closed when the outside air goes below 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit).
All indoor pools continue to operate throughout the year.
How long does the tour last
A trip to Gellert Spa lasts anywhere between two to three hours.
Best time to visit Gellert Spa
The best time to visit Budapest’s Gellert Thermal Baths is 10 am, when the local regulars have just left after their dip in the outdoor swimming pool, and the tourists have yet to arrive.
If you can’t make it in the morning, the next best time to reach Gellert Spa is 1.30 pm – when the morning tourists have left for lunch, and the next batch is yet to arrive.
By late afternoon – that is, by 3.30 pm, the pools get crowded again.
Weekends are more crowded than weekdays.
Visiting Gellert Spa with kids
Gellert Spa Baths is not advisable for kids below 14 years of age.
The cardiovascular system of kids younger than 14 years faces increased stress when subjected to the 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 Fahrenheit) plus temperatures of the thermal pools.
The second reason why we feel it is not right for kids is that these Baths weren’t designed with kids in mind – there are no shallow sides, slides, or other colorful water attractions.
However, if parents want, they can get their kids to the Baths.
Note: Kids love the outdoor wave pool because it is a bit cooler and more family-friendly than other pools.
Infants at Gellert Spa
Babies who have not been potty trained yet are not allowed in the Gellert Spa pools, even if they wear a swimming nappy.
This rule usually applies to kids under three years of age.
However, parents can bring infants to the Baths as long as they don’t get in the pool.
Note: Kids below two years of age needn’t buy tickets.
Gellert Spa Cabin or Locker – which is better?
While buying a ticket for Gellert Spa in Budapest, you must decide if you want a Cabin or a Locker.
You can’t opt out of this choice because all Bath tickets either come with a Locker or a Cabin.
After all, you will need space to store your belongings when you dip in the pools.
Gellert Spa Lockers
Lockers are standard wardrobe-type boxes one finds in swimming pools.
Each locker has a lock to ensure the safety of items kept inside.
All of these Budapest Spa lockers are the same size – 120x30x65 cm (1200 x 300 x 650 mm).
When you buy a Gellert Bath ticket with Lockers, you must change in the women-only / men-only public changing rooms.
If you prefer privacy, we suggest you opt for Gellert Baths Cabin instead.
Gellert Spa Cabins
Cabins are small-sized changing rooms with enough storage facilities.
Since there is only enough space for one person to change at a time, couples or families are known to take turns changing.
Gellert Spa’s dress code
Many visitors to this luxurious Spa in the heart of Budapest have this doubt – “What can we wear at Gellert Spa?”
Nudity policy at Gellert Spa Baths
Gellert Spa has been an all-gender thermal spa since 2013, and nudity isn’t encouraged.
All visitors must wear clothes (read swimwear) when in the corridors, the pools, the baths, the saunas, steam rooms, etc.
There are three places in Gellert Baths where visitors can be naked – in the gender-separated change rooms at the lockers, the showers, and the private changing rooms (also referred to as the cabins).
Image: Szechenyispabaths.com
Women’s Swimwear
All women visitors in Gellert Baths must wear swimwear – it can be a bikini, a tankini (a tank top and a bikini bottom), shorts (with a top), or a one-piece ladies’ swimsuit.
However, Burkini (the full-body swimsuit) is not allowed.
Men’s Swimwear at Gellert Spa
Men can wear speedo-style swimwear or a sporty pair of swim trunks or shorts with a top.
Most men wear only shorts, with no tops, which is normal.
Dress code for kids
The Gellert Baths dress code for young girls is the same as it is for the women, and for young boys, it is the same as it is for the men.
*In some pools, a swim cap is mandatory for everyone.
Important: Flip flops or slippers are a must in all areas of the Gellert Thermal Baths. You can get your own, or buy a pair in the shop at the entrance.
What to bring to Gellert Spa Baths
Here is a list of things you must take along when you visit Gellert Spa Baths, the most luxurious thermal pool in Budapest.
Swimwear: Even though you can buy swimwear at the Store, we suggest you take them along. You will feel comfortable and won’t spend an excessive amount of money purchasing one at a tourist spot.
Towel: If you don’t bring your own towel, you will have to buy one at the venue. Renting is no longer allowed post covid.
Flip flops/slippers: You can either bring your own or buy a pair from the shop near the entrance.
Soap and shampoo: The showers at this Spa don’t have complimentary soap or shampoo dispensers.
Most visitors don’t need soap or shampoo after a relaxing time here, but if you prefer, you can get your own.
Waterproof wallets/purse: Since you will spend most of your time in the water at this Budapest attraction, there is no harm in bringing along a waterproof wallet or purse.
Since your ticket will include a locker or a cabin, you can also leave your valuables in them safely.
Swimming cap: The thermal pools don’t need swimming caps. But if you plan to do laps in the cooler swimming pool, a cap is a must.
Essentials for Summer: If you are visiting the Gellert Spa between June to September – when the Sun gets hot – it is better to carry a light-colored baseball cap for the gents and a hat for the ladies.
What NOT to get to Gellert Spa
It is better not to wear any jewelry while getting into the pools at Gellert Spa.
Rings may slip off your fingers, and chains may unhook, etc.
It is better to leave your wristwatches at home (or in a hotel).
Since visitors can’t smoke at these Baths, it also doesn’t make sense to get cigarettes.
Map of Gellert Spa
Gellert Spa is one of the biggest natural spring water bath complexes in Central Eastern Europe.
It has 13 pools – two effervescent bath sections, three outdoor pools, and eight thermal baths.
And besides these, there are numerous saunas, steam rooms, massage rooms, changing facilities (cabins, lockers), restaurants, etc.
On their first visit, most visitors feel lost, and that is why knowing the floor plan of Gellert Spa much in advance helps.
- Entrance
- Spa Entrance
- Spa Entrance
- Inside Swimming Pool
- Thermal Pool
- Outside Wave Pool (seasonal access)
- Adventure Pool
- Sun Terrace
- Sauna
- Changing Room (Cabins)
- Locker (Upstairs)
- Cash Desk
- Hairdresser
- Beauty Saloon
- Snacks
- Restaurant (upstairs)
- Royal Therapies (upstairs)
- Private Bath (upstairs)
- Thai Massage (upstairs)
- Massage Rooms
- Steam Baths
- Pedicure
History of Gellert Spa
Gellert Spa is part of the luxurious Hotel Gellért, built in the Art Nouveau style.
In the 13th century, Hungarian King Andrew II had a small hospital erected at the foot of Gellert Hill to capitalize on the water’s healing properties.
When the Turks (Ottomans) arrived in the 16th century, they erected a Turkish bath in its place and called it Acik Iliye.
In the 17th century, these mud and mineral water pools were also known as Muddy Pools (Sarosfurdo).
Between 1912 and 1918, the pools and buildings were rebuilt in the Art Nouveau style, and the Spa experience became much more civilized.
Around this time, the Baths got the name Gellert Spa – after St Gerhard, who had lent his name to the nearby Gellert Hill as well.
The Gellért Spa was open even during World War II.
In 1927, a massive wave pool was added, and in 1934, a bubble bath was added to the complex.
Gellért Bath underwent its first extensive renovation in 2008, and five years later, all the thermal pools became co-ed.
FAQs about Gellert Spa
Here are a few frequently asked questions about Gellert Spa.
Yes, the spa has committed itself to be wheelchair accessible and provides sufficient modifications for people with mobility impairments.
You must wear swimwear at the Gellert Spa. Some pools at the spa require you to wear a swim cap, too. You must carry a towel, flip flops, and skincare. Swim tops, shorts, tankinis, and bikinis are all permissible. However, Full-body swimwear such as the burkini is forbidden.
Yes, you can visit the Gellert Spa with your kids. Thermal spas are not suitable for the cardiovascular systems of children under 14. However, they can enter the thermal pools if medically cleared. All other pools are accessible for children. Children under six must always be accompanied by a guardian in all pools.
Tickets to Budapest’s famous Gellert Spa can be easily booked via the spa’s online ticketing system.
You will be given a wristband that will be valid for a day, as long as you have it on and don’t lose it, you will face no trouble. If you lose the wristband, you will have to pay an additional fine.
Sources
# Gellertspa.com
# Bathsbudapest.com
# Wikipedia.org
# Tripadvisor.com
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Going to Budapest in mid may for a river cruise,so would like to visit the baths