Budapest Day 3: Szenchenyi Thermal Bath

Another day in Budapest, another thermal bath. My initial research showed three thermal baths, each with their different feels. 

Rudas Thermal Baths boasts beautiful views of Budapest. 

Gellert Thermal Baths have amazing art deco architecture. 

Szenchenyi Thermal Baths are the most famous ones, easy to get to via mass transit. Famous for the old men hanging out in the water playing chess in the morning.

We soon learned there are also ones I would classify as local, such as the Lukacs Thermal Baths we visited on our second day.

The Gellert Thermal Baths are closed for renovations until 2028, encouraging Don and I to revisit Budapest. 

The Rudas Thermal Baths are single gender one day each a week, leaving only five days we can attend together. By the time I narrowed down the day and tried to book a ticket, it was sold out. It was also Halloween weekend, which might have something to do with it.

On our third day in Budapest we took the UNESCO metro 1 line to visit the famous Szenchenyi Thermal Bath.

I am glad we went. Once. That said, we are not likely going to return. It has such a different vibe from our visit to Rudas. The place is filled with tourists and Instagrammers taking selfies (yes, we did the same). Many had their cell phones in the water with with, making me more than a bit nervous for them. 

There are three main pools outside. The center one is a lap pool that is 28C (82F). Even on a brisk fall day, (16C=61F) it is very enjoyable being inside the 38C degree water (100F), and manageable to travel outside the pool to either go inside or go to the other warm pool (36C=97F).

There were also at least six pools inside. Most people visit for the outside views,
so the indoor ones were fairly quiet for the most part. They also have a couple of cooler pools, the appeal of which has not grown on me yet, and a couple of saunas. Downstairs was a clothing-free zone I did not visit.

Szenchenyi Thermal Baths had one feature I have not seen at other places: an athletic circular loop inside the 36C outdoor pool. The current of the water pushes everyone around in a counterclockwise circle. The inside felt faster than the outside. In the center there are people hanging out in a hot tub.

When I spotted the retired men playing chess, I couldn't help but smile. These are the same demographic of men one sees in Italy playing bocci. I wanted to interview their wives. Do they kick them out of the house so they can get things done? Do they have their own coffee klatch activity? Do the same men come back every day? Every week? Do they have a local pass that us tourists are not allowed to purchase? While there do they do anything other than play chess in the 38F pool and pose for tourists pictures? Seeing it in person was worth the trip. I did notice that they play next to the medical booth that is armed with a difibulator and other tools.

Everything this beautiful, including the locker rooms. The changing areas have cabins big enough for two. The doors lock when the benches are lowered, thus blocking them from opening. I saw this same mechanism at a local spa. The simplicity of it impressed me. It makes it nearly impossible to get locked inside the cabin, or lock your stuff inside of it and taking it out of use for others. It is locked when you are inside, and that is it.

We spent about three hours inside before heading to our next adventure: looking for lunch, and a political tour. The visits to the thermal spas were just enough to convince Don we had a relaxing vacation.

Some more pictures: