Located in Central Europe, Budapest is the capital of Hungary and one of the country’s most scenic cities. Also known as the “Paris of the East” and the “Pearl of the Danube,” Budapest is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with stunning architecture and many historic landmarks including palaces, castles, and churches; museums and theaters, parks and gardens, and more.

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Budapest also has a thriving nightlife scene and is the site of various festivals and events including the annual Budapest Spring Festival and Budapest Christmas Market. Every year, the Hungarian Grand Prix is held in Mogyoród, located just 30 minutes outside of Budapest; and the enchanting Tihany Lavender Festival is held on Lake Balaton, which is located 90 minutes from the capital.

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The Danube River flows directly through Budapest and visitors can enjoy seeing iconic sites such as the Hungarian Parliament Building while going on a Danube river cruise. Other popular attractions in Budapest include Buda Castle, Budapest History Museum, Danube Palace, the Hungarian State Opera House, and Memento Park, among others.

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Budapest is also commonly known as the “City of Spas” because it has the most thermal and medicinal water springs compared to any other capital city in the world. Due to its location along a fault line, Budapest’s thermal baths are fed by 120 different hot springs, dating back to ancient times including the Roman era, when the Romans created Aquincum, an ancient settlement that utilized thermal water; as well as the 16th century when Turkish conquerors built several city baths.

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In addition to an assortment of spas at luxury and boutique hotels, Budapest also has a vast selection of thermal baths, many of which are housed in beautifully preserved historic buildings and are renowned for their health benefits. Bath culture remains a popular tradition and is a popular communal activity among the citizens of Budapest, and Széchenyi Thermal Bath in Budapest hosts a late-night spa party with electronic music on Saturday nights from February to December.

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Keep on reading to discover our top picks for the best spas in Budapest. From elegant thermal baths in palatial buildings to modern wellness sanctuaries in the city’s top luxury hotels, a wide variety of unique and relaxing wellness experiences await you in Budapest.

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The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest

Széchenyi István Tér 5-6., 1051 Budapest, Hungary; (+36) 1-268-6000

A Budapest landmark along the Danube River, Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest is a 5-star luxury hotel located in a beautifully restored palace. With stunning decor inspired by the city’s Golden Era that includes 2 million mosaic tiles, ornate chandeliers, and dramatic stairways, the regal property is the only Forbes Five-Star hotel in all of Hungary.

Its guest rooms and suites blend historic elegance with contemporary luxury, providing the best of comfort and privacy. A peaceful retreat that is within walking distance to many of the city’s main attractions, the hotel offers exclusive tours and experiences for guests to enjoy, from a chess masterclass to a morning run.

Spa Profile: The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest

Located on the fifth floor, The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest is a world-class wellness sanctuary with state-of-the-art amenities such as a salt water infinity pool, jacuzzi, saunas and steam rooms, a relaxation room, and fitness center. The spa’s treatment menu includes an impressive selection of restorative treatments and healing Hungarian therapies.

Recommended spa treatments to try include Hungarian Moor Mud Therapy, an experience that delivers transforming effects with mineral-rich Hungarian moor mud; the 90-minute Therapeutic Massage, which is tailored according to each guest’s individual needs; and Touch of the Earth, a pampering body treatment that help skin glow with authentic Hungarian ingredients of lavender, salt, grapeseed oil, and Hungarian Moor Mud by Omorovicza.

Gellért Thermal Bath

1118 Budapest, Kelenhegyi út 2., Hungary; (+36) 1-466-6166; info@spabudapest.hu

Open since 1918, Gellért Thermal Bath features some of the most beautiful turn-of-the-century Budapest architecture and design details on display. All of the glass windows and sculptures were made by famous artists at the time, along with stunning ceramics in the former men’s and women’s bathing rooms. A popular filming location, Gellért Thermal Bath has been featured in numerous Hungarian and international productions.

The expansive and elegant property has multiple pools including an outdoor thermal pool, a wave pool (only open in the summer), an indoor swimming pool, and two indoor medical pools, as well as detoxifying saunas and steam rooms.

The waters at Gellért Thermal Bath are especially ideal for treating joint and circulatory issues, as well as spinal conditions. They also offer a menu of treatments ranging from massages (including couples massages) and private bathing experiences for up to two people that include champagne or juice and a chocolate dessert.

Harmony Spa at Aria Hotel Budapest

Hercegprímás utca 5 Budapest H-1051, Hungary; (+36) 1-445-4055

A boutique luxury hotel inspired by music, Aria Hotel Budapest is in a convenient central location next to St. Stephen’s Basilica—the largest church in Budapest and a famous historical landmark within the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site Buffer Zone.

A member of the Library Hotel Collection, Aria Hotel Budapest’s four wings are dedicated to one of four genres of music: Classical, Contemporary, Opera, and Jazz. The spacious rooms and suites feature caricatures of musical legends such as Bob Dylan and James Brown by internationally acclaimed artist Joseph Blecha.

In addition to a rooftop with 360-degree views of the city and live musical entertainment daily, Aria Hotel Budapest also has a fitness center with cardio machines and Harmony Spa, which also features a music theme and offers treatments inspired by various music genres. Amenities include a heated 35-foot swimming pool, jacuzzi, Finnish and infrared saunas, aromatic steam room, and lounge space with private cabanas.

Harmony Spa has an exclusive partnership with Eminence Organic Skin Care, a renowned Hungarian skincare brand that utilizes high-performance ingredients, natural herbs and vitamin extracts, and Hungarian thermal water. Recommended treatments to try include the Budapest Custom Organic Facial, which is tailored according to each guest’s needs; Amazing Stone Massage to melt away stress with heated stones; and Custom Sugar Scrub using the best quality fruits and organic sugar to leave skin feeling soft and smooth.

Hévíz Lake Spa at Hotel Spa Hévíz

Hévíz, Dr, Dr. Schulhoff Vilmos stny. 1, 8380 Hungary; (+36) 8-350-1708

Located two hours outside of Budapest, Hotel Spa Hévíz is set in the grounds of the park surrounding the thermal lake at Hévíz, providing the perfect setting for relaxation. An important nature reserve, Lake Hévíz is regarded as a natural treasure for its medicinal healing waters. Guests staying at Hotel Spa Hévíz, the only hotel located directly on the lake, enjoy unlimited daily access to the thermal lake.

The hotel has 54 certified four-star single and double rooms, as well as suites, that offer stunning views of either the forest or lake. Hévíz Thermal Lake is the largest biologically active natural thermal lake in the world. Fed by mineral-rich springs, the water in the lake is completely replaced every three days and the water is heated by geothermic energy.

The waters are recommended for treating musculoskeletal disorders, the prevention of illness, and for relaxation purposes. The lake is surrounded by a protective forest which protects bathers from the wind, while the constant evaporation of the water cleans the air so that guests can enjoy a dust-free and allergen-free environment.

In addition to the lake, the hotel also has a three-story wellness complex with pools, an ice bath, salt cave, sauna, and steam bath, and a therapeutic center that offers hydrotherapy, massages, physiotherapy, and mud packs for additional wellness benefits. The water in the pools shares the same composition as the lake, also offering a powerful medicinal and calming effect.

Lukács Thermal Bath

Budapest, Frankel Leó út 25-29, 1023 Hungary; (+36) 1-326-1695; info@spabudapest.hu

A historic indoor and outdoor thermal bath spa in Budapest, Lukács Thermal Bath proudly has a display wall that showcases commemorative plaques of all the miraculous cases of healing that have taken place there. Back in the 12th century, knights of the order of Saint John who worked to cure the sick settled in the area where Lukács Bath is located, followed by the orders of Rhodos and Malta, who built their monasteries baths.

In 1884, Fülöp Palotay bought the bath from the Treasury, which led to a series of transformations. A spa hotel was built, the swimming pool was transformed, and a hydrotherapy department was established. People came from all over the world to be healed at Lukács Bath, and after being successfully healed they would express their gratitude by placing marble tablets on the Bath’s courtyard wall.

Aside from the indoor thermal pool, there is also an indoor cold water plunge pool, an outdoor leisure pool, an outdoor lap pool, and a Kneipp pool. Additional amenities include a aroma steam room, infrared sauna, Finnish sauna, Naturist sauna, salt crystal sauna, and tepidarium. Wellness and medical services include classic, premium and medical massages; mud treatments, bathing in carbonated water, and private bathing sessions are also available.

Lukács Bath also offers a unique thermal Beer Spa experience, where you can soak for 45 minutes in a mixture of fresh thermal water and dry beer ingredients that include hops, malt, beer yeast, and special beer salt. The best part? There are taps next to the tub so you can drink as much beer as you’d like during the 45-minute session.

Rudas Thermal Bath

1013 Budapest, Döbrentei tér 9., 1013 Hungary; (+36) 20-321-4568; info@spabudapest.hu

Founded in the early 1570s during the Ottoman Empire, Rudas Thermal Bath is located at the foot of Gellért Hill overlooking the Danube River. Despite undergoing a comprehensive interior renovation in 2006, the thermal bath has retained many key elements of a Hammam including its octagonal pool and Ottoman dome.

It has six therapy pools and one swimming pool, and its slightly radioactive thermal water contains sulfate, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, and fluoride ion. The water is especially great for treating degenerative joint illnesses, vertebral disk problems, neuralgia, osteoporosis, as well as chronic and sub-acute joint inflammations.

The baths are open to women on Tuesdays, men the rest of the week, and to both on the weekend. The attached swimming pool is always open for men and women at any time. Treatments available include a variety of massages (including couples), traditional water massages, and medical services such as medical massage, a medical pool bath, medical tub bath, and bathing in carbonated water.

Afterwards, grab a bite at Rudas Bistro, which also offers panoramic views of the Danube from the outdoor terrace. The menu features a variety of Hungarian dishes such as goulash soup with homemade leavened bread, fried frog legs, hummus with pita, burgers, salads, pasta, and desserts.

Spa by Valmont at Kozmo Hotel Suites & Spa

Horváth Mihály tèr, 17, 1082 Budapest, Hungary; (+36) 1-701-6300

Centrally located in Budapest within close proximity to the famous Great Market Hall and Dohány Street Synagogue, Kozmo Hotel Suites & Spa is a 5-star boutique hotel and member of The Leading Hotels of the World. The hotel’s 84 rooms and suites are elegant and comfortable, many have terraces that offer city views.

Its restaurants and dining spaces offer a wide variety of culinary offerings, and guests can also enjoy 24-hour room service in addition to a daily breakfast buffet. There is also a fitness center that is open 24 hours a day and has cardiovascular equipment, exercise bikes and treadmills, step machines, and rowing machines.

For those seeking relaxation and rejuvenation, Spa by Valmont offers a variety of massages, body treatments, and facials that incorporate products from Swiss prestige skincare brand Valmont as well as natural skincare line Adrienne Feller. Spa amenities include a swimming pool, sauna, sensation and contrast shower, and a relaxation area.

Spa treatments to try include the Hungarian Spring Dewdrop Back Massage, which releases stress and tension with deep and long strokes; the Hungarian Spring Body Treatment, which removes dead skin and hydrates with a pampering moisturizer; as well as Vitality of the Glacier, a facial that refreshes and boosts radiance with serums, masks, and creams.

Spa InterContinental at InterContinental Budapest

Budapest Apaczai Csere J.U, 12-14, 1052 Hungary; (+36) 1-327-6333

Located on the Danube Promenade, InterContinental Budapest offers an elegant setting with views of the river and castle district. It is home to the largest, natural-lit ballroom in the city and its guest rooms combine timeless elegance with refined design. The hotel has multiple notable dining venues including a restaurant that serves authentic Lebanese cuisine right along the banks of the Danube River.

At Spa InterContinental, guests enjoy luxurious spa services and wellness treatments that are inspired by Hungary’s thermal bath tradition. Treatments incorporate products from premium all-natural skincare brand Adrienne Feller as well as Skeyndor, a luxury cosmetic brand from Barcelona. The spa has four treatment rooms, a heated indoor swimming pool, Finnish sauna, steam bath, and a 24-hour health and fitness club.

Treatments to try include the 5 Elements Aromatherapy Massage, which relaxes the body with 100% natural aromatherapy essential oils from Adrienne Feller; a Sage-Lavender Body Scrub that refreshes, detoxifies, and balances the body; as well as the Plump & Lift Facial, a rejuvenating treatment that is based on the beautifying powers of Hungarian thermal water and a unique combination of herbs.

Swan Spa at Matild Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Budapest

Vaci Utca 36, Budapest, Hungary 1056; (+36) 1-550-5005

A beautiful relic of Budapest’s past, Matild Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Budapest was built in 1902 and named after Her Imperial and Royal Highness Maria Klotild of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Combining stunning architecture with modern amenities and lavish hospitality, the luxury destination transports its guests back in time to the Belle Epoque era.

Rooms and suites have soaring ceilings and Art Nouveau inspirations with turquoise tiles, rain showers, and Italian cast bathtubs for the ultimate luxury retreat. World-renowned chef Wolfgang Puck has brought his Spago restaurant to the hotel, and The Duchess Rooftop Bar offers a glamorous setting for enjoying drinks paired with stunning views.

Swan Spa at Matild Palace offers a Hungarian-influenced bath experience with Hammam rituals and traditional thermal therapy that will awaken one’s senses while purifying the mind, body, and soul. The spa is inspired by the serenity and beauty of the swan, which glides elegantly along the Danube River.

In addition to separate men’s and women’s lounges, spa amenities include a steam room and private treatment rooms. Guests also enjoy access to the 24-hour fitness center with the latest equipment. The spa’s treatment menu features indulgent services powered by ESPA products that will relax, restore balance, and awaken the senses. Services range from massages and facials to body treatments, foot baths, and more.

Széchenyi Bath

1146 Budapest, Állatkerti körút 9-11., Hungary; (+36) 20-435-0051; info@spabudapest.hu

Europe’s largest and most popular bath complex, Széchenyi Bath has a lively scene both day and night. It has 15 indoor baths and three outdoor pools, in addition to saunas, steam rooms, and a glass-covered, rooftop spa greenhouse with views. Built in 1913, the Neo-Baroque palace was specifically built for hosting Széchenyi Baths and is located in Budapest’s City Park near local attractions.

In addition to soaking in the medicinal natural hot springs, Széchenyi Bath offers a treatment menu of massages, body treatments, and facial therapies. They also have a special Beer Bath experience where you can enjoy an endless supply of beers while soaking in an oak tub filled with natural extracts used to vrew beer.

During the summer after dark, Széchenyi Bath hosts Saturday night spa parties, otherwise known as “sparties.” Thousands of people come to dance and relax in the baths while enjoying colorful disco and laser lights accompanied by a live DJ for the ultimate nighttime spa party.

The Ritz-Carlton Spa. Budapest

Budapest, Erzsébet tér 9-10, 1051 Hungary; (+36) 1-429-5500

Located in a 20th-century building surrounded by history, The Ritz-Carlton, Budapest is a 5-star luxury hotel that offers stunning views of landmarks such as Erzsébet Square and St. Stephen’s Basilica from many of its guest rooms and suites. All suites and guest rooms feature expansive windows, tall ceilings, sleep lines, and bold accents that enhance heritage architecture, while select rooms and suites include Club Lounge access.

The hotel has multiple world-class dining options including an Italian restaurant, Kupola Lounge and Bar, as well as amenities such as a 24-hour fitness center, sauna, steam room, soaking tub, naturally lit indoor swimming pool, and a luxury spa.

The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Budapest is a tranquil haven that offers legendary service and curated treatments that incorporate ESPA products. The spa menu features a variety of therapies including massages, facials, body treatments, and immersive experiences like The Royal Palace Ritual, which is offered in a thermal suite and includes a full-body exfoliation and hot stone massage with aromatic oils.

The Royal Spa at Corinthia Budapest

Budapest, Erzsébet krt. 43-49, 1073 Hungary; (+36) 1-479-4000

Formerly the Royal Hotel Budapest, Corinthia Budapest is a historic 5-star hotel and pillar of grand luxury that originates in the grand architectural epoch of the late 19th century. Retaining its historic facade and 19th-century classical ballroom, the hotel is located on Grand Boulevard in the heart of the city. Its rooms are elegant and well-appointed, and it has multiple dining outlets, a nightclub, and luxury spa.

Dating back to 1886 in the Art Deco heyday, The Royal Spa at Corinthia Budapest is a serene sanctuary that has been restored to its original splendor with beautiful details such as ornate tile work and stained glass ceilings. Amenities include an indoor swimming pool, saunas, relaxation areas, a steam bath, and hot tub.

The spa’s treatment menu features a variety of massages, facials and body treatments from ESPA and Omorovicza, and more. In the fitness center, they offer a selection of high-end, premium and professional Technogym equipment.

[Photos courtesy of spas and resorts]

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Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk