Budapest Spas Splash into Summer with Extended Hours and Movie Nights

The truly hot summer has arrived, and the Budapest spas are once again welcoming guests this year not only with bathing opportunities but also with a variety of events. There will be evening movie screenings at Széchenyi Bath as part of the Cinema Spa series, Night of Baths festival in Pesterzsébet, and starting in early July, there will always be at least one spa open until 10 p.m. every day.

Budapest Spas cPlc. (Budapest Gyógyfürdői és Hévizei Zrt.) is once again preparing a diverse range of summer programs this season. The capital’s spas and beaches quickly fill up as soon as the weather turns nice and hot. Every year, enjoyable swimming and cooling off in pools are complemented with other exciting experiences, Turizmus.com reports, quoting the release of Budapest Spas cPlc.

This summer, you can once again enjoy a movie while relaxing in the pools.

On Tuesday evenings in July, the “CineSpa – Immersed in Films” program will host movie screenings at 9 p.m. in the outdoor adventure pool of Széchenyi Bath. Four dates, four films:

• A Star is Born (July 1),

• The Greatest Showman (July 8),

• Pulp Fiction (July 15),

• Snatch (July 29).

Guests with a valid Budapest address card can enter the bath from 9 p.m. with a 50% discount and enjoy the unique movie experience.

A staple summer event is the “Night of Baths,” which returns to Budapest on Saturday, July 26, at the Pesterzsébet Bath. All-day programs will enhance the evening bathing experience.

Organized for the 16th time by the Hungarian Bath Association, this nationwide event features various attractions, children’s activities, and extended opening hours until 10 p.m.

After only a few years, the National Water Gun Fight has now become a tradition. This year, it takes place on August 23. The initiative, launched by the Hungarian Bath Association, has been joined by many baths nationwide. In Budapest, once again, the event will be held in the beach pool of Palatinus Bath on Margaret Island. It will also aim to break a record: the water gun fight must last for 15 minutes starting at 2 PM at all participating venues, which will be connected online.

All year round, it is a special experience to relax in the panorama pools on the roofs of the Rudas or Csillaghegy Baths and enjoy the sunrise or sunset. Rudas’s panoramic pool is already widely known and popular. However, fewer people may know that Budapest’s August 20 fireworks can be viewed up close from the rooftop of this riverside bath.

The panoramic pool at Csillaghegy Bath is also worth visiting, offering stunning views of Óbuda, the Buda Hills, and the Pest side. The summer season at Csillaghegy will conclude with a closing beach party, scheduled for the end of August.

One well-known danger of beachgoing is excessive sun exposure. While cooling off in the water, we may not notice how long we have been under the blazing sun, not to mention the harmful effects of strong UV rays on our skin.

The Budapest Spas cPlc. considers it its responsibility to raise awareness of this issue, and will offer free dermatological screenings this summer at several baths – including Csillaghegy, Palatinus, and Pesterzsébet.

Following a decision by the Budapest City Council, the Budapest Spas cPlc. has expanded its long-running discount system this year with new benefits specifically for residents of the capital. Since April 1, students who live or study in Budapest and have a BudapestGO public transport pass can receive a 50% discount, or an 80% discount if entering within two hours of closing. From early June, the range of discounts expanded with the “Morning Budapest” and “Evening Budapest” tickets, and “Senior Wednesday” program, all offering 50% discounts to Budapest residents.

Starting in July, the opening hours of Budapest baths will change. As part of a three-month pilot program, every day one bath in the capital will be open until 10 p.m. The schedule is as follows:

• Monday – Paskál

• Tuesday – Lukács

• Wednesday – Csillaghegy

• Thursday – Dandár

• Friday – Széchenyi

• Saturday – Gellért

• Sunday – Pesterzsébet

The Rudas Bath already has extended hours twice a week – on Fridays and Saturdays – for its night bathing program, hence it is not included in this program.

In response to guest demand for time-slot booking and to avoid waiting during peak hours, a pilot program will launch at Rudas in early July. In line with international practices, guests will be able to pre-purchase tickets for specific time slots, ensuring quicker entry. The time slots will be:

• Thursday and Friday: 12:00–3:00 p.m. and 4:00–7:00 p.m.

• Weekends: 08:00–11:00 a.m., 12:00–3:00 p.m., and 4:00–7:00 p.m.

Via Turizmus.com, Featured image: MTI/Balogh Zoltán