Thermal baths in Budapest are plentiful. There is a fee to enter the facilities, which cover a locker rental, use of the thermal baths and the swimming pools. Additional services, like a massage, mud bath, mouth massage or medical treatment can be added on for an additional fee. The
Gellert Baths are perhaps the most famous of these. Located on the Buda side, just after crossing the Szabadsag bridge (the green bridge – this bridge is also the one suicides are committed from), the baths are inside the hotel. Matthew Barney shot part of his
Cremaster series here as well and it has been a backdrop for many a project. The only odd thing about my experience there was the massage. First I asked a number of times why I had not come directly into the massage (I had spent 2 hrs photographing prior to getting into the spa facility), I was forgiven my lateness when I explained that I had 4 cameras w/ me and that I was a photographer. I was then asked to de-bathingsuit (in the
Szechenyi baths the massage was done in a swim suit) infront of the attendant, then to lay on the massage table – no cover sheet (the bottom sheets had probably not been changed in a week – luckily I brought a towel to lay on),
about 5-10 different people came in to visit and whisper w/ my masseuse and then at the end when I thought I was all done and needed to sit up, there was an additional shoulder/neck/arm massage while I was in the sitting position. I can recommend the massage if you’re willing to give up some western-massage preconceptions (and any self-consciousness). The structure is beautiful and worth seeing and enjoying for a day off.
Thermal baths in Budapest are plentiful. There is a fee to enter the facilities, which cover a locker rental, use of the thermal baths and the swimming pools. Additional services, like a massage, mud bath, mouth massage or medical treatment can be added on for an additional fee. The Gellert Baths are perhaps the most famous of these. Located on the Buda side, just after crossing the Szabadsag bridge (the green bridge – this bridge is also the one suicides are committed from), the baths are inside the hotel. Matthew Barney shot part of his Cremaster series here as well and it has been a backdrop for many a project. The only odd thing about my experience there was the massage. First I asked a number of times why I had not come directly into the massage (I had spent 2 hrs photographing prior to getting into the spa facility), I was forgiven my lateness when I explained that I had 4 cameras w/ me and that I was a photographer. I was then asked to de-bathingsuit (in the Szechenyi baths the massage was done in a swim suit) infront of the attendant, then to lay on the massage table – no cover sheet (the bottom sheets had probably not been changed in a week – luckily I brought a towel to lay on), 
about 5-10 different people came in to visit and whisper w/ my masseuse and then at the end when I thought I was all done and needed to sit up, there was an additional shoulder/neck/arm massage while I was in the sitting position. I can recommend the massage if you’re willing to give up some western-massage preconceptions (and any self-consciousness). The structure is beautiful and worth seeing and enjoying for a day off.
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