Looking for a great Spa experience and a relaxing stay in Budapest?
Császár Baths (Veli Bej) is in the same building as Hotel Csaszar Budapest. It’s one of the oldest Turkish baths in Budapest and It was fully renovated recently. A great choice if you like to relax a bit during a city break or a long weekend.
You also have free direct access to the pools of Hotel Csaszár, 50 meters and a 25 meters swimming pool included in all room prices too!
Take a look at the introduction video of the Spa:
Additional wellness-services included:
- Finnish sauna
- Infrared sauna
- Steam bath
- Full body shower
- Jacuzzi
- Kneipp-Walking
Opening Hours of the Spa
6:00 – 12:00 and 15:00 – 21:00
The History of the Veli Bej Spa
The healing waters in this location date back to Roman times. The Turkish bathhouse, originally named Veli Bej, was built in the 16th century during the Turkish era. Commissioned by pasha Szokullu Musztafa, this was one of the most beautiful baths of its time. The original stone building survived the varied history of the ensuing centuries. After the Turkish occupation the bath was renamed to Kayser Bad, Császár Baths in Hungarian, and later it was given to the Order of Hospitallers, who used it for healing the sick.
Throughout the years several extensions were added to the core building. The Classicist-style building, still in use today, was designed in the 19th century by architect József Hild. Today, this building houses a hospital and a hotel that faces the Komjádi Sport Swimming Pool, another one of the additions to the original complex. The historic Turkish bathhouse, which was closed to the general public for decades, regained its original splendor with the recent renovations.
Location of Veli Bej
It’s quite difficult to find this spa, also known as Császár Baths. The beautifully renovated Turkish bath complex Veli Bej Spa is situated on the other side of the swimming complex of Hotel Csaszar. Now it’s fully open to the public. There is a café and the beauty salon at the main entrance.
Prices of the Veli Bej Spa
Prices are starting form around 8 EUR, 2800 HUF. Unfortunately the Spa doesn’t have its own website, but you can check for updates on their facebook page: www.facebook.com/pages/Irgalmasok-Veli-Bej-Fürdője/
Upon paying the entrance fee you’ll receive a plastic armband that grants access to the baths and to a locker. The armband opens and closes the locker by simply touching the lock with it. Each armband is assigned to a different locker and, should you forget your locker number, there’s a scanner in the locker room to help you find the right one. Veli Bej is coed, even the locker room, meaning that men and women use the same area, equipped with several changing cabins, to change into their bathing suits. Children are not allowed to enter the spa area.
Veli Bej details
The facility offers a large octagonal, hot-water thermal pool, surrounded by four smaller thermal pools with different temperatures, a modern swimming pool, a Jacuzzi and a special bathtub for hydrotherapies. The wellness section is equipped with steam baths and various saunas, including an infra-sauna. Massages are also available. The main attraction here is without a doubt the traditional octagonal pool under the Turkish dome. No matter what time of the day you visit, the pleasant, dimly lit pool area nicely complements the water’s calming effects. For relaxation, there are chairs and deck-chairs scattered around the pool beneath the dome. Veli Bej’s rich history is also on display in a small, on-site exhibition featuring a number of archeological finds.
The hot springs feeding the thermal pools rise from the wells of the nearby Lukács Baths and from Margaret Island. The waters, rich in calcium, magnesium, hydrogen-carbonate, sulfate and sodium, with a significant content of fluoride ions, are recommended to help cure degenerative illnesses of joints, chronic and semi-acute arthritis, spinal problems and post-injury healing. Though the bath’s thermal water is known for its healing powers, you don’t have to have any ailments to appreciate it. Visiting Veli Bej is a fun and pleasant way to wind down and relax the body and mind in an historic setting.
