Despite Budapest's majestic river flowing through its heart, there's no public beach that fully takes advantage of its waters – apart from the seasonal one at Római-part, which has popped up every summer for a while now. But that’s about to change. Plans are underway to create new bathing areas along the Danube – an initiative bound to be welcomed.
In fact, Budapest has a history of public beaches. Hard to imagine today, but swimming in the Danube was once a thing. Back in the 19th century, several enclosed 'pools’ – known as Dunafürdők (Danube Pools) – served as popular swimming spots for city dwellers. And now, the idea is making a comeback. Mayor Gergely Karácsony has confirmed that Budapest Spas Ltd. is making solid progress with the necessary examinations. Preparations for the new public beach and the Dunafürdő are further along than expected.
Where could Budapest's new public beach open?
One thing’s for sure: the seasonal public beach at Római-part has been a summer success for years. Building on that experience, the city has decided that similar beaches could pop up in other parts of Budapest, too. But where exactly? Several factors are being considered when choosing the perfect spot – safety, water quality, accessibility, the Danube’s current, and boat traffic, to name a few. Ongoing consultations with water management experts are helping to nail down all the details. One potential location is along the riverbank near the Hosszúréti stream, on the border of the 22nd and 11th districts – where a new public beach could open as early as this summer.
Century-old bathing traditions could make a comeback
Beyond the new public beach, preparations for the (re)opening of Budapest's historic Dunafürdők are progressing faster than expected. These floating river pools were a beloved part of city life from the late 19th century until World War II – and now, they might just return.
If all goes well, Budapest residents could experience a modular, eco-friendly Dunafürdő as early as this year. While the General Assembly has only approved a feasibility study so far, experts see no major obstacles to moving forward. The test phase will offer valuable insights for designing a full-scale Dunafürdő, set to be developed in the coming years.
A Dunafürdő could soon be tested at Pünkösdfürdő in the 3rd district, near the Békásmegyer residential area. This trial run would serve as a great way to estimate public interest and work out the operational logistics before rolling out a full-scale version.
Source: City of Budapest
(Cover photo: public beach at Római-part, Gábor Szabó - We Love Budapest)
