From historic water parks to riverfront strands to idyllic lakes, Budapest and the surrounding area offers numerous places for cooling off while soaking up summertime sunshine. We looked around to find some of the best inexpensive swimming holes that will appeal to all types, whether you seek quiet places for lazy wading or open waters where children frolic. Let's dive in!
1/8
Csillaghegy: affordable fun
The Csillaghegyi Bath and Swimming Pool is one of Budapest's oldest and most beautiful water parks, surrounded by a green area full of ancient trees. Swimming enthusiasts will adore the four-lane, 33-meter-long lap pool filled with natural mineral water. The infra-sauna that was renovated in 2011 is free for everyone to use. Tiered into the hillside we can find pools for swimming, wading, and children, as well as sunbathing areas. The pools are a nice temperature, maintained at around 22-23 °C. The park is quite child-friendly, but dogs are not allowed in.
Services: soccer field, outdoor fitness machines, lockers, showers, and changing rooms; paid services: relaxing aroma massages, blood-circulation stimulating massages, and safe deposit boxes
Accessibility: Buda III, Pusztakúti Street 2-6; public transport: Szentendre HÉV, buses 160, 134 and 234
Tickets: 900 HUF for all ages
Opening hours: 8am-7pm daily
2/8
Paskál: in early stages
Located in Pest's Zugló district, Paskál is the youngest water park of Budapest, having been built in 1989. The pools are equipped with an advanced water-filtration machine, and the landscaped environment guarantees high-quality relaxation. The two pools here welcome visitors all year round. We recommend this place for those who prefer warmer waters – the beach pool is kept at 26 °C, while the children's pool is a pleasant 30 °C.
Services: sauna, tennis court, outdoor fitness machines, children's slides, playground, and lockers
Accessibility: Pest XIV, Egressy Street 178; public transport: 77 and 82 trolley buses
Tickets: 900 HUF for all ages
Opening hours: 9am-7pm weekdays; 9am-8pm weekends
3/8
Pünkösdfürdő: splash and sprawl
This bathing complex was built in 1935 on the banks of the Danube, based on the plans of Hungarian Olympic swimming champion Alfréd Hajós. Full of large shady trees, the green area here is a great place to recline, relax, and cool off. The beach was renovated between 2002 and 2003, including the construction of a leisure pool and a children's pool with water slides, along with a 25-person Finnish sauna. The park's pools for swimming, children, and wading are all maintained at 24 °C. Dogs are not allowed.
Services: outdoor fitness machines, playground, and lockers
Accessibility: Buda III, Királyok útja 272; public transport: Bus 34
Tickets: Full day passes for adults: 1,700 HUF; afternoon passes for adults (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday from 4pm): 1,300 HUF; full day passes for children, seniors, and students: 1,300 HUF
Opening hours: Monday-Thursday, 9am-7pm; Friday-Sunday, 8am-8pm
4/8
Külkerpark: Buda idyll
Even though Külkerpark is not the cheapest lido in Budapest, it is undoubtedly the best in many ways. Here we often meet older visitors with season tickets who have been probably spending their summers at Külker for decades. It location within a beautiful valley surrounded by trees is a great place for relaxing. The lush park of this huge complex offers plenty of sports facilities. Three pools await here: the swimming pool (33 meters) and two children's pools. The beach has a private parking lot and offers bicycle storage.
Services: 4 cinder-covered tennis courts, three of which are covered in winter (fee required); tennis walls; ball-game courts (handball, basketball, soccer); free sauna; beach volleyball court; children's sport and day camps, swimming lessons; parking; available as an event venue
Accessibility: Buda II, within the Külkereskedelmi Sport és Szabadidőközpont featuring two gates, one at Budakeszi Street 73/C and another at Hárshegyi Street 32; public transport: buses 22 and 22A from Széll Kálmán Square
Tickets: Adults: 2,900 HUF; students/seniors: 1,900 HUF; children: 900 HUF
Opening hours: every day in the summer season, 5:50am-7:45pm
.
5/8
Göd: free-flowing waters
If you would rather avoid chlorinated water, you might want to look for more natural swimming facilities. However, according to the law, it is prohibited to bathe in residential and non-designated areas, since we cannot know about what unknown dangers may lurk in natural bodies of water (such as industrial waste, contaminants, etc.)
Luckily, there are numerous pleasant and legal bathing areas around Budapest, just like Göd's two free strands on the Danube. These sites have a long history, but in recent decades they had to be closed down because of poor water quality. However, in the last few years this section of the river received an excellent quality rating again, and in 2012 the beaches in Göd could open again. There is a large selection to choose from: there are grassy, sandy, and pebbly sections. The beaches' greatest advantage is that there are no crowds. If we visit the two beaches, it is worthwhile to explore the sand island between them.
Services: toilets, showers, disabled toilets, changing rooms, bike storage, buffet, garden with terrace, bike and boat rentals
Accessibility: Göd is located about 25 kilometers from Budapest and 9 kilometers from Vác. Göd's Danube shore is relatively easy to reach: we have to turn to Béke Street from main road 2 and go all the way to the strand.
Tickets: Free!
6/8
Pázsit Bathing Lake: natural mystique
We do not have to drive for hours if we want to splash around in a lake. The Pócsmegyeri Pázsit bathing lake on Szentendre Island is just 36 kilometers from Budapest. The natural lake has had an excellent quality rating for years, and visitors can either swim or fish in it. We can even play sports on the lakeshore, but dogs are not allowed in this area.
Services: football, volleyball, handball, and water polo facilities; showers, changing booths, buffet, and restaurant with terrace
Accessibility: by car: drive towards Szigetmonostor on road 11; public transport: H5 HÉV to Szentendre, and take the ferryboat from there; by bicycle: take the ferry from Szentendre to the island, from which the bathing lake is a 3-minute ride away (check the ferry schedules in advance, as the ship makes only a few crossings each day).
Tickets: Adults: 600 HUF; children/seniors: 300 HUF; free for children under 6 years of age
7/8
Rukkel Lake: a playful pond
Built 24 years ago, the Rukkel Lake Water Park offers smashing bathing facilities. The place is very child-friendly, but dogs are not allowed in. The quality of the beautiful blue water is excellent, but the beach has cold-water showers only, so if we want to rinse our bodies with warmer waters, we have to walk to the camp located a few hundred meters away from the shore. Unfortunately there are no lockers, but we can leave our stuff at the reception for 500 Forints. The site is a bit hard to approach by public transport, so it is better to go by car or bicycle.
Services: long water slides, paddleboat rentals, camping, sandbox
Accessibility: South of Budapest near Dunavarsány, approximately 25 kilometers away; the lake is found between Taksony-Bugyi's 6 km milestone
Tickets: Adults: 1,500 HUF; students: 1,200 HUF; children: 1,000 HUF (not including slide usage)
Opening hours: Daily 9am-7pm
8/8
Délegyházi Beach: cool for canines
The largest strand of the lakes of Délegyház is located 27 kilometers from Budapest, at lake IV on Nomád shore. In contrast to the clean and orderly swimming area, uninhabited islands await those who seek adventures amid pristine waters. Good news for dog owners: even your four-legged buddies are welcome here. There are showers, toilets, and safe deposit boxes, but no changing cabins. There are plenty of parking spaces as well, and even bicycle storage is possible. Occasionally, there are events held around the lake.
Services: docks, boat and paddleboat rental, buffets, and restaurants; on the Tavirózsa campsite's area there are football, tennis, and basketball facilities, as well as a playground
Accessibility: Located between Alsónémedi and Dunaharaszti, about 20 kilometers south of Budapest; public transport: HÉV H6 to Dunaharaszti
Tickets: Adults: 500 HUF/day; babies up to 3 years old: 300 HUF/day; free for seniors over 65 years old and for campsite guests
