The Dress Code in Gellert Spa is essentially requiring covering the essentials with decent swimwear made of swim wear fabric. The dress code relatively recently changed when the thermal baths turned into a mixed spa bath complex on January 01, 2013. Before Jan 2013, men and women had separate thermal pools, so guests were often nude, or just wearing an apron. This is no longer the case as the spa operates with coeducational system.

Swimwear at All Times

Now, as Gellert Spa & Thermal Bath has become a coed bath palace, all guests need to be in some sort of swim wear at all times. No more nudity, no more aprons. Every guest has a swim suit, or a swim trunk, etc. Swim wear is compulsory in the pools, saunas, steam baths, and during massage treatments too.

Swim Caps in the Swimming Pool

Swim caps are obligatory to wear in the swimming pool, but not in the other 9 thermal pools. If you do not have a swim cap, you can buy a swimming cap in the main hall at the spa shop.

Dress Code in Gellert Spa

What is the dress code of Gellert Baths? What should men wear at the baths, and what are women bathers to wear? One of the most frequently asked questions about Gellert Spa & Thermal Baths in Budapest is what to wear. Please read our guide if you are a first time visitor in Gellert Furdo, or if visited the thermal bath a long time ago, before Jan 2013.

Some of the first time visitors have no idea what they should wear, if anything, in the formerly gender separated Gellert Spa.  Can you be naked? Should you be nude in the pools of Gellert Baths? Men wonder if they can don a speedo or if they need to wear longer swim trunks? Women want to find out if a bikini is accepted in the baths, or they are to wear a more complete one piece swimming suit?

Please note the the Private Bath in Gellert Spa is exempt from the general Dress Code policy.

Let’s see the dress code of Gellert Baths:

Swim Wear to Cover

As Gellert Spa is now a fully mixed thermal spa baths complex, all bathers are expected to cover the most important gender essentials during the whole visit in the baths (in the public areas). All the ten pools (indoor and outdoor), all the thermal baths, all the steam rooms and saunas, the gym, are completely coed in Gellert Spa & Thermal Baths on every day.

Women’s Swimwear in Gellert Spa

Women guests are kindly asked to wear decent swim wears. The bare minimum is the proper bikini style swim wear, but you can don a sporty tankini, shorts (with a top), or a one piece ladies swimsuit too, if you prefer more coverage, or you are planning to do some laps in the open air swimming pool. Burkini is also allowed and long sleeve / long legged swimwear as long as it is made of quick dry swimming fabric. Normal fabric, like cotton, is not accepted. That means that a T-shirt or other street wear is not accepted.

Men’s Swimwear in Gellert Spa

Men guests are kindly asked to wear decent swim wears. The bare minimum is the speedo style swim wear, but you can choose to wear a sporty pair of swim trunks, or shorts (maximum knee-length) and a top (maximum shoulder-length). If you prefer more coverage, try to get some wet suit or wet suit style T shirts (maximum shoulder-length). It is not unusual to see men with hairy chests and backs in Gellert Spa. It should not be an issue.

Children’s Swimwear in Gellert Spa

Gellert Spa Baths is geared more towards adults and teen children rather than kids under 14 (kids under 14 are not allowed to use the hot spring water pools for potential cardio stress).

In general, teenagers wear the same as adult bathers (the dress code is the same).

Useful Bath Gear in Gellert Spa

Flip Flops / Slippers / Clogs for your Feet

Flip flops are the most ideal type of footwear for treading the wet floors in Gellert Spa. Slippers or flip flops are required to be worn at all times in Gellert Spa.

Put on a sun hat on sunny days

Heatwaves in the summer in Hungary are not rare. June, July and August can be especially hot (over 35 degrees Celsius). Regulars who spend more hours in or around the outdoor pools (in the wave pool, or chatting around in the thermal sitting room, sunbathing on the sun terrace), usually wear a light coloured baseball cap or some kind of sun hat to protect the top of their heads from the strong sun rays. If you have a sensitive skin, and you are planning to stay a full day or half a day in Gellert Spa having a sun hat is a must (unless you alternate your outdoor stay with the indoor funs).

Sun-tan lotion to protect your skin

From June to September the weather can be quite hot and sunny. Please bring your own sun tan lotion to protect your skin from potential sun damage. There are some nice shady areas in the back court of the Gellert Spa Palace, but it is warmly recommended to have a protective layer on your skin.

Related Info about Budapest Thermal Baths:

Szechenyi Bath Dress Code