Budapest is to our knowledge the only capital city with natural springs of thermal waters. Over 100 sources provide the city with millions of litres of warm and hot water daily, with temperatures ranging from 21 to 78 degrees Celsius (70 to 172°F). There are several thermal baths throughout the city and every one has its own special features. The title of “Bath City” is well awarded because the International Bath Association was founded in Budapest and also the First International Bath Congress took place in Budapest in 1937.

Baths in Budapest were built during several periods: the Roman era, then the Turkish rule and later the Enlightenment years. Today, some of the same buildings have been modernised to receive new elements and offer more services.

Dagály Baths - special for families with children because there are special pools with different entertainment features. It was opened in 1948 and it has 10 pools with temperatures ranging from 26 to 36°C.

Gellért Baths - Locals say it is the most beautiful bath complex in Budapest. It has 13 pools with the water temperature ranging from 26 to 38°C.

Király Baths - Part of the building dates from the 1500’s. It has four pools, one of them has a dome (the mediaeval room), and water temperature ranges from 26 to 40°C. It has days open for men only, for women only and for both genders.

Lukács Baths - It has seven pools, including five that use thermal waters with temperatures that range between 22 and 40°C.

Rudas Baths - Dating from the Turkish rule period, the building has the typical features of the Turkish architecture of the time, including an octagonal pool under a dome supported by eight columns. It has six thermal pools and one common pool so temperatures range from 16 to 42°C. It has days only open to men or women and then it is open to both genders during the weekends.

Széchenyi Baths - It is one of the largest complexes in Europe, it has 15 pools with temperatures ranging from 27 to 38°C.

If you want to visit Budapest to enjoy a thermal home exchange, HomeForHome can help you find a swap partner!

Some home-exchanging families will be be taking their children with them on holiday. When evaluating whether you want to accept a home exchange request or not, the question of children is something that requires consideration.

If you are not a parent yourself, you will need to think about the suitability of your home for potential exchange partners and their kids. For example, do you have a lot of breakables? Do you have expensive carpets that are difficult to clean? Are there any unprotected high-points from which a young child could fall? Do you have an open fire or a swimming pool? Do you have crockery that can be used by all, or do you only have precious plates and glasses?

Do you have a bath-tub? This can be an important consideration as sometimes children are not yet able to use the shower. Do you have any toys or games, whether they be computer learning games or physical toys?

If you are a parent hoping to do a home exchange with a user from a child-free home, it’s also very important to think about your compatibility. If you have babies, you’ll be able to take all the paraphernalia that you need with you, and also contain the possible mess made. However, with toddlers upwards, you’ll need to make an assessment. Will they be able to manage with the facilities in the prospective home? Is there a high-risk of breakage? Will they be amply entertained with the pass-times available? Will they be within close enough reach during the night-time?

The best thing to do is to look at the photos of the prospective house, and then have a talk with the prospective home exchange partners. You need to ensure that both parties will be comfortable and that the prospective home meets your family’s needs!