Is the Therme Spa in Bucharest Worth a Visit?
Here’s everything you need to know about the largest spa in Europe, the Therme Spa in Bucharest.
I visited the viral Therme Spa in Bucharest as part of my 30th birthday celebrations, and while I technically knew that it was the largest spa in Europe, I still wasn’t prepared for just how enormous it really is.
The spa itself has three zones which you’ll find after changing in the locker room: The Palm, Galaxy, and Elysium. Each of these has different facilities and tickets are sold accordingly.
For families, you’ll want to explore Galaxy, which houses pools, spa areas and an enormous water park. I had a look around during my visit and it really was huge, with lots of sun loungers and even a swim up bar.
The Palm, in contrast, is where you’ll find that picturesque swimming pool that’s in all of the viral TikTok videos. This area is lovely, with a swim up bar, attached outdoor pool, and other spa facilities including a selection of mineral pools.
Everyone aged 14 and over is welcome in this area, which makes for a calm and relaxing experience.
For those who are after ultimate relaxation, you’ll want to visit Elysium. Another area for anyone over the age of 14, this space is full of various saunas, quiet relaxation areas and heat lamp beds (which I loved). It’s here that you’ll be able to book massages, and there’s even a lovely restaurant. Don’t miss the amazing Hollywood Sauna, which actually doubles up as a cinema that was playing David Attenborough documentaries during our visit.
The spa also has a daily schedule of free activities that take place throughout the complex. We had fun watching the aerobics take place in Palm, and my partner had a free head massage in Elysium! These are outlined on a sign inside the spa, and you can also view the schedule on their website.
If you’re hoping to have a massage or another spa treatment, then make sure you visit first thing in the morning, as slots are offered on a first come first serve basis and it’s not possible to book online. We were lucky and I snagged the last spot for a full body massage late in the afternoon, which was wonderful and left my back feeling amazing.
The spa has three on-site restaurants to choose from when you start to feel hungry - one for each area - and seems to have a good mix of healthy and comfort foods. For lunch I tried the informal dining option in Galaxy, where I tucked into a hummus vegetable wrap with chips, while for dinner I wolfed down a delicious Thai red curry in the formal restaurant in Elysium.
Drink opportunities are also plentiful within the spa, and I saw lots of people bobbing about in the Palm swimming pool with delicious cocktails or creamy frappes in hand. It’s worth remembering that eating and drinking inside the Therme Spa is more expensive than elsewhere in Bucharest, so bring plenty of spending money if you’re planning to stay all day.
Personally, I loved my experience at the Therme Spa in Bucharest. We spent an entire 12 hours exploring the complex and only just managed to see everything - starting with Palm in the morning, moving onto Elysium in the afternoon, before finishing with waterslides in Galaxy in the evening.
As we were so keen to see and experience everything the trip wasn’t as relaxing as I’d expected, and I actually left feeling exhausted, but in a good way. We had a really fun time. I’d love to go back in the summer with a group of friends when all of the outdoor areas are open, including their man-made beach and cabanas. I can imagine that there would be a great party atmosphere!
How to Get to the Therme Spa in Bucharest
The spa is located outside of the city and is easy to reach from the Henri Coandă International Airport, which is where I arrived from London. If you’re visiting exclusively to see the spa then there are plenty of hotels to stay in nearby, and there’s no need to venture further into the city.
I love exploring new places so instead we decided to rent an Airbnb in the centre of Bucharest. It’s fairly inexpensive to do this and we found that it was easy to take a Bolt to and from the spa.
The full address for the Therme Spa is: Calea Bucureşti 1K, Balotești 077015, Romania
Therme Spa Bucharest Ticket Prices
For my visit I purchased a whole day pass with access to all three areas of the spa. This was called the ‘Elysium Adult One Day Holiday’ and cost 172 lei per person, which is equivalent to £28.65.
It’s also possible to purchase access to individual areas of the spa and for shorter periods of time, depending on your preferences, although I would highly recommend buying the full day ticket.
It’s worth remembering that everyone attending the spa requires a towel, robe and flip flops, and these can either be brought from home or hired on site. It currently costs 26 lei to rent a towel, 33 lei to rent a robe, and 27 lei to rent flip flops.
You can find a full list of admission prices on their website here.
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