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Thermal baths open in winter in Romania: where to bathe outdoors in warm water and what is indoors

The half-timbered wooden pavilion with pointed turrets at the entrance to the Apollo baths, with its red sign and snow-covered firs in front of the steps
The half-timbered wooden pavilion with pointed turrets at the entrance to the Apollo baths, with its red sign and snow-covered firs in front of the steps · Psiaii · CC BY-SA 4.0

In winter you can bathe outdoors in thermal water at Băile Felix (the Apollo-Felix Complex, open all year), at Therme București (two outdoor pools, at 33 °C and about 36 °C), at Călimănești-Căciulata (the Oltul outdoor pool, at weekends) and, for free, in the small tubs on the bank of the Cerna at Băile Herculane. The summer lidos at Geoagiu-Băi, Moneasa, Băile 1 Mai, Săcelu and Bazna and the salt lakes at Sovata and Ocna Sibiului are closed until summer.

Below is a table of what is open in winter, then, place by place, which pools are outdoors, what is indoors and what to know before bathing in the cold. The resorts, region by region, are described in the guide to the thermal baths of Romania; full opening hours and prices are on each attraction's page.

In short

  • The Apollo-Felix Complex at Băile Felix is open all year, daily 8:00–20:00, with four outdoor thermal pools, but from 21 December the wave pool and the water slides close until the new season.
  • At Therme București, the Galaxy outdoor pool is kept at 33 °C whatever the outside temperature, and the one in The Palm at about 36 °C when it turns cold; both are open all year (operator's website, November 2026).
  • Felixarium, the aquapark of the Lotus Therm hotel at Băile Felix, opens its outdoor thermal pool only in announced periods: in the 2026–2027 season, 28–30 November and 24 December – 10 January.
  • At AquaPark Cozia in Călimănești-Căciulata, zone B, with the indoor pools, is open all year, while zone A, with the Oltul outdoor pool, opens only Friday–Sunday, 8:30–20:00 (November 2026).
  • At Băile Herculane the open-air thermal lidos operate only in the warm season, but the small tubs of warm sulphurous water on the Via Sissi promenade are open to everyone, free of charge, all year.
  • The salt lakes at Sovata, Ocna Sibiului and Cojocna and the outdoor pools at Ocna Mureș are closed in winter; the indoor pools with heated salt water stay open.

Thermal baths open in winter: outdoors or indoors

"Open in winter" means different things from one place to another: at some complexes you get into warm water outdoors, at others only in the pools inside the hall, while the classic lidos close from autumn until May or June. The table shows, for each place on the site, what operates in the cold season.

PlaceOutdoor pools, winterIndoors, winterOpening hours
Băile Felix: Apollo-Felix Complexyes, thermal water; no wave pool or slides from 21 Decemberone indoor pooldaily 8:00–20:00, all year
Băile Felix: Felixarium (Lotus Therm)only 28–30 Nov. and 24 Dec. – 10 Jan.nine pools under a domedaily 8:00–20:00
Băile Felix: Aqua Park Presidentnot publishedindoor poolson the Băile Felix page
Therme Bucureștiyes: Galaxy (33 °C) and The Palm (~36 °C)all zonesdaily, all year
Călimănești-Căciulata: AquaPark Coziathe Oltul pool, Friday–Sundayzone B, dailyall year
Călimănești: Hotel Central aquaparknoindoor pooldaily, all year
Băile Herculanethe tubs on Via Sissi, free; the lidos, summer onlyhotel treatment centreseach operator has its own
Băile Tușnad: Wellness Tușnadnot published (has an outdoor pool)thermal pool 34–36 °C, swimming, childrenall year, Mondays from 14:00
Ocna Mureș Salt Bathsno, summer onlysalt-water pools, saunasall year
Ocna Șugatag: Lacul Sărat complexoutdoor pools, according to the pageindoor poolsnot published, call ahead
Băile Cojocnano, the lakes in summer onlywarm salt-water poolalso off-season

From the attraction pages and the operators' websites (felixspa.com, therme.ro, calimanesti-caciulata.ro, wellnesstusnad.ro), checked on 5 November 2026. Full opening hours and prices are on each attraction's page.

The half-timbered wooden pavilion with pointed turrets at the entrance to the Apollo baths, with its red sign and snow-covered firs in front of the stepsTop 100

Băile Felix

Băile Felix, BHOpenFree
Resorts and thermal baths

Băile Felix in winter: the Apollo lido and Felixarium

At Băile Felix the springs emerge at 20–49 °C and do not freeze, and the place to bathe outdoors in winter is the Apollo-Felix Complex, open daily 8:00–20:00, all year. It has four outdoor thermal pools, one with 20 hydromassage beds and one with water games, plus an indoor pool. From 21 December the complex switches to its off-season regime: the wave pool and the five water slides close until the new season opens. The operator does not say which other pools stay open off-season, so ask by phone beforehand.

Felixarium, at the Lotus Therm hotel, has nine indoor pools under a dome, open daily, while the outdoor thermal pool operates only in announced periods: in the 2026–2027 winter, 28–30 November and 24 December – 10 January. Aqua Park President has indoor and outdoor pools; whether the outdoor ones operate in winter is not published. Venus Waterland, at Băile 1 Mai, is closed from September until summer.

The half-timbered wooden pavilion with pointed turrets at the entrance to the Apollo baths, with its red sign and snow-covered firs in front of the stepsTop 100

Băile Felix

Băile Felix, BHOpenFree
Resorts and thermal baths
The old Casino building, with small turrets, a green porch and a white fence, seen between leafless trees on an overcast autumn day

Băile 1 Mai

Băile 1 Mai, BHOpenFree
Resorts and thermal baths

Therme București in winter: the outdoor pools

Therme București, on the DN1 at Balotești, is mostly under a glass dome, but it has two outdoor pools open all year; in The Palm, the large indoor pool is connected by a channel to the one outside. The outdoor pool in Galaxy, the family zone, keeps its water at 33 °C whatever the temperature outside; the one in The Palm, the adults' zone, reaches about 36 °C when it turns cold. Children are not allowed in The Palm, except babies under 3, so with older children the outdoor bath is in Galaxy.

The outdoor beaches (Sands of Therme, Galaxy Horizon) operate only in summer. The usual hours are daily, from the morning until 23:00 or midnight; at Christmas, New Year and Easter they change and are announced on the website. What to do at Therme in summer, with children, is in the guide to thermal lidos and aquaparks.

Călimănești-Căciulata in winter: AquaPark Cozia

At Călimănești-Căciulata geothermal water comes out of boreholes at almost 90 °C and feeds AquaPark Cozia, in Căciulata, with 13 indoor and outdoor pools, with water at 28–37 °C. The aquapark is open all year, but by zone: zone B, with the indoor pools, operates daily, while zone A, with the Oltul outdoor pool, opens only Friday–Sunday, 8:30–20:00 (the November 2026 timetable). If you want an outdoor bath, plan the visit for a weekend.

The Hotel Central aquapark, in Călimănești, has only an indoor pool, with the same daily hours. In the last two hours admission is cheaper at both. On the DN 7, along the Olt Valley, traffic often moves in long queues at weekends.

Băile Herculane in winter: the tubs on Via Sissi

At Băile Herculane the sulphurous springs emerge at 38–60 °C, but the open-air thermal lidos (Șapte Izvoare, Băile Venera, Versay) operate in the warm season and do not publish their hours on an official website. In winter, outdoor bathing remains possible in the three small tubs of warm sulphurous water on the Via Sissi promenade, next to the stone bridge, open to everyone, free of charge, at all times. They are maintained from donations by a volunteer association and have no lifeguard, changing rooms or opening hours: you get in at your own risk.

For an indoor thermal bath in winter, go to the hotels' treatment centres, each with its own hours; call ahead. If you are choosing between Felix and Herculane for any time of year, the comparison is in the pillar guide.

Indoor thermal baths open all year

When you want warm water, but not necessarily outdoors, there are indoor pools open all year in other resorts too. At Băile Tușnad, Wellness Tușnad, near Lake Ciucaș, has a thermal pool at 34–36 °C, a swimming pool, a children's pool, saunas and an outdoor pool; the operator does not say whether the outdoor one also operates in winter, so ask beforehand. It is open daily, on Mondays only from 14:00, and sometimes closes for maintenance (in November 2022 and 2024, for two weeks each time), with a notice on the website.

At Băile Felix, Felixarium has nine pools under a dome, and at Călimănești-Căciulata, zone B of AquaPark Cozia and the Hotel Central aquapark are indoors. In the treatment resorts (Govora, Olănești, Vatra Dornei, Slănic-Moldova) the water is used in the hotels' treatment centres, with a consultation and an appointment; these resorts are in the guide to spa resorts.

The resort seen from above, from Falcon Rock: the hotels and houses in the valley, Lake Ciucaș and the fir-covered mountains, with a bush turning red for autumn in the foregroundTop 100

Băile Tușnad

Băile Tușnad, HROpenFree
Resorts and thermal baths

Salt-water pools open in winter

People also search for "thermal baths in winter" when they mean a few salt baths with heated pools. Their water is salty, not thermal, and is described in the guide to salt baths; here is only what operates in winter:

  • Ocna Mureș Salt Baths: the indoor pools, the saunas and the jacuzzi operate all year; the outdoor pools, only in summer.
  • Ocna Șugatag: the Lacul Sărat complex has indoor and outdoor pools with heated salt and fresh water, open all year, with no daily hours published; the outdoor lido of the Crăiasca hotel operates only in summer.
  • Băile Cojocna: the salt lakes close in September, but the indoor pool with warm salt water also operates off-season.

Call ahead at all three: the winter timetable changes from year to year.

What is closed in winter: summer-only lidos and lakes

Many thermal baths that people look for in summer are open-air lidos, without indoor pools for visitors, and they stay closed from autumn until early summer:

  • Geoagiu-Băi: the Băile Daco Romane lido operates only in summer; the resort and the Roman Baths of Germisara can be visited freely in winter too, but without bathing.
  • Moneasa: the lido operates in the warm season.
  • Băile 1 Mai: Venus Waterland closes in mid-September, and the Wave Lido is open only in summer.
  • Băile Săcelu and Băile Bazna: open-air pools, summer only.
  • Băile Olănești: the town hall's sulphurous-water pool, summer only.
  • Sovata and Lake Ursu: the lake lidos are open from late June until September; in winter only the treatment centres and the Aluniș ski slope operate.
  • Ocna Sibiului: the Natural Lakes Complex is open only in the summer season; the treatment centre with an indoor pool operates all year.

Thermal lidos in the west that have no page on the site, such as Tășnad, are not on the list.

The ancient pool of the Roman baths seen from above, with still water, stone steps and a masonry arch among ferns and travertine walls

Geoagiu-Băi

Geoagiu-Băi, HDOpenFree
Resorts and thermal baths
A wooden church with a red roof and pointed tower in a clearing with young firs and paths, at the edge of the forest, in spring

Moneasa

Moneasa, AROpenFree
Resorts and thermal baths
The resort in winter, seen from above: a salt lake among snow-covered woods, with wooden pavilions on the shore

Sovata

Sovata, MSOpenFree
Resorts and thermal baths
Lake Ocnița in summer, with people floating in the salt water, wooden steps on the shore and wooden pavilions on the beach behindTop 100

Ocna Sibiului

Ocna Sibiului, SBClosed35 lei
Resorts and thermal baths

Bathing outdoors in thermal water in the cold: what to know

The cold part is the walk from the changing room to the pool and back, not the water. Bring a bathrobe and pool slippers: at Felixarium a towel and slippers are included in the ticket, and bathrobes can be rented; at Therme slippers and a towel are compulsory, and towels and bathrobes can be rented. A dry towel left near the exit and a hat for the walk to the car help, because you come out with wet hair.

The water in the pools is much cooler than the spring: at Therme, 33 °C in the Galaxy outdoor pool and about 36 °C in The Palm; at AquaPark Cozia, 28–37 °C in all the pools. The tubs on Via Sissi, at Herculane, are hotter and unsupervised; the resort's page says not to stay long in the hot water, especially if you have heart or blood-pressure problems. For treatment, in any resort, you need a consultation with the doctor at the treatment centre.

In winter it gets dark early, and Apollo-Felix and AquaPark Cozia close at 19:00–20:00: if you want your outdoor bath in daylight, go in the morning. The thermal baths nearest your city are in the guide to the nearest thermal baths.

Thermal baths over the holidays: where it gets crowded

Baths with outdoor pools open in winter are few, and the winter school holiday falls between Christmas and Epiphany. At Therme the complex gets crowded at weekends and in the holidays, the price is higher in school holidays and on public holidays, and when capacity is reached access to the car park may be temporarily restricted. Occupancy can be seen in real time on the official website, and the Christmas and New Year hours are announced there too.

At Băile Felix, Felixarium admits visitors as long as places are available, and its outdoor pool operates right through the winter holiday, 24 December – 10 January. At Apollo-Felix, from 21 December the wave pool and the slides are closed. At AquaPark Cozia, the outdoor zone opens only Friday–Sunday, and the price is higher at weekends and on public holidays. Go in the morning, at opening time, or on weekdays.

Frequently asked questions

Which thermal baths are open in winter in Romania?
With outdoor pools: the Apollo-Felix Complex at Băile Felix, Therme București, AquaPark Cozia at Călimănești-Căciulata (outdoor zone Friday–Sunday) and the free tubs on Via Sissi at Băile Herculane. Indoors, all year: Felixarium, Wellness Tușnad and the Hotel Central aquapark in Călimănești (November 2026).
Is the Apollo lido at Băile Felix open in winter?
Yes. The Apollo-Felix Complex is open daily 8:00–20:00, all year, with outdoor thermal pools, but from 21 December the wave pool and the slides close until the new season.
Does Therme București have outdoor pools in winter?
Yes, two, open all year: the Galaxy outdoor pool, at 33 °C whatever the weather, and the one in The Palm, at about 36 °C when it turns cold (Therme website, November 2026). The outdoor beaches operate only in summer.
Can you bathe at Băile Herculane in winter?
Outdoors, only in the tubs of warm sulphurous water on the Via Sissi promenade, which are free and open all year, but without a lifeguard or changing rooms. The thermal lidos operate in the warm season; in winter the hotels' treatment centres remain.
Is Lake Ursu in Sovata open in winter?
Not for bathing. The Lake Ursu lido operates from late June until September; in winter the path around the lake stays open, and in the resort the treatment centres and the Aluniș ski slope operate.
Does Ocna Șugatag have pools open in winter?
Yes, the Lacul Sărat complex has indoor and outdoor pools with heated salt and fresh water, open all year, but the daily hours are not published: call ahead. The outdoor lido of the Crăiasca hotel operates only in summer.
Is AquaPark Cozia in Călimănești open in winter?
Yes, all year. Zone B, with the indoor pools, is open daily, while zone A, with the Oltul outdoor pool, opens only Friday–Sunday, 8:30–20:00 (November 2026).
How warm is the water in the outdoor pools in winter?
At Therme, 33 °C in the Galaxy outdoor pool and about 36 °C in the one in The Palm; at AquaPark Cozia the pools are 28–37 °C. For Apollo-Felix the operator does not publish the pool temperatures.

Sources

All guides