Thermal baths are spa facilities with heated pools, often with water from underground springs. They typically have steam baths, sauna rooms, heated pools with massage jets and other features.
Although they are designed for relaxing adults, most thermal baths welcome kids and often have special features that make it interesting and fun for the kids, like bubble beds, hot/cold pools, lazy rivers and even water slides. Kids appreciate the warm water and find it amusing when it’s snowing or raining while you are in the outdoor heated pools.
Here are our favorite thermal baths near Zürich. See also Indoor Swimming Pools and Waterslide Parks.
Contents
What is a thermal bath?
In general, you can expect to find a few indoor and outdoor heated pools (typically 32-36C) with a variety of massage jets, bubble beds, and waterfalls.
There are sometimes special features like cold plunge pools, salted “dead sea” float pools, or lazy rivers. Most thermal baths have a separate adults-only zone for sauna (often nude) and spa treatments, which may cost extra to enter.
Most have a dry lounge area, often with a view. Usually there is an attached restaurant, often connected to the pool area, so you can visit without changing back into your regular clothes.
Costs
Thermal baths usually have a 2-4 hour or full day pass. A short term pass typically costs around CHF 25-35, while a full day pass is around CHF 50-70.
Your time starts when you badge into the facility and stops when you return your pass. If you go over the specified time limit, usually you pay a few francs more to cover the extra time.
Taking Kids to Thermal Baths
Before I started going to thermal baths, I was worried that it was just for adults and my kids wouldn’t be welcome there. But kids are almost always welcome at thermal baths and some even have specific family and kiddie pools.
While your kids shouldn’t be as rowdy as they would in a regular public pool, they can certainly laugh, play and swim about.
Make sure to read all signs as some pools or areas may be designated for “adults only.” I’ve never been hushed or ask to restrain my children at the thermal baths, but I do remind my kids to not scream and not splash other people.
It can be a very fun outing for the whole family if you have the right expectations.
We usually visit a Thermalbad while traveling. It’s great for a rainy day or at the end of the day to relax and tire out the kids. Most resort towns in Switzerland, Austria and Germany have at least one thermalbad.
Thermal Baths near Zurich
1. Hürlimannbad & Spa Zürich
Conveniently located right in Zürich city, this thermal bath and spa is a convenient option if you want to relax and warm up on a cold day. Our favorite part is the rooftop infinity pool with a view of Zürich city, particularly nice at sunset.
We also like the Roman-Irish spa ritual, in which you visit a series of rooms including steam baths, pools with massage jets, quiet lounge rooms, and more.
Although children from 1 years old are allowed, it’s not our favorite with kids as all spaces are quiet and focused on relaxing. No family area or splash pool.
- Website: www.aqua-spa-resorts.ch
- Location: in Zürich center – Brandschenkestrasse 150, 8002 Zürich
- Entrance: day pass but must reserve an entrance time
- Ages: pool access for age 0-16 from 9:00-17:00 with adult • sauna and wellness age 16+
2. Sole Uno Rheinfelden
Our favorite thermal bath is Sole Uno near Basel. We go a couple times a year, often as a treat when we have visitors. The kids love jumping back and forth from the hot pool to the cold pool and timing who can stay in the cold the longest.
We all love the rain forest room, with warm rain drizzling down on you. My boys like trying the different scented steam rooms with flavors like coconut/vanilla, lemon/orange, and mint.
The adults love the Dead Sea pool with 12% salt content, so you float very easily and relax. Of course, there are lots of massage jets and bubble beds, both inside and out.
- Website: www.parkresort.ch
- Location: near Basel – Roberstenstrasse 31, 4310 Rheinfelden
- Cost: 2 or 3 hour pass or day pass – best to book the day before to avoid a wait
- Ages: under 4 not allowed • textile free sauna area age 16+
3. Therme Zurzach
Therme Zurzach northwest of Zurich has four large pools, most with massage jets, bubbles, and waterfalls. Small sections of two of the pools are indoors, but most is outside, which is fine since all the pools have a temperature from 32-35 degrees.
Although most facilities are geared to adults, kids are welcome. Older kids will love the powerful river, which is best enjoyed with a flotation device if they aren’t strong swimmers or are not tall enough.
For little kids, there is an indoor kiddie pool with sprays and a little slide. The sauna rooms and some pools are adults only; so check the signs before using each feature. There is a small café inside the facilities.
- Website: www.thermezurzach.ch
- Location: Dr. Martin Erb-Strasse 11 Bad Zurzach
- Cost: 2 hour or day pass
- Ages: pools all ages • sauna, hot pool, and relaxation areas age 16+
4. Tamina Therme
Tamina Therme is a nice choice for après-ski if you are driving back from a ski resort southeast of Zurich (like Pizol, Flumserberg, Davos/Klosters, Flims/Laax or Lenzerheide).
It’s a beautiful space with a mix of indoor/outdoor heated pools with massage jets. We particularly like the hot/cold pools for your feet. One steam room is included with your pool entrance, entrance to full sauna facilities is extra.
- Website: www.taminatherme.ch
- Location: Hans Albrecht-Strasse, 7310 Bad Ragaz
- Entrance fees: 2 hr or day pass
- Ages: pools age 3+ • saunas age 13-16 with adult
5. Morschach Swiss Holiday Park
The Morschach Swiss Holiday Park is a whole entertainment complex, with pools, spa facilities, and a variety of indoor sport activities. This is very close to the parking for the Stoos ski resort, so this is a nice spot to relax after a day of skiing or hiking.
You can visit just for the “Erlebnisbad,” which is a big heated pool that goes both indoors and outdoors. Adults will enjoy the massage jets, waterfall, and bubble loungers.
Kids will enjoy the 100m long water slide, wild water canal and splash pool, which is good for little kids. Older kids might get a little bored compared to bigger water slide parks. It was very crowded the day we went and I was quite chilly sitting by the kiddie pool monitoring my toddler.
- Website: www.swissholidaypark.ch
- Location: Dorfstrasse 10 Morschach, Switzerland
- Entrance fees: Day pass for Adventure pool & sauna • 3 hours for Roman-Irish baths
- Ages: Advenure pools all ages • sauna age 7-16 with adult • Roman-Irish baths age 16+
They also offer packages that include time at the pool and 2 hours of sport activities, including badminton, squash, bowling, children bowling, rock climbing, billiards, table tennis and mini golf. Equipment rental separate fees. I have a friend who goes all the time for this leisure pass and loves it.
6. Mineralbad & Spa Rigi Kaltbad
Fantastic mountain views from the infinity pool at these thermal baths halfway up Mt Rigi near Lucerne. They have heated indoor and outdoor pools, an herbal steam bath, and Finnish herbal sauna.
➡️ Buy combo ticket for Mt Rigi mountain train & spa entrance
- Website: www.aqua-spa-resorts.ch
- Location: Hotel Rigi Kaltbad – ride mountain train from Vitznau to Rigi Kaltbad First
- Entrance fees: day pass only
- Ages: aged 1 – 16 are allowed in the pools if accompanied by an adult • age 16+ for sauna and spa facilities
7. Fortyseven Wellness-Therme Baden
Baden has a long tradition of thermal bathing—its healing springs have been used for over 2,000 years, dating back to Roman times, when it was known as Aquae Helveticae. The town has remained a wellness destination ever since, drawing visitors seeking relaxation and therapeutic benefits from its mineral-rich waters.
Fortyseven Wellness-Therme Baden is a stylish and modern spa, located about 30 minutes from Zurich. It features several indoor and outdoor thermal pools filled with naturally warm mineral water from the region’s hot springs, ranging between 34–36 degrees. One of the unique features is the outdoor pool with a riverside view, with massage jets and relaxation zones.
This wellness-focused facility caters mostly to adults, with quiet zones, saunas, and a meditation pool designed for deep relaxation.
Kids over 7 are allowed but must be accompanied by an adult, and there are no designated play areas or kiddie pools, so it’s better suited for older children or teens who enjoy a calm atmosphere.
There’s also a bistro and a relaxation lounge overlooking the Limmat River, perfect for unwinding between soaks.
- Website: www.fortyseven.ch
- Location: Grosse Bäder 1, 5400 Baden
- Tickets: 3 hour or day pass • discount before 9:00 and in summer
- Children: under 3 not allowed • age 12+ can use swimwear sauna • age 18+ can use textile free sauna
8. Bodensee Therme Konstanz
Bodensee Therme is on the shores of Lake Constance, about an hour from Zurich. This would be nice to visit after an “over-the-border” shopping trip, to rest those weary feet.
It’s smaller than other thermal baths we’ve visited but it has a lots of massage jets and a lazy river and plenty of room to splash around. The main pool has an enormous wall of windows looking out at the Bodensee lake, letting in lots of light. It also has a large summer outdoor swimming area with water slides and lake swimming, which you can add on to the thermal bath.
- Website: www.therme-konstanz.de
- Location: Zur Therme 2 78467 Konstanz Germany
- Open: daily 9:00 – 22:00
