Bucharest - The European Stopover You Probably Haven’t Considered

Why?

Therme București.

Located just outside the city, Therme is Europe's largest thermal spa and wellness centre - and having now experienced it as both part of a city break and as the focus of a girls' weekend, I think it deserves to be much more firmly on the travel radar.

First things first: despite the name, Therme isn't actually in central Bucharest.

It's located in Balotești, around 25km north of the city centre and just 5km from Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP). But whether you're staying in downtown Bucharest or simply passing through the airport, it's surprisingly easy to reach.

And that's part of what makes this such an interesting destination.

For those of us travelling from the UAE, Bucharest is just around five hours from Dubai on a direct flight, while from the UK, you can be there in under three hours. With easy connections from across Europe too, it makes a very convenient place to meet friends or family travelling from different destinations - or to break up a journey between the UK and UAE.

And if you're using Bucharest as a stopover, the proximity to the airport is a real bonus. There's a public shuttle bus between OTP and Therme, running around 2–3 times per hour, making the journey simple and inexpensive.

I've even tested the cabin-luggage theory myself: the lockers are impressively spacious, making it perfectly feasible to visit on a travel day rather than needing to build your entire trip around it.

Which, let's be honest, is a pretty good way to spend a few hours between flights.

More than just a spa

The first thing that struck me when I walked into Therme was how beautifully it has been designed.

It's enormous, but somehow doesn't feel overwhelming. The whole complex is light and airy, with warm air and water temperatures creating a blissfully tropical environment throughout the year. The water is drawn from more than 3,000 metres underground, and is maintained at a balmy 33°C.

And Therme is clearly not finished yet. The complex is continuing to expand as its popularity grows.

Then there’s the greenery - more than 800,000 plants and around 1,500 palm trees.

Orchids, palms and masses of natural vegetation are everywhere, with clever flooring built around tree trunks so that the plants are quite literally woven into the design and become an integral part of the atmosphere.

I've experienced it in daylight and, on this latest visit, after dark - and the evening experience was particularly beautiful. Lighting around the pools and foliage completely transforms the atmosphere, while the restaurants remain open into the evening.

Therme has combined a tropical resort, a waterpark and an amazing spa and put them under one enormous roof. And it’s pretty incredible!

Three zones, three levels of experience

The easiest way to understand Therme is to think of the three zones as levels — each building on the last.

Galaxy — fun for everyone

Galaxy is the starting point and the family-friendly zone.

There are a total of 1.7km of waterslides, a wave pool, indoor and outdoor swimming areas, a swim-up bar, steam rooms and hydromassage beds, plus a pool bar for refreshments.

It's the obvious (and only!) choice if you're travelling with children under 14 - but the slides are impressive enough to keep adults entertained too.

The Palm — tropical relaxation (14+)

Upgrade to The Palm and you get access to Galaxy as well as the adults-only relaxation area.

This is where you'll find the beautiful main pool beneath the retractable roof, mineral pools, jacuzzis, bubble and hydromassage beds, a connected outdoor pool and pool bar.

It's the most expansive of the three areas, with a large restaurant offering both indoor and outdoor dining. And in summer, you'll also find 100 Days of Therme Summer Fest, with an urban beach and additional outdoor pool and bar areas.

Elysium — the full wellness experience (14+)

Elysium gives you access to all three zones, plus the upstairs sauna and wellness area.

Here you'll find themed saunas, cold showers, an exclusive mineral pool with its own bar, a roof terrace and an à la carte Thai restaurant exclusively for Elysium guests, offering a more premium dining experience.

There's also a full programme of scheduled experiences throughout the day, including sauna rituals, Aufguss sessions, scrubs, masks and other wellness experiences. Some take place in Galaxy and The Palm too, but the majority are part of the Elysium experience.

There are also massages, facials and other treatments available to book, subject to availability, with a number of treatment rooms located within the zone.

If relaxation is your priority, this is where I'd head.

How long should you spend there?

There are three ticket options:

3 hours | 4.5 hours | Full day

If you're fitting Therme into a packed itinerary or using it as a stopover, the shorter options make perfect sense. But if you have the flexibility, I'd definitely choose the full-day ticket.

There's simply so much to see and do, and part of the appeal is not having to rush. You can move between the pools, saunas, treatments, food and drinks at your own pace.

And if you arrive thinking you'll only stay for a few hours… don't be surprised if you find yourself extending your visit!

Ticket prices vary according to zone, day and duration, but we paid around RON 202 (AED 155) for a full-day Elysium pass.

For everything that's included, you really can't argue with that.

Everything you need is on your wrist

One of the little details that makes the whole experience so easy is the wristband you receive when you arrive.

It operates your locker and also acts as your payment method throughout the day.

Food, drinks and treatments can all be charged to it, and you simply settle your balance when you leave.

And Romania is still a relatively cost-effective European destination, which makes the whole experience even more appealing.

On my recent visit, beer started at around AED 17, cocktails from AED 30, salads were around AED 35 and burgers around AED 45 — all with good-sized portions.

So you can comfortably make a day of it without worrying about your final bill.

Why Bucharest makes such a great meet-up destination

This is probably the biggest thing I've taken away from my two visits.

Therme isn't just something to do while you're in Bucharest. It could actually be the reason you choose Bucharest in the first place!

It's relatively easy to reach from multiple European cities, there's an international airport close to Therme, the cost of living is reasonable, and there are plenty of accommodation options depending on whether your priority is sightseeing or simply being close to the airport and spa.

For my first visit, my sister and I stayed in central Bucharest because we wanted to explore the city while also tagging on a day or two at Therme.

When we returned recently for her hen weekend, we stayed close to the airport, with Therme as the main focus of the trip and everyone arriving and departing at different times.

Both worked brilliantly.

And that's why I'm convinced Therme Bucharest needs to be firmly on your list for girls’ trips or meet-ups — or even a boys' trip! There were plenty of male visitors who seemed just as invested as we were in the sauna rituals!

For my next visit, I'm determined to try Bucharest from the family angle: breaking our journey to or from the UK, taking some time to explore the city, and of course fitting in at least one full day at Therme.

My top tips for Therme București

✈️ Build it into your flight itinerary.
Being so close to OTP makes Therme particularly useful on a stopover or travel day.

🎟️ Choose Elysium tickets.
Especially for your first visit, I think it’s worth the upgrade to experience everything Therme has to offer.

⏰ Go for the full day if you can.
Three or 4.5 hours works perfectly well if you're short on time, but there's more than enough here to fill a full day.

🧖‍♀️ Check the activity schedule.
Take a look at the day's sauna rituals and experiences so you don't accidentally miss something you wanted to try.

💆‍♀️ Arrive at opening time to book treatments.
Massages and facials can only be booked on the day, and they sell out fast!

🌙 Stay until after dark.
The evening lighting is gorgeous and gives the whole place a completely different atmosphere.

🩴 Don't forget your essentials.
Swimwear and clean flip-flops are required; towels, robes and other items can be rented or purchased on site.

📱 And don't expect to be taking photos from inside the pools.
Phones aren't permitted in the pools, so enjoy the experience - and save the content for dry land!

Considering a visit to Bucharest?

If Therme has just moved Bucharest a little higher up your travel list, I can help you work out how to make it fit.

Whether you're planning a girls' weekend, a family city break, a group meet-up or a UK–UAE stopover, there are plenty of ways to combine Bucharest and Therme into any itinerary.

And having now tried and tested Therme twice - including the airport logistics - I can help you plan it around the rest of your trip.

Consider this a sign to gather your tribe!