Feasibility of river swimming pool and Dunafürdő in Budapest

Bathing in the Danube is not allowed in most parts of Budapest, even though the water quality would allow this for most of the year - with the exception of the days following heavy rains. In the capital, which is heating up due to the heat island effect, the demand for cooling is increasing in the summer, for which swimming and bathing in the Danube would be an excellent free solution. Many contemporary examples from abroad prove that it is possible to create a safe bathing area even on a river with a similar current.

With its campaign, Valyo wanted to promote that in a few years, in the downtown section of the Danube - just like until the beginning of the 20th century - river swimming pools and Danube baths should operate again. The aim of the campaign was to reach and sensitize the mayors, the representative bodies, as well as the population of Budapest. They wanted to assess - and then make public - the needs of the population so that there will be more Danube swimming pools, “Dunafürdő” in the Hungarian capital within the foreseeable future.

The grantee has participated in dozens of consultations with decision-makers and professionals, resulting in a unanimous decision by the Municipal Assembly in December 2024 to start examining the feasibility of a downtown river swimming pool. Public outreach was also successful, with a team of nearly 40 volunteers monitoring the water quality on the Danube during the year, several in-depth interviews and long articles on the swimmability of the Danube in Budapest and the project, and more than 2,000 signatures on the petition.