Margita-Ilona thermal swimming area near Levice

Margita-Ilona is a summer swimming area with thermal water 6 km from the town of Levice towards Šahy, in the Kalinčiakovo part of the town. It lies where the Danube Lowland meets the Štiavnica Mountains, among low hills suited to easy walks and cycling. The swimming area is part of a large recreation complex run by MARGITA-ILONA, s.r.o., a company linked to the town of Levice. It is neither a spa nor a treatment facility but a place for a summer day by the water: four large pools, slides, sports pitches and about three hundred loungers. It can hold up to 3,500 visitors.

Thermal water

All pools are filled with thermal water at 25 °C containing about 1,020 mg of dissolved mineral salts per litre. In other words, it is a weakly mineralised, low-temperature water rather than a hot spring: in the large pools it stays at 23–26 °C and is cleaned by a recirculation system. The warmest is the Ilona children's pool – it is filled with fresh 25 °C water every day and topped up by solar collectors, so on a clear day it reaches 30–33 °C.

Pools and attractions

The largest is the Adam swimming pool, 50 × 21 m and 1.7–2 m deep. Next to it is the Eva recreational pool of the same size, with a gently sloping "beach" entry where the depth starts from zero, a water mushroom and a 10-metre slide. The Tereza pool, 25 × 12 m and 1.1–1.3 m deep, has basketball hoops and a volleyball net. For children under six there is the shallow Ilona pool (16 × 8 m, 30–40 cm) with a water mushroom, a "frog" slide, a spiral slide and a hippo and an elephant that spout water. A 71-metre tube slide rises above the swimming area; it and the smaller slide run in several blocks during the day, weather permitting. By the pools there are beach volleyball, basketball and football pitches, minigolf, table tennis, giant chess and a playground, as well as restaurants and snack bars.

Practical information

The swimming area is open only in summer: in 2026 the season ran from 19 June to 31 August, daily from 9:00 to 19:00, including holidays; last entry is 50 minutes before closing. The Tereza pool closes at 15:00 on Tuesdays, Eva is closed from 18:00 about three times a week for cleaning, and if the forecast is below 28 °C some pools may not open. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. The ticket includes loungers, parasols, slides and sports pitches; lockers require a deposit. The swimming area is reached by the Levice–Šahy road and by cycle routes; there is a paid car park. Allow half a day or a full day. Opening hours and prices are summarised in the "At a glance" box.

Nearby: a spa and the Štiavnica Mountains

About 25 km to the east lies the Dudince spa with its carbon dioxide–sulphur water, Roman Baths and mineral pool. Further north rise the Štiavnica Mountains with their mining reservoirs – for example Počúvadlo — historic mining lake below Sitno.

Official website: margita-ilona.sk

Photos: margita-ilona.sk.