Budapest is my favorite city in Eastern Europe, and one of my favorite cities I've ever been to. It is brimming with exciting things to do and stunning places to visit.
This guide includes everything from the best 5-star hotels and hostels to stay at, the best restaurants, cafes, bars, and activities available in the city, and any other information you need to know before traveling here.
The Aria is a 5-star luxury hotel and spa near St. Stephen's Basilica that offers a unique musical theme, interesting architecture, and a popular rooftop bar.
This boutique hostel is in a great location and has unbeatable prices for the facilities offered. They also offer free luggage lockers and a free luggage room, which is something I struggle with at hostels when traveling with a full-sized bag.
The interior of this restaurant is stunning and is reason enough alone to grab a bite to eat here. I went for brunch which was fantastic. They have a handful of options for people with dairy and gluten allergies, so I had the vegan Shakshuka which was phenomenal.
Inside the Anantara New York Palace Hotel, this cafe is often deemed the most beautiful cafe in the world (I concur). The prices are more expensive as you are paying for the architecture (and social media hype).
Overlooking St. Stephen's Basilica, this rooftop bar at the Aria Hotel is known for its great views and unique cocktails. It also offers yoga classes on Sunday mornings and occasional live music.
This two-story coffeehouse in the city center offers a beautiful space and classic Hungarian cakes. Like New York Cafe, prices are marketed more towards tourists so expect to pay a bit more.
This fully vegan restaurant is one of the best I've ever been to. I ordered a French cashew Camembert cheese and the Hungarian potato casserole, both of which were superb. The ambience was both lively and homey.
There is another location as well, but this is the one I went to.
This €25 unlimited Prosecco cruise (yes, you read that right) was one of the highlights of my trip and I don't even really enjoy alcohol that much. The nighttime views of the city from the river were fantastic and it was a very peaceful outing for me since I was alone (however, you could get very rowdy during this hour-and-a-half trip if you wanted to).
One of the most famous tourist attractions in Budapest, this is a can't-miss activity. Of course, it gets extremely crowded due to how well-known it is so I would recommend getting there early in the morning. You need to bring sandals and your own towel, otherwise you will have to purchase them (no rentals available).
Gellért Thermal Bath is less crowded than Széchenyi but is still popular. I actually preferred it to Széchenyi because I loved the interior baths, but it has exterior baths as well. Like Széchenyi, make sure you bring your own towel and sandals to avoid having to purchase some.
Fisherman's Bastion offers beautiful views of the city from the Buda side. There are many areas where entry is free, but tickets to other points of entry cost 1200 HUF (around $3.50 USD).
This beautiful public park holds Széchenyi Thermal Bath, the beautiful Vajdahunyad Castle, and the famous Gundel Restaurant. It is a perfect place to take a walk and the fall foliage here was beautiful. It is also home to an outdoor ice skating rink in the winter season.
Located within City Park, this new musical institution that presents the history of music is a beautiful architectural feat that is worth visiting, even if just to see the building's exterior.
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Hiking
For the more active travelers, I went on a very enjoyable hike on the Buda side of the city that offered great views of the Danube. I started it right outside of Gellért Thermal Bath and ended close to Fisherman's Bastion. This took roughly an hour to and hour-and-a-half.
Quick hikes in this park offer great views of Budapest.
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Aesthetic Procedures
This one is specifically for the girlies (or guys) who have been itching to get different aesthetic procedures done but find it too expensive in the States or in other countries. I have always struggled with acne and redness all over my face, so when I realized I could get an IPL Photolaser treatment for $70 USD (as opposed to anywhere from $700-$1200 in New York...) I was sold. My experience was great and I would highly recommend the clinic I went to (Heiszler), though there were others offering even cheaper prices that I was unable to get into on such short notice. IPL Photolaser procedures were far from the only cheap aesthetic procedures, as I found that Fraxel, Botox, and laser hair removal were significantly cheaper as well.
This is both a hair salon and spa, with all of the facial procedures being done on the second floor. My esthetician (Bogi) spoke great English and was very gentle.
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Public Transportation
Public transportation in Budapest is very affordable and single ride passes, day passes, and passes for extended periods of time are available. I bought single-day travel cards and was able to use it on the metro, trolley buses, and city buses.
Uber is not available in Budapest, but Bolt is very similar and had cheap prices in the city. I usually take public transportation when traveling but it is always good to have a backup plan.
Hey! My name is Hannah Brown and I am a 24-year-old travel blogger (hrbrowngoes.com). I recently received my master's degree in International Studies from Columbia University and am now working remotely while living in different countries via month-long Airbnb rentals. I prefer solo traveling, but I have also been abroad with family, friends, volunteer organizations, and to study abroad. I have stayed everywhere from $5 hostels to luxury 5-star resorts, so I would love to help you plan any kind of trip!
Where I’ve been so far- Austria, the Bahamas, Belgium, Canada, Cayman Islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong (China SAR), Hungary, Ireland, Israel & Palestinian Territories, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, the Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Nepal, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turks & Caicos, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, and, of course, the United States.
