Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful European capitals with plenty of things to see: a real jewel!
Crossed by the Danube, it is divided into two parts: Buda, the oldest part where the castle is located, and Pest, the more modern and frenetic city. These two parts were unified into a single city only in 1873, thanks to the many bridges that were then built.
This guide is suitable both for those arriving for the first time and who don't want to miss anything, and for those returning to the city to discover something new. If you are planning a trip to Budapest continue reading..
Inside you will find:
📆Best Time to visit
🚊Transportations
🏨 Where to stay
🏛️What to visit
☕️cafés
🍽️restaurants
🍹cocktail bar and nightlife
🎭activities
🧖♀️thermal bath
✨unusual places
📌1,3 and 6 day itineraries
🎒excursions around Budapest
And lots of other information and advice that will help you plan your stay in the best possible way...
Enjoy reading!👀
The best time to go to Budapest is from April to October. I advise you to go in May, when the days get longer and the heat is not excessive. Avoid going in the winter months (from November to February) as in addition to the cold and rain , sunny days are scarce. Spring and autumn are the perfect months to admire the city, also to save some money!
How to get around Budapest ?
Despite being a European capital, it is a city on a human scale and the main attractions are all close to each other. In fact, Budapest is perfect to explore on foot!
Finally, you can also travel by public transport, especially the metro, which is the most convenient means of transport. I advise you to avoid buses, as they are responsible for city traffic, while the tram could be an alternative option if you want to take a panoramic tour of the city.
How to get to the center from the airport?✈️
From Budapest-Ferihegy airport:the most convenient solution to reach the city center is the direct bus 100E which you can take at the airport exit at a cost of €3 and takes about 30 minutes.
How to get around the city?
To visit Budapest the options available to you are:
•Multi -ticket carnet which includes 10 tickets at a cost of €7,50 (excellent for 2-3 days)
•pass ticket for all means of transport (such as bus, train, metro and tram) at the price of €6.20 for one day and €13.60 for three days.
•the one I recommend most is the Budapest Card which will allow you to use public transport for free, you will also have free access to over 30 museums and discounts on further activities.
Certainly the most recommended neighborhood to sleep in is Pest, an area full of monuments, ideal for tourists, on the east bank of the Danube. Buda, on the other hand, is certainly a place worth visiting, but it is located in the older part of the city and the only negative aspect is that from the early hours of the evening the lights are turned off and the area is very quiet. I recommend this area more for families looking for relaxation. In both cases if you are looking for something cheap, you will find it!
💵if you want to save some money: District VII Erzsébetváros (Pest), District VIII Józsefváros (Pest)
👨👩👦if you are traveling with your family: District I Várkerület (Buda)
🎶if you are looking for nightlife and entertainment: District VII Erzsébetváros (Pest), District V Lipótváros-Belvaros (Pest), District VI Terézváros (Pest)
Now I have drawn up a list of hostels, bed and breakfasts and hotels suitable for every budget and need. Obviously they are the ones with the most positive reviews and the most recommended!
Budapest, the Hungarian capital, is one of the most fascinating cities in Eastern Europe. The main attractions and things to see are spread across both neighborhoods and both are worth a visit. Continue reading if you want to know the attractions that you absolutely must not miss.
The Hungarian Parliament building, built in 1902, is the third largest in the world, after the Romanian and Argentine ones. The Parliament of Budapest has become the symbol of the city, and is a masterpiece in Gothic style with neo-baroque influences. I recommend you visit it both from the outside and inside, taking part in a guided tour.
👣How to get there: reachable on foot from St. Stephen's Basilica(1 km,13 min). Metro stop: Kossuth Lajos tér ,Line M2.
🎟️Ticket cost: full price 5,000 HUF (€12.10), reduced price 2,500 HUF (€6.00).
On the banks of the Danube, a stone's throw from the Hungarian Parliament building, there is the memorial in honor of the Hungarian Jews who, in the winter of 1944-45, were killed on the banks of the Danube by militiamen of the Arrow Cross Party. of sixty pairs of shoes, left there, near the water, as if their owners had just taken them off.
👣How to get there: reachable on foot from Parlament (200m,4min)
Metro stop: Koussuth Lajos tér, line M2.
🎟️Ticket cost: free
In the center of the Danube lies Margaret Island, easily reachable via the bridge of the same name. It is one of the busiest city parks, but here there is also a Japanese garden, a zoo and some installations such as fountains and pavilions and also a spa. It is very small so you can visit it on foot for a few hours. I recommend you visit it if you want a relaxing moment from the city.
👣How to get there: reachable on foot from Parlament (1,3 km, 17 min). Tram stop: Margitsziget / Margit híd, lines 4 and 6.
🎟️Ticket cost: free
Dedicated to Stephen, first king of Hungary, St. Stephen's Basilica is one of the most important religious buildings in all of Hungary. It is said that his presumed right hand is kept inside the reliquary.
It is one of the tallest buildings in Budapest, like the Parliament. In fact, the two equal heights at the time symbolized the equality between secular power and spiritual power.
👣How to get there: reachable on foot from Parlament (1 km, 13 min). Metro stop: Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út, line M1.
🎟️Basilica ticket price 1200.00 HUF (€2.09) / Dome and Treasury 2200.00 HUF (€5.30) / Combined ticket (Church+Dome+Treasury) 3200 HUF (€7.70)
The one in Budapest is the largest synagogue in Europe and the second largest in the world after that of Jerusalem. It was built in Moorish style in 1859 but during the Second World War it suffered numerous damages. Only in the 1990s was it restored to its former glory.
👣How to get there: reachable on foot from Parlament (1 km, 13 min). Metro stop: Astoria, line M2.
🎟️Ticket cost: full price 8,000 HUF (€19.35), reduced price 2,900 HUF (€7.00).
It is the most famous bridge in Budapest and the first bridge built to connect Buda and Pest. Furthermore, the bridge is pedestrian and you can therefore cross it on foot, admiring a breathtaking view of the Danube! The Chain Bridge is to Budapest what the Brooklyn Bridge is to New York.
👣How to get there: reachable on foot from Basilica of St. Stephen (900m, 10 min). Metro stop: Deák Ferenc tér, line M2.
🎟️Ticket cost: free
The Hungarian National Museum is located in the heart of Budapest and among the things not to be missed inside is the coronation cloak of the Kings of Hungary! It is one of the most interesting museums in the city.
👣How to get there: reachable on foot from Central Market (500m, 8min) Metro stop: Kálvin tér, Line M3 and M4.
🎟️Ticket cost: full price 2,900 HUF (€7.00), reduced price 1,450 HUF (€3.50).
The Nagy Vásárcsarnok is the largest covered market in Budapest and one of the largest in Europe! Inside you will find everything from typical food to souvenirs... if you are looking for a place to get some gifts this market is the ideal place!
👣How to get there: reachable on foot from Hungary National Museum (500m, 8 min).
Metro stop: Fövám tér, line M4.
🎟️Ticket cost: free
The Budapest Opera House, with its neo-Renaissance style, is one of the most elegant and wonderful buildings in the whole city. You should know that it is possible to visit it inside, but only via a guided tour which lasts on average 45 minutes or paying for a ticket to attend some show.
👣How to get there: reachable on foot from Basilica of St. Stephen (900m, 11 min)
Metro stop: Opera, Line M1.
🎟️Ticket cost: guided tour from 7,000 HUF (€16.90) / variable cost shows, see the link I have attached.
The House of Terror in Budapest is a museum dedicated to the history of the Nazi and Soviet occupation of Hungary during the 20th century. The museum, also called Terror Haza, is located in a house that was used as the headquarters of the secret political police during the period of the communist dictatorship in Hungary. The exhibition features authentic period objects, photographs, documents and films, to give visitors a more complete understanding of the country's history.
👣How to get there: reachable on foot from Hungarian State Opera (700m, 10 min)
Metro stop: Oktogon, Line M1.
🎟️Ticket cost: full price 2000 HUF (€6,50), reduced price 1000 HUF (€3,30).
Heroes' Square is certainly the most famous and iconic square in Budapest and is the gateway to the large city park Városliget. The statues from which it is formed commemorate the leaders of the seven founding tribes of Hungary.
👣How to get there: reachable on foot from Széchenyi Termal Bath (600m, 8min)
Metro stop: Hosök tere, Line M1.
🎟️Ticket cost: free
The Museum of Fine Arts, inaugurated by Emperor Franz Joseph in 1906, is one of the most important and visited museums in the city, with more than half a million visitors a year. In this museum you can find the works of famous artists, such as Raphael, Picasso, Tiepolo, Cézanne or El Greco.
In addition to paintings and sculptures, the museum also displays objects of material culture from Ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt, as well as some mummies.
👣How to get there: reachable on foot from Heroes Square (100m, 2 min)
Metro stop: Hosök tere, Line M1.
🎟️Ticket cost: full price 3400 HUF (€8,20)
Vajdahunyad Castle is located on an island accessible via four bridges in Municipal Park, Budapest's largest municipal park. The construction work on the building complex was completed in 1896, on the occasion of the celebrations of the thousandth anniversary of the foundation of the Hungarian state. Today it is considered a particularly interesting attraction because it bears the characteristics of numerous architectural styles such as Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and baroque.
👣How to get there: reachable on foot from Heroes Square (600m, 8min)
Metro stop: Hosök tere, Line M1.
🎟️Ticket cost: full price 3,000 HUF (€7.25), reduced price 1,700 HUF (€4.10)
📌It is an unmissable stop in every season: if you go in the summer you can attend numerous events, in the autumn you can see the foliage and in the winter the lake freezes and you can skate on it.
The Széchényi Baths need no introduction as they are the largest and most famous in Budapest. Built in neo-baroque style in 1913, they are the most beautiful spa complexes in the city.
These spas are housed inside a wonderful neo-Baroque style building and can be used all year round even outside, thanks to the large swimming pool with hot water. Entering a pool at 9pm at 37ºC, when it's freezing outside, is something priceless!
Obviously there are many wellness treatments, from massages to saunas, including all body treatments.
👣How to get there: reachable on foot from Heroes Square (600m, 8min)
Metro stop: Hosök tere, Line M1.
🎟️Ticket cost: weekdays from 7,100 HUF (€17.15), weekends from 8,200 HUF (€19.80), various treatments for a fee
🚨Being the most famous spa in Budapest, if you don't want to risk very long queues or even a full house, book in advance on the link I provided.
The Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden is located within the Városliget city park, near the spa; it dates back to 1866 and is one of the oldest zoos in the world, as well as an unmissable stop for those traveling with children, as it also houses the amusement park. Inside the park there are more than 700 animal species and around 3,500 varieties of plants.
👣How to get there: reachable on foot from Széchenyi Thermal Bath (250m, 3min)
Metro stop: Széchenyi fürdő, Line M1.
🎟️Ticket cost: full 3,300 HUF (€8.00), reduced 2,200 HUF (€5.30).
Situated on a hill, Buda Castle, also known as the Royal Palace, is one of the city's most beautiful attractions. In the past it was the residence of the kings of Hungary, today it houses the National Library, the Hungarian National Gallery and the Historical Museum of Budapest. You can decide whether to visit just one museum or the entire castle, based on your interests. But we advise you to at least climb up here to admire the view and walk through its gardens!
👣How to get there: reachable on foot or with the funicular from Clark Ádám (450m, 8min) Bus stop: Clark Ádám tér, Lines 16,105 and 916.
🎟️Ticket cost: Hungarian National Gallery full price 9€-reduced price 4,50€
History Museum full price 6,50€
National Library free
A stone's throw from Buda Castle, you will find the Fisherman's Bastion, a viewpoint that seems to come straight out of a fairy tale! Originally the Fishermen's Bastion was part of the city walls of Buda and had a defensive function. In fact it took its name from the neighborhood of the fishermen, who intervened in case of need as defenders of the bastions. Their seven towers commemorate the seven founding tribes of Hungary. If you visit the Bastion at sunset, in addition to being able to take the best photos, you can take advantage of seeing the whole city lit up.
👣How to get there: reachable on foot from Buda Castle (200m, 3 min)
Metro stop: Batthyány tér, Line M2.
🎟️Ticket cost: free
Located opposite the Fisherman's Bastion, Matthias Church is one of the oldest buildings in the city. This building has more than 700 years of history and has been the scene of numerous royal weddings and coronations such as that of the famous Princess Sisi and her husband Franz Joseph.
👣How to get there: reachable on foot from Buda Castle (200m, 3 min) Metro stop: Batthyány tér, Line M2.
🎟️Ticket cost: full price 2,500 HUF (€6.00), reduced price 1,900 HUF (€4.60)
To the north east of the city of Budapest, lies the Hungarian Versailles, the Royal Palace of Gödöllő. This palace, the second largest baroque castle in the world, was built at the beginning of the eighteenth century and only in 1867 did it pass into the hands of the Austro-Hungarian empire, in fact it became the favorite summer residence of the royals, especially of Empress Elizabeth who really enjoyed spending his time here.
📍30 km from Budapest
👣How to get there:take the train "Hatvan S80" to the Budapest-Keleti Railway Terminal and get off at the Gödöllő stop.
🎟️Ticket cost:full price 3,200 HUF (€7.70).
however I advise you to buy the ticket with the guided tour included for a few forints more because it will allow you to know all the history and details of this palace.
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Details
Itineraries
1 day Itinerary
☕️breakfast at New York Cafe
📍Visit The Parlament
📍Visit St. Stephen's Basilica
🍽️Have lunch at Hungarikum Bisztró
📍Visit Fisherman’s Bastion
📍Visit Buda Castle
📍Relax break at Széchenyi Thermal Bath
🍽️Dinner at Karavan
📍Szimpla Kert
📍Evening cruise on the Danube
3 days Itinerary
Day 1
📍Parlament
📍St. Stephen's Basilica
📍Great Synagogue of Budapest
📍Szimpla Kert
📍Central Market
Day 2
📍Heroes Square
📍Vajdahunyad Castle
📍Museum of Fine Arts
📍Széchenyi Thermal Bath
📍Budapest Zoo
Day 3
📍Chain Bridge
📍Buda Castle
📍Fisherman’s Bastion
📍Church of St. Matthias
📍Citadella
6 days Itinerary
1 day
Parlament, Shoes on the Danube bank, Jewish quarter, Great Synagogue of Budapest ,Szimpla Kert
2 day
St. Stephen's Basilica, Budapest Opera, House of Terror Museum
3 Day
Hungarian National Museum, Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library, Central Market
4 Day
Heroes Square,Museum of Fine Arts, Vajdahunyad Castle, Széchenyi Thermal Bath, Budapest Zoo
5 Day
Chain Bridge, Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, Church of St. Matthias, Citadella
6 Day
Margherita Island and Royal Palace of Gödöllo.Thope I have helped vou organize your trip to Budapest and I thank you for supporting my work 👩🏽💻
Tips from PRO🔥
1.Their currency is the Hungarian forint. I advise you to exchange cash at one of the many branches in the city or use your card.
2.In Budapest it is normal to tip the waiter at least 10% when you sit in a restaurant.
3.If you have booked a visit to the spa, remember to bring a bathing suit, towel and slippers. Don't buy them from there, they will cost you an arm and a leg!
4.The number of tourists in Budapest has grown steadily in recent years. Book your sightseeing and restaurant tickets in advance.
5.The weather is unstable and if you don't want to find yourself in the rain at any moment don't forget to bring an umbrella!
I hope I have helped you organize your trip to Amsterdam and I thank you for supporting my work 👩🏽💻
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