FREE Budapest 2-Day Itinerary

Where to Stay in Budapest

We stayed at an Airbnb near the Ferris Wheel of Budapest. Here are some hotel options that are near where we stayed:

Matild Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Budapest

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Luxury stay

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Prestige Hotel Budapest

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Midrange stay

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D8 Hotel

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Budget stay

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Day 1: Budapest

MORNING ACTIVITIES

Fisherman's Bastion

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7:30 AM - It's best to visit Fisherman's Bastion early before the huge crowds! If you visit earlier than 9 AM, you get free entry to all parts of the area. Otherwise, there is a small fee

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Fisherman's Bastion is a beautiful place for a photoshoot! I highly recommend a professional photoshoot here! 

Private Photoshoot Experience in Fisherman's Bastion Budapest

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The Church of Our Lady of Buda Castle

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9:30 AM - The church is stunning. It's within walking distance from Fisherman's Bastion. There's a fee, but it's worth a visit!

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Széchenyi Chain Bridge

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10:30 AM - We stopped by this iconic bridge during our photoshoot. It's on the way to Buda Castle, so make sure to check it out!

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Buda Castle

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11 AM - This area is nice to walk around with stunning architecture and nice courtyards, statues, and fountains

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Hungarian National Gallery

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11:30 AM - Lovely museum with a nice outside view of the Parliament and the Chain Bridge

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Budapest History Museum / Castle Museum

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12:30 PM - Quite a large museum where you can explore the palace grounds and learn some history. I thought it was worth the visit!

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LUNCH OPTIONS

Százéves Étterem

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1:30 PM - We went here for lunch. It has a cute ambiance with outdoor seating, but the food was average. Got the crispy goose, which was quite dry. The sweet potatoes were yummy though. The lamb was quite flavorful and tender

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Babel Budapest

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This is a 1-star Michelin restaurant that is an option for lunch on Saturdays only.

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Molnár's kürtőskalács

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2:30 PM - Chimney cakes are a must! This is a popular spot where you can get ice cream in the chimney cake. I thought it was just ok, because the chimney cake itself was kind of hard and didn't taste fresh

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AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES

Heroes' Square

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3 PM - Check out this square on the way to the Vajdahunyad Castle

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Vajdahunyad Castle

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3:30 PM - The castle grounds and park were nice to walk around. The inside of the "castle" is the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture, but we didn't go inside. At the time of our visit, there wasn't much of a lake

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Széchenyi Thermal Bath

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5 PM - This is a famous bath complex with a spa. Great place to relax after walking! Make sure to bring sandals/slippers and towels

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DINNER

Gundel Cafe Patisserie Restaurant

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7:30 PM - The ambiance is beautiful and upscale, and they had live music. The dinner menu gives you options for a tasting course. I chose the 3-course meal and got the goulash soup, pike perch, and the chocolate dessert. The goulash soup was delicious! The meat was super tender. There were only a few pieces, so I wish there were more! The fish was crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside, and the mushroom/potatoes in the butter sauce were delicious. The chocolate cake was also enjoyable. Make a reservation here!

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EVENING ACTIVITIES

Szimpla Kert

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9 PM - If you like nightlife, then a visit to the ruin bars is a must! Szimpla Kert is the oldest ruin bar in Budapest. It's a huge place with such a cool vibe!

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Day 2: Budapest

BREAKFAST

Cookie Beacon Brunch

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8 AM - If you can wake up early for breakfast, this spot was on my list! We didn't wake up early enough unfortunately, but I tried a cookie from here as a dessert, and it was delish!

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MORNING ACTIVITIES

Ferris Wheel of Budapest

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9 AM - You can walk by the Ferris Wheel on your way to breakfast or on the way to the Hungarian Parliament

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Hungarian Parliament Building

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9:30 AM - The Parliament is stunning on the outside and inside! A must-visit for sure! Make sure to book reservations in advance.

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Shoes on the Danube Bank

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10:30 AM - This is a memorial to honor Jews who were killed by Hungarian militia

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Szamos Chocolate Museum

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11 AM - If you have time and are interested, you can check out this chocolate museum. We just walked around and had a snack at a cafe

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LUNCH OPTIONS

Menza Étterem és Kávéház

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12 PM - We ate here, but the food was average. Tried the hummus, lamb, and beef stew with spaetzle. The hummus was standard and nothing special. The lamb had a good flavor, but some parts were dry. The beef in the stew was very dry, but the spaetzle and the sauce were pretty tasty. The outdoor seating is nice.

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Retro Lángos Budapest

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This is a popular spot for Langos, which is a Hungarian fried flatbread. I didn't try it since I don't typically like fried foods

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AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES

Hungarian State Opera

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1:30 PM - You can buy tickets at the box office or online, but I would recommend buying online in advance to ensure you get the time you want. The time slots we wanted were booked out when we tried to buy on the same day, so we weren't able to make the tour. The entryway was still beautiful

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St. Stephen's Basilica

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2:30 PM - A gorgeous church that is a top attraction in Budapest

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Central Market Hall

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3:30 PM - Huge market with lots of food and souvenirs! It is closed on Sundays. Closes early at 3 PM on Saturday.

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Gellért Hill Cave

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5 PM - Closed on Sundays. When we went on Monday, the cave church was surprisingly closed. There's still a nice view of the Danube River/Liberty Bridge

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A cruise along the Danube River is a must-do when visiting Budapest! You get great views of the Parliament, Buda Castle, Fisherman's Bastion, and more! We did a cruise at 6:15 PM

Danube River Cruise

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DINNER 

Mazel Tov

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7:30 PM - If you want a break from Hungarian food, come to Mazel Tov! This is a touristy spot, but the ambiance is very nice I tried the mezze dip and lamb. The mezze dip comes with 3 dips (hummus, labane, and babaganoush), pita, and olives. I only liked the hummus dip. The lamb was quite good - tasty and mostly tender, but had an overwhelming amount of raw onions.

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New York Café

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9 PM - The ambiance is very nice and elegant. The drinks and dessert were pretty standard though. The pina colada wasn’t anything special. The sponge cake had a nice chocolatey syrup, but it was pricey and had way too much whipped cream,

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Click below for the full Budapest, Vienna, and Prague Itinerary! 

Jennifer H.

Available for hire

Budapest, Vienna, Prague PACKED 7-Day Itinerary

Short on time? Then, this itinerary is perfect for you! My itinerary focuses on hitting the highlights of these beautiful cities and eating delicious food! Here is the outline: Day 1-2: Budapest Day 3-5: Vienna Day 6-7: Prague Our trip took place in May 2024. We flew into the Budapest airport and flew out of the Prague airport

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Itinerary

Thank you for reading! Follow @Jenuine_reviews on Instagram for more food and travel inspirations! Feel free to message me on Instagram or send me an email at Jenuine_reviews@yahoo.com with any questions, comments, or suggestions!