Budapest is the capital of Hungary. It is made of two separate medieval towns Buda and Pest. The river Danube cuts these towns in half, Buda on the west bank of the river and Pest on the east bank. All of the museums, the castle and most of the site seeing type of stuff is on the Buda side of the river, while much of the best parts of the city, restaurants, bars, etc are on the Pest side. You can stay on either side, both are very nice, just try to stay close to the river if possible as that is where most of the things you’ll want to see are.

Central Budapest is one of the more laidback and permissive cities that you’ll find anywhere on Earth. Bars stay open late, nightlife abounds, even in otherwise abandoned buildings that host pop-op bars. People pour onto the streets enjoying the festive atmosphere and street foods that litter the curb.

Combine this with ample history, beautiful monuments, an abundance of culture and great food and the city provides a great venue for backpackers and upscale travelers alike, as well as families, young couples and everything in between. Whether your scene involves house music and late nights at one of the city’s famous, abandoned, and crumbling ‘ruin bars’, romantic dinners at Michelin Star restaurants or exploring the history and culture of an ancient town, Budapest will have something to cater to your desires.

Things to Do in Budapet

Visit Fisherman’s Bastion

Built between 1895 and 1902 to celebrate the thousandth birthday of the Hungarian state and specifically to provide a panoramic viewing platform across the Danube, Margaret Island and Pest, Fisherman’s Bastion is an impressive neo-Gothic structure on the Buda bank of the Danube, on Castle Hill. For unforgettable views of Budapest, in a fairy-tale setting, there’s nowhere better, especially at sunset.

You can climb one of the many turrets to grab a great view of the Hungarian Parliament Building. And, once you’re done with your climb head to one of the city’s most famous patisseries, the 200-year-old Ruszwurm Confectionery, for a treat.

Fisherman’s Bastion gets its name from the Guild of Fishermen, a medieval sect that was responsible for defending this stretch of the city walls during the Middle Ages. The seven towers of the Bastion represent the seven Magyar tribes that helped to settle the Magyar people in the Carpathian Basin.

Szechenyi Spa Baths

By day, the Szechenyi Baths are an oasis of calm in bustling Budapest, with luxury spa treatments, saunas, and massages in the grandeur of a sprawling 20th-century Turkish building. On weekends, however, it turns into something altogether more debauched: the Sparty.

If you are looking for pampering and a relaxing spa, go to Szechenyi during the day. Get there early or book in advance as things like massages will book up fast. If you’d rather party to house music while drinking your body weight in booze, hold off until the sun sets and check out their famous Sparties. These night-time raves offer unlimited alcohol, live electronic music, and an anything-goes atmosphere in the water.

Buda Castle

Buda Castle is a spectacular 13th-century palace and Unesco World Heritage Site that sits atop Castle Hill on the Buda side of the river. Within Buda Castle you’ll find the Hungarian National Gallery, the Castle Museum, and the National Széchenyi Library. This is the heart of Hungarian Culture in Budapest.

The best way to get to the castle is by taking the Funicular. The funicular railway is a sort of train/cable car that links Adam Clark Square and the Széchenyi Chain Bridge at river level to Buda Castle above. The funicular is a fun and easy way to check out the castle without having to climb all the way to the top on foot. It only takes 10 minutes and costs just €5.50 for an adult two way ticket. There are two stations that you can pick from. The lower station is on the Buda side of the Chain Bridge and the upper station on the Pest side on Castle Hill. The funicular runs daily 7:30 am-10 p.m. This is also a great ride to take at sunset. For the best experience take a sunset stroll across the Chain Bridge before taking the funicular up to the top of Buda Castle where you can watch the city’s lights illuminate the night in real time.

While exploring the castle, make sure to schedule a stop at Faust Wine Cellar. This historic wine cellar, which is located underneath Buda Castle is the perfect place to sample wines from some of the 22 Hungarian wine regions. A sommelier will provide you with a personalized selection of wines as well as some small plates or chocolates to pair with the wine. The setting is phenomenal as this all takes place in a candlelit cave beneath the castle. This requires booking ahead of time as there is extremely limited space!

Parliament House

One of the most famous and beautiful buildings in all of Europe is the Hungarian Parliament House. You’ll undoubtedly see this building from the outside, but you can also take a 45-minute tour of the inside of Budapest’s National Hungarian Parliament Building. There are tours available with knowledgable tour guides offered from the Parliament building itself. If you plan on seeing the inside of this building, make sure to book one of these tours in advance as they book up quickly.

Tours cost 3,500 HUF for EU Citizens (~10 Euro) or 6,700 HUF for non EU citizens (~$22 USD). Book tickets on the official site HERE, and be sure to check the language of your Parliament tour.

Heroes’ Square

Sitting at the north-eastern end of the very elegant Andrássy Avenue, Heroes’ Square provides a beautiful venue to take in dozens of statues of Hungarian kings and leaders. In the center of the square, you’ll find a giant monolith with the Angel Gabriel sitting atop. Below this giant column sits the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. On either side of Heroes’ Square you’ll find The Museum of Fine Arts and on the other side, Kunsthalle, one of Budapest’s best art museums.

Szimpla Kert

Budapest is famous for its ‘ruin bars’ which are pop-up bars set up in otherwise abandoned buildings and warehouses. Simple Kert is one of the most famous of these bars and the nightlife standard barer for Budapest’s party scene. Set in a huge, dilapidated building within the old Jewish Quarter, with an open courtyard and a labyrinth of rooms, adorned with eclectic furniture, edgy artwork and mind-bending communist memorabilia, Szimpla Kert is an absolutely can’t miss experience if you’re looking to experience a ruin bar on your trip to Budapest.

If you hate yourself and have complete disregard for your taste buds, make sure to order a shot of Unicum while you’re there – it’s a traditional Hungarian herbal liqueur that tastes like black licorice is assaulting your taste buds.

Szimpla Farmers’ Market: On Sunday mornings, Simple Kert, Budapest’s most famous ruin bar, transforms itself into one of the city’s best farmer’s markets. Stalls filled with local produce, herbs, cheese, sausages, baked goods, etc line the graffiti covered walls. A charity cook-a-thon often takes place in the courtyard where you can find goulash and other stews available for the simple price of donation.

Great Market Hall

Filled with food stands, handmade goods, souvenirs and other shops, The Great Market Hall is the perfect place to sample some classic Hungarian delicacies while picking up a souvenir or two. Be aware that the hall is closed on Sundays.

Hungarian State Opera House

This Neo-Renaissance building was first opened in 1884, following a commission from Emperor Franz Joseph. This 1200 seat auditorium is widely considered to have one of the best acoustics for opera performances. If you have time, try to grab tickets to an opera here. The cheap seats can be found for as little as $2. However, if you don’t have time to see a show, you can always tour the inside of the Opera House during the day if you reserve tickets in advance.

Flippermúzeum

Budapest’s one of a kind, interactive pinball museum, features a collection of 115 pinball machines and 30 other old-school arcade games. The collection is set in a windowless Budapest basement, illuminated only by the bright light of the machines.

St Stephen’s Basilica

St Stephen’s Basilica is Budapest’s largest church, capable of holding up to 8,500 people. The real star of the Basilica is its 96 meter high dome, lined with stunningly ornate decorations. However, if you’re not so much into beautiful architecture and churches, besides being a beautiful structure, you can also find some more macabre relics here like the mummified right hand of the patron saint of the church and first king of Hungary, St Stephen, which is kept in a glass case to the left of the main altar.

A visit to St. Stephen’s Basilica is worth the trip alone but head to the observation deck for an epic panoramic view of Budapest. The church is free to enter, however, there is a sign suggesting a 1 Euro or 200 HUF donation. There is an observation deck that costs 400 HUF to access using the stairs or 600 HUF taking the elevator. It’s 365 stairs to the top or you can use the elevator, but only from April 1-October 31st.

Dohány Street Synagogue

Opened in 1859, Budapest’s Great Synagogue is Europe’s largest place of Jewish worship (and the second biggest in the world). The stunning architecture and interior decor is worth the trip alone, but a visit to the Great Synagogue (aka Tabakgasse Synagogue) also aims to guide visitors through the history of Jews in Hungary. Inside you’ll find the Hungarian Jewish Museum & Archives, as well as the Holocaust Tree of Life Memorial.

Matthias Church

Located within Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, a 700 plus years old building in the heart Buda is a gothic style cathedral with a colorful tiled roof and high vaulted ceilings. Adult entrance is 1,000 HUF ($3) and the church is open from 9 am to 5 pm Monday-Friday, with abbreviated hours on the weekends.

The Shoes on the Danube Bank

Located on the Pest side of the Danube River is a truly heartbreaking memorial dedicated to the 3,500 people killed by fascists in Budapest during the Second World War. This moving sculpture, made up of 60 pairs of cast iron shoes designed by Can Togay and Gyula Pauer, honors the 3,500 civilians murdered by Arrow Cross militiamen. According to the story, the victims of this massacre were ordered to remove their shoes by the fascist group, before being shot, their dead bodies falling into the river.

House of Terror

During Communist rule, 60 Andrássy Avenue was one of the most terrifying buildings in Budapest. As the headquarters of the secret police, it inspired fear to anyone living under this reign of terror. Today this townhouse serves as a museum commemorating the victims of the fascist and communist regimes that used to terrorize Eastern Europe.

Szabo Ervin Library

A hidden treasure in Budapest, the Szabo Ervin Library, is one of the coolest places to visit that you often don’t find in guidebooks. This library is a relic to times past when libraries were some of the most beautiful and richly decorated buildings in any city. The original building was built by Count Frigyes Wenckheim (1842–1912), a well-known Hungarian aristocrat at the end of the 19th century. Today the oldest structure sits at the center of an otherwise modern library, so it can be easy to miss. Make sure if you visit you make your way to Wenckheim Palace at the center which is the old mansion that the Count converted to a library 150 years ago and the true reason you’ve gone to the museum in the first place.

Vajdahunyad Castle

Originally, this place was constructed as a temporary exhibit for Hungary’s millennial celebrations in 1896, celebrating one thousand years since the medieval Magyars first settled on the plains of Pannonia. Due to popular demand a more permanent construction was put in place in 1904 and has continued to be one of Budapest’s favorite tourist destinations.

Sip on a Glass of Sour Cherry Sour Cherry Pálinka

Don’t leave Budapest without trying a local favorite, Pálinka, which is a fruit liquor made with different fruits in a similar fashion to brandy. If you’re interested in a museum tour and experience with Pálinka, check out this link HERE.

Watch the 9 PM Show at the Margaret Island Singing Fountain

The Margaret Island park’s fountain actually plays a coordinated musical show every hour from 11 am, but the best time to visit is for the final, much longer, show at 9 PM. You’ll be treated to a choreographed fountain, light, and music show set to popular songs from a variety of genres.

Shopping

Paloma

If you desire a couple hours of great shopping, make sure to stop at Paloma. Hidden in a courtyard in the V District, Paloma is an emporium for local designers to showcase their goods. Here you’ll find a line of boutiques featuring local jewelry, purses, shoes clothes, and much more.

Retrock

If you’re more of a vintage shopper, check out Budapest’s largest vintage shop, Retrock. This space is overflowing with second-hand curiosities, used designer pieces, high-end fashion and endless top-end accessories. This isn’t Goodwill. There’s some seriously nice garments in this two story shop.

Falk Miksa Street

If antiques are your Achilles’ heel, Falk Miksa Street is your Mecca. Beginning at the statue of Lt Columbo on the corner of Grand Boulevard and ending at the Hungarian Parliament, you’ll discover dozens of antique shops to fit any style.

Take a Cruise to Szentendre

If you’re looking to get out of the bustling city center of Budapest for an afternoon, consider taking a day trip to the picturesque town of Szentendre. A relatively quick river cruise up the Danube will get you here in no time. Click HERE or HERE for more information.

Take a weekend trip to the Tokaj wine region

Are you a wino like us? If so, don’t hesitate to check out the incredibly underrated Hungarian wine region of Tokaj, the world’s oldest designated wine region. The underrating of Hungarian wine is actually a relatively modern phenomenon in a world dominated by French and Italian wines, however, in centuries past Hungary was well known for its wines. In fact, Louis XIV once referred to Tokaj as, ”The wine of kings, the king of wines.” Tokaj is located about three hours from Budapest by car so this is more than just a simple afternoon day trip. If you’d like a step-by-step guide, including which wineries to visit, check out this fantastic BLOG that gives fantastic information on everything involving Budapest.