There is no other city in the world that makes us feel more at home than Budapest. This incredible city is full of surprises and wonders, and it’s possible to see many things in only a weekend trip as well. That is why every time we have the time, we take a bus from Vienna and go to Budapest to recharge and explore the city. Here you can read about the best 20 things to do and see in Budapest that you can’t miss.
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Visiting Vienna as well? Check out this guide: The 20 most stunning photography spots in Vienna, Austria
1. Watch the sunrise at the Fisherman’s Bastion
Entrance fee: Free, except the towers that open at 9 AM. if you come earlier, you can go up for free
The Fisherman’s Bastion is one of the most iconic landmarks in Budapest. The Fisherman’s Bastion faces the Danube, offering a great sight of the Parliament.
It was built between 1895 and 1902 over the old base of the antique fortifications of the Buda Castle. Around the place, you will find a lot of statues of Hungarian historical characters like St. Stephen and the Árpád era warriors.
We recommend you to visit this place in the morning, so you will have the place empty for yourself 🙂
2. Visit the Matthias Church
Entrance fee: Free
Opening hours: Mon – Fri: 9 am to 5 pm; Sat: 9 am to 1 pm
Also known as the Church of Assumption of the Buda Castle, this church has been a witness of a lot of historical episodes of Hungary, actually, it’s style reflects it! The church is located next to the Fisherman’s Bastion.
The original church was founded by St. Stephen the first in the year 1015. Although, this church had a lot of renovations ordered by multiple Hungarian kings. The architectural style changed over the centuries, so you can watch a lot of different styles on the walls, the columns, and the dome.
3. Get lost inside of the Buda Castle complex
Entrance fee: It’s free if you just want to visit the garden and walk around the castle complex.
The Buda Castle was originally built in 1265. However, the modern massive baroque palace that we know today was built between 1749 and 1769.
The castle is a part of the Budapest World Heritage Site, so declared in 1987. The original Royal Palace was ruined during WWII, but it was rebuilt in a simplified Stalin Baroque style during the Kádár era.
The Fishermen’s Bastion is actually also part of the Buda Castle complex, and it is the most known part. However, the castle offers more than just the bastion. There are several museums and parks up on the hill that you can visit.
4. Admire the St. Stephen’s Basilica at the sunrise
Entrance fee: Free, but you will be asked to donate
Opening hours: Mon – Fri: 9 am to 5 pm; Sat: 9 am to 1 pm
This is the biggest church in the whole city, it has the name of the first king of Hungary, St Stephen. The church has a huge dome that makes a great photo spot. If you enter you will be able to admire the beautiful decorations.
Fun fact: the right mummified hand of St. Stephen is located inside of the reliquary of the church. Don’t skip this on your Budapest weekend trip!
5. Take in the view of the Danube and the Parliament from the other side of the river
Arrive at the other side of the Danube river at the Batthyany square metro station, go up and walk along the pier. You can have a romantic walk while admiring the Hungarian Parliament.
It is very sure that you have seen pictures of this building of a lot of postcards and info brochures. This view is incredible at any time of the day, but we definitely prefer sunset time.
6. Visit the Hungarian Parliament from the inside
Entrance fee:
European Citizens over 18: 3200 HUF (9 euro approx.)
European Citizens under 18: 1600 HUF (4.50 euro approx.)
Non-European Citizens over 18: 6400 HUF (18 euro approx.)
Non-European Citizens under 18: 3200 HUF (9 euro approx.)
Opening hours:
From 1st April to 31st October: Mon – Fri: 8 am to 6 pm; Sat and Sun: 8 am to 4 pm
From 1st November to 31st March: Mon-Sun: 8 am to 4 pm
This massive and beautiful building is the largest construction in Hungary. It took more than 40 million bricks, half a million precious stones, 40 kilograms of gold and 100,000 workers to build it. Even if the main facade is facing the Danube river, the main entrance is located on the contrary side. If you visit the parliament early in the morning, you will be able to see the guard change. Somoe of the most amazing treasures of the Hungarian monarchy are located inside, like the holly crown of Hungary. The interior is also stunning, so you an have a fairy tale moment while you go through the halls and rooms.
We recommend you to book your tour with 4 or 5 days of anticipation because the places per tour are very reduced. If you click here, you will be able to book your tour at the time that is more convenient for you, and in the preferred language as well.
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Click here to get your insurance7. Visit the Vajdahunyad castle and chill at the surrounding park, Nepliget
Opening hours: Tue-Sun: 10 am to 5 pm
Entrance fee: 1600 HUF (4.50 euro approx.)
Located around 20 minutes from the Danube, this colorful castle shines in the middle of a huge park and a lake. The park is free to visit, and it is open 24 hours, so you can go here to chill after a day of exploring the city, or to take a picnic sitting on the wood benches next to the lake.
If you want to visit the castle, you will be able to see the interior and explore the Agriculture Museum that occupies some of the rooms inside. Around the, will be able to find some statues of important Hungarian historical and legendary characters like Anonymus, who was the chronicler of the famous king Béla.
8. Learn about the history of Hungary at the Heroes Square
Located crossing the lake that surrounds the Vajdahunyad castle, this epic monument pays honor to the heroes that took an important role in Hungary during different centuries and conflicts.
The monument locates Árpád and his warriors at the center (considered to be the first Hungarians who came to Europe from the middle of Asia). The hemicycle surrounding the central tower has the statues of diverse kings and politicians like King Stephen the first, the King Matthias of Hungary, and others. The monument looks great during the afternoon when the light of the sun is not so strong anymore.
9. Try some Hungarian typical food at the Great Market Hall
Entrance fee: free
Opening hours: 6 am to 3 pm
Hungarian cuisine is one of the most diverse and rich in Europe. It is pretty probable that you have tried some of the variations of this food in your country, and for sure you have eaten Paprika at least in one dish.
There are plenty of restaurants around Budapest where you can try some of the traditional local food, but the market has a great vibe that for sure you won’t find elsewhere. If you want you can also buy some ingredients for preparing dishes by yourself or some little snacks for the road! The market has also a colorful facade, so it can be a great photo spot for you.
10. Relax at the Széchenyi Thermal Baths on your Budapest weekend trip
Entrance fee: 22 euro during the weekdays, 24 euro on the weekend
Opening hours: 9 am to 7 pm
Hungary is full of thermal springs. It is sure that every town and city in Hungary that you visit will have a thermal spring nearby, and Budapest is not the exception!
The Széchenyi Thermal Baths are some of the most famous not just in Hungary, but around whole of Europe.
This is the perfect place to chill after a long day of exploration. The baths are open the whole year but the real magic of the baths can be more appreciated during the winter. The water is always warm, so it doesn’t matter if it is cold outside.
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This is the place to get the best panoramic views of Budapest. The hike can be a little bit demanding, but if you achieve to arrive to the top, you will be awarded a magnificent view and a super cool place to chill and get some picnic if you are in the mood.
If you hike constantly, you can reach a peak in about 20 minutes, but if you are not a hiking fan you can also take the 27 bus that takes you to the top. At the top, you will find the Citadella, an antique fortress built-in 1851 by orders of the Austrian kingdom.
12. Visit the Cave church at Gellért Hill
If you decide to hike up the Gellert hill, you will find a very particular church. It is not because of the architectural style, but because it is built inside a cave! The Cave church has been here since 1920 and has faced a lot of interesting historical events. Today you can visit it and admire the incredible interior. The church features many rooms, worthy of attention is the one in which all the ornaments have been carved in hardwood by a faithful follower of the Pauline Order. The terrace in front of the entrance is proudly guarded by the statue of Saint Stephen standing beside his horse.
13. Take a photo next to the lions of the Chain bridge
On a Budapest weekend trip, you can’t miss one of the most iconic landmarks in Hungary, the Chain bridge that is worldwide famous. It is decorated by 4 lions in both entrances and it has an incredible illumination during the night.
If you look at the lions close, you will realize that they don’t have a tongue. The legend says that the sculptor forgot to make them during the rush of the design and sculpt. The people of Budapest made so much fun of him, that he jumped from the bridge to cover his shame. This legend is very popular, but it is not sure if it is true or not. Anyway, this bridge is a very romantic place, and it is a must-visit during your weekend in Budapest.
14. Enjoy a beer next to the Liberty bridge (and take some photos of it!)
The Liberty Bridge is other one fo the iconic bridges of Budapest. The views from here are incredible, it is a perfect spot for enjoying the sunset.
This bridge was opened in presence of the emperor Franz Joseph in 1896, actually, the bridge used to be named after him.
Beside the bridge, at the level of the beach. you can find two open bars where you can chill, take some local beer and enjoy the sunset
15. Go to party to the famous Ruin bars around the city
After the Soviet occupation and constant harassment against the city, a lot of buildings got in very bad conditions. With the years, some of the buildings were demolished or remodeled. But some people decided to use these ruined buildings to create some cool and unique bars.
The bars are located in District VII. From the outside, they look like normal buildings, but once you enter a very colorful and luminous place open in front of you. These bars used to be the underground scene of Budapest for a long time, but nowadays they became very popular and they get very crowded all the time. If you like to party with a lot of new people, this is the perfect place for you!
16. Visit the National Hungarian museum
Entrance fee: 2600 HUF (7 euros approx.)
Opening hours: Tue – Sun: 10 am to 6 pm
The museum was founded in 1802 and is the national museum for the history, art, and archaeology of Hungary, including areas not within Hungary’s modern borders like Slovakia, Rumania, Ukraine and Croatia.
The museum is divided in 7 permanent expositions. Two of them are dedicated to the Hungarian history covering topics like the age of the Arpads, the Turkish occupation, and the Transylvania royal Hungary. The ground floor’s permanent exhibit is focused on Medieval and Early Modern stone inscriptions and carvings. The majority of the items in this collection were discovered during the 1960s and 1970s, since they looked for more relics after the World War II finished.
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17. Try some authentic Pálinka
If you think about the liquors of the world, it is easy to get some quick examples. Scotland has whiskey, Mexico has tequila, and Hungary of course has pálinka.
Pálinka is a liquor distilled from fruits that is very popular in Hungary and all the surrounding regions. Almost every kind of fruit can be used to make pálinka, so it is possible to find a lot of different flavors.
There are a lot of Hungarian bars where you can find pálinka for a very good price. We recommend you to try the pear flavor Palinka, it is very tasty!
18. Visit the Hungarian Museum of fine arts
Entrance fee: 3200 HUF (9 euros approx.)
Opening hours: Tue – Sun: 10 am to 6 pm
One of the most important museums in Hungary, the Hungarian Museum of fine arts is full of stunning art not just from Hungary, but also a lot of countries around the world.
If you want to learn about Hungarian art from the 13th to the 18th century, this is the perfect place for that.
19. Learn about the hard past of the city at the House of terror
Entrance fee: 3000 HUF ( 8.50 euro approx.)
Opening hours: Tue – Sun: 10 am to 6 pm
Budapest is today a city full of life and color where everyone can travel, and get fascinated with. Although, it was not like that before. The city of Budapest and Hungary, in general, suffered a lot during the second world war, and during the Soviet occupation after the war.
The House of Terror is a museum built to remember all the tragedies that the inhabitants of Budapest needed to face during the first half of the XX century.
It is important to keep these places alive, so those bad things won’t happen again.
20. Hike around the Margaret Island
Entrance fee: Free
Opening hours: 24 hours
The perfect place for hiking in the middle of Budapest. Margaret Island is a very popular place for locals and tourists as well. The island was dominated by nunneries, and cloisters until the 16th century. During the Ottoman occupation, the monks and nuns fled and the buildings were destroyed. In the 18th century, it was chosen to be the resort of palatines. It was declared a public garden in 1908.
Margaret Island is also the host place of the Sziget festival, one of the most famous music festivals in Europe.
We hope that you will enjoy exploring this unique city! Have fun in Budapest and let us know if you have any suggestions or questions in the comments 🙂
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9 comments
Wow your photos are so beautiful and make Budapest look like the most romantic place to visit! It seems like there are so many wonderful places to visit in Budapest.
Thank you so much! We are glad you liked our photos! Budapest is really romantic, perfect for couples as well :))
I love this post! I spent a month in Budapest last year and absolutely loved it. I love that you included ruin bars…those were so awesome!
Right, they are so unique! We loved them too
That’s a very good list! I visited this city a few years ago but I have missed many spots on your list! I have a good reason to visit again 😀
Thank you so much! Budapest is such a diverse city, so many things to do! :))
This is a fantastic list of things to do! I visited a few years ago but can’t wait to go back and explore Budapest more.
Thank you! There are definitely many things to see and do in Budapest! 🙂
Thank you! There are definitely many things to see and do in Budapest! 🙂