As a loyal visitor of Budapest I’ve already seen most places in the city, not all tho. I’ve been there several times and I still have a lot of things to see. Budapest is an amazing city where you need at least a week to enjoy it fully. Here are my top things to do in Budapest, hope it helps you with your planning.
17. Central market hall
Or also called the Great Market Hall, is one of the biggest and oldest marketplaces in Budapest. You can find a lot of local food and goods there. It is a good place for taking photos or seeing a bit of Hungarian culture. They also provide tours and several types of tastings.
16. Liberty statue
This statue and also a citadel is standing on the Gellért hill. It was built during WW2. There are 2 ways up. You can take public transport or just climb stairs up the hill. I suggest the first way. From there you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the whole city.
Note: Citadel is under reconstruction so the whole place is closed. Yet you can get under the statue to the stairs.
Tip: If you’re like me and decide to go there in the evening and dark, be careful and take a light. The view of the city at night is beautiful but the way there and back is really dark.
15. Shoes on the Danube bank
This is a memorial built to honor Jews that were shot at the Danube river during WW2. The Jews had to take off their shoes before they shot them and let the river carry their bodies away. It is a sad yet an interesting place you should visit during your stay in Budapest.
14. Gellért hill cave and church
It is a very unique and beautiful place to visit during your stay. It is a church with a cave carved into a rock of Gellért hill. The altar of the church is in a cave and in general this place is very special.
13. Liberty square
It is a square with a very lovely park. During the summer it’s nice to visit this park. It has a great atmosphere. You can sit there and enjoy a cup of cofee.
Tip: If you are a Pokemon Go player, I like to sit here and catch some pokemons.
12. Zoo/Tropicarium/Circus
If you are traveling with kids or you are like me and there is still the kid inside of you, you will like this. Budapest has a huge zoo with a lot of animals and you don’t have to spend a fortune for the ticket. Right next to the zoo is a Circus, so if you are lucky you can enjoy a stunning show. A bit further from the center you can find a Tropicarium located in Campona mall. It is not too big but it is also very nice to see and it is also cheap.
11. Thermal baths
Budapest has a few thermal baths but Széchenyi thermal bath is one of the oldest and most visited. It has beautiful architecture, inside and outside pools, saunas and a lot more. It is open the whole year for visitors from all around the world. Another one worth visiting is Gellért thermal bath, this one is also one of the oldest baths. It is located in Gellért hotel and it’s also very beautiful.
10. Párisi Passage Café & Brasserie/new york café
This is a cafe located in Párisi Udvar Hotel. I put it on the list because it is worth visiting this place if you are looking for a lux aesthetic place to have your cafe or a dessert. The architecture of the building inside as well as outside is stunning. New York Café is a lux place with incredible architecture and full of history. It is a very popular place and I fully recommend you to visit it and enjoy some good food or drink here.
Note: These are luxurious places and you better make a reservation.
9. Hungarian Parliament Building
This building is really stunning. The Hungarian parliament building is one of the oldest government buildings in Europe, and definitely one of the most beautiful. It is open for visitors and the ticket is between 10-20€. If you don’t want to go inside it’s fine, you can enjoy the nice view, take a lot of pictures and just sit on a bench and enjoy the vibe. Next to the parliament building is the Museum of Ethnography where you can also pay a visit or just enjoy the view and take a few pictures.
Note: There are always a lot of people from several countries, it’s a good opportunity to socialize.
8. Shopping street and square
If you like shopping you have to visit the shopping street and Vörösmarty Square. It is a beautiful street and square with a lot of shops and again amazing architecture. Besides shops selling clothes and accessories you can find a lot of souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants as well.
Tip: If you don’t have a budget you can also visit one of the Sky bars and enjoy some good food and view.
Note: The Christmas markets are also located at Vörösmarty Square every December.
7. Elizabeth square
You can find this square close to the Shopping street. It is a park with an amazing atmosphere. During summer there are people just sitting on the grass. There is a nice fountain and the Ferris wheel of Budapest. You can also find local goods and souvenirs here. One big curiosity is a tree of Michael Jackson located also in this park. This tree was dedicated to Michael after his death. You can find pictures of him pinned on this tree, also flowers or candles under it. This tree was dedicated to him because he often stayed in the Kempinski hotel right next to the park.
Tip: If you like parties you should go to Akvárium Klub that is also located in this park and it is one of the best meeting points in Budapest.
6. Margit sziget
This is an island located in the city on the river Danube. It is connected with a bridge, that means you can walk there or just take public transport. This island is like a huge park. It is around 2km long and there are several activities on this island. You can visit the Water tower, swimming pool, rose or Japanese gardens, the ruins of a Franciscan Monastery or chill at the singing fountain. It is an amazing place with an even more amazing vibe. During summer the Sziget festival, one of the biggest festivals of Europe or the world, is located here.
Tip: For all of the Pokemon Go players, this is the best spot to catch.
5. Nightmare in Budapest/minigolf
If besides sightseeing you also want to enjoy some funny activities I fully recommend you to visit the glowing minigolf. This is a very chill but also funny activity to do with your friends or family. I visited the INDOOR MiniGolf Budapest, this was a glowing in the dark minigolf experience also with a bar inside. For the brave ones there is also Nightmare in Budapest where you can try to escape from scary ghosts or killers played by actors.
4. Szimpla kert/for sale pub
If you like to party or just visiting special places, Szimpla kert is the right spot. It’s one of the Ruin Bars and also the most famous. It is a very special place where you can enjoy live music, food and drinks, farmers’ market and a lot more. It has some very interesting and artistic places and a garden. It is another one of the biggest meeting points where you can have fun in the evening with a lot of people from a lot of cultures. Another very unique place is For Sale Pub. This place is decorated with thousands of notes hanging on the ceiling or the walls of this place. If you visit this place your note can be also one of the thousands hanging there.
3. St. Stephen’s Basilica
This is one of the biggest churches in Hungary and it is located at Szt. István square in the center. Visiting the church is cheap and you can climb all the way to the top to enjoy the view. It is an historical place once again with beautiful architecture.
2. Buda castle
Is a huge castle standing above the Danube river on the Buda side of the city. One of the biggest attractions in Budapest, you have to visit the castle. After getting on the hill, by either foot, public transport or the Funicular, you can enjoy an amazing view of the whole city and the castle. Going down from the castle I recommend taking the stairs and visiting the Castle garden that is also stunning.
1. Fisherman’s Bastion
Definitely the most stunning of all is the Fisherman’s Bastion with the magical architecture. The atmosphere of this place is indescribable. You can enjoy a cup of coffee, an amazing view and take a lot of great pictures. You can also meet a lot of artists there like painters or musicians.
Note: It is a very popular place so you have to be ready that there are a lot of people.
During my last visit to this place I was lucky to meet a very nice older man who was a painter. We had a small chat. He was very nice, talkative and smart. We even took a picture together and he gave me some of his artwork. I’m a huge art lover and I fully support artists and street artists and Budapest is a rich city in this sphere, so if you are like me you’re gonna love this city.
I made a list of things I think you need to visit, but Budapest is a big and amazing city that is offering a lot more and everybody can find there something they prefere the most. There are a lot of bars and cafes, restaurants, beautiful buildings, parks and monuments. Here are my other tips: Holocaust Memorial Center, Hungarian National Museum, Dohány Street Synagogue, Hungarian State Opera, House of terror, Vajdahunyad Castle and more.
Choose your adventure: