Whether you are a first time visitor or just looking for new things to see and do in Budapest, we have listed the best things for you to do in Budapest. Take a dip in one of the city’s famous baths, taste the local cuisine, check out some of the cool, funky ruin bars, walk across the Chain Bridge or just sit, relax and people-watch at one of the great cafes. Budapest has so many things to see and do that you will want to spend at least a few days exploring the city. What to do in Budapest? We have included it all in our blog below!
Budapest, the capital of Hungary and considered by many to be the “Paris of the East”. It is one of the most culturally important metropolises in Eastern Europe and is home to numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Popular attractions range from impressive architecture and poignant reminders of 20th-century history, to vibrant cultural and entertainment scenes with everything from street buskers to classical concerts in beautiful churches.
We fell love with the city straight away, we loved the wide range of restaurants, coffee shops and the architecture of the buildings. We originally had 4 nights booked but decided to stay an extra night because we loved it so much.
Where to stay in Budapest?
Buda and Pest while connected today still have a different feeling and vibe in each. Buda is semi suburban, laid-back and green. Dominated by the Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion and the Liberation Monument atop Gellért Hill. Buda is the calm and quiet one among the two siblings.
Pest is energetic and raw with a dynamic mix of areas that keeps things interesting. Pest is the commercial heart of Budapest and also the heart of the city’s nightlife and dining scene. The best option when it comes to finding accommodation in Budapest is to focus on the Pest side of the Danube (the east bank) home to wide cobbled streets, great cafes, ruin bars as well as attractions such as the Parliament Buildings and the Museum of Fine Arts.
Budapest’s district 7 or better known as the Jewish quarter is a great option for those who are interested in Budapest’s famous nightlife and especially in the ruin bar scene. While there are plenty of places to stay in the Jewish quarter that are quiet, overall it’s the liveliest district and is full of bars and restaurants to enjoy. Budapest’s Jewish quarter is also the site of the former Budapest ghetto prior to WWII, which housed a large Jewish community in this district. Making this a great area to stay in Budapest for those interested in Jewish history and heritage. The Jewish Quarter is one of the most exciting places in Budapest with quirky design shops, street food, street art and eccentric ruin bars.
Stay in the centrally located Roombach 7 Apartments!
We booked 3 nights at Roombach 7 Apartment, it was located just on the boarder of the jewish quarter but still close to the metro and the city. Downstairs was a great cafe called Sonkapult that served delicious breakfast like açai bowls, smashed avo on toast and they have the best coffees in Budapest.
Roomback 7 apartments are small budget friendly self contained apartments and come with a kitchen, small dining table and chairs, spacious lounge room with a bed. We paid approximately $100 AUD a night. The location of the apartments was fantastic, it was close to great cafes, restaurants and bars.
Check out Roombach 7 Apartments HERE.
What to do in Budapest?
Saint Stephen’s Basilica
St. Stephen’s Basilica the largest church in Budapest, is dedicated to Hungary’s first king, St. Stephen. The Neoclassical cathedral can hold approximately 8,500 people at any given time. For beautiful panoramic views of Budapest walk up the stairs (364 to be exact) or take the elevators up to the dome’s observation deck (open April 1st through Oct 31st). There’s no cost to enter the church, but there is a nominal fee of HUF 500 to go up to the observation deck. The Basilica has two bell towers and holds Hungary’s largest bell weighing 9.5 tons , which is located in the south tower. If your wanting to take a photo of the church with no crowds we would recommend waking up early and capturing the sunrise over the church. There is an array of coffee shops and restaurants around the Basilica and it is a great location to enjoy a coffee and people watch.
Chain Bridge
The Szechenyi Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans the river Denube between Buda and Pest, which are the western and eastern sides of Budapest. It was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Hungary and opened in 1849. Now one of the most photographed attractions in Budapest and often photographed at sunset because the bridge is lit up by the many lights dotted along the suspension chains. Also as the beautiful surrounding attractions along the river light up in the distance, making the bridge the centre point of attraction. You can take in so much beauty of Budapest by standing on the bridge. The lights on the river, the sky over budapest, the hungarian parliament, the Buda Castle, the Gresham Palace, churches and 19th century residential buildings. We loved walking along the Pest river side at night and watching all the lights come to life. There are many bars located along the river where you can enjoy a drink and watch the sun go down.
Hero’s Square
The impressive Heroes’ Square (Hosök tere) was largely the work of architect Albert Schickedanz, who was also responsible for the huge Museum of Fine Arts that flanks this large open space. Highlights include the Millennium Monument, a 36-meter column crowned by a figure of the Archangel Gabriel and unveiled in the late 19th century. Around the plinth can be seen a group of bronze horsemen representing the conquering Magyar Prince Árpád and six of his fellow warriors. On either side of the column, colonnades extend in a semi-circle and between the individual pillars stand statues of Hungarian rulers. Above the corner pillars are beautiful works in bronze by Zala. In front of the Millennium Monument stands a memorial to the Unknown Soldier. It really is a must see to add to your list of what to do in Budapest. We captured this picture early in the morning while there were no crowds.
Hungarian Parliament House
A highlight of walking around Budapest’s lovely pedestrian-friendly cobbled streets is the area around the country’s architecturally pleasing Parliament building. The world’s third largest parliament building, this Neo-Gothic building was inaugurated in 1886 to mark the country’s 1,000th anniversary. (Hungary was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.) It boasts 691 rooms as well as an impressive 19 kilometers of corridors and stairs. 45 minute guided tours are available whenever the government is not sitting and include many of the building’s highlights, such as the main entrance hall, various lobbies, and the Hungarian Crown Jewels.
Take a walk to Parliament house just before sunset to get the golden light reflecting off the magnificent building.
Gellért Bath
Budapest is well known for its thermal baths and is the spa centre of Europe so visit a thermal bath should be on top of your “What to do in Budapest” list. Budapest city sits on a patchwork of hot springs that spout mineral-rich healing waters into numerous thermal baths, many of them dating back centuries. There are two main baths known as Széchenyi thermal bath and Gellért Bath.
Gellért Spa is famous for its main hall with gallery and glass roof, built in Art-Nouveau style. The Gellért Baths complex includes thermal baths, which are small pools containing water from Gellért hill’s mineral hot springs. The complex also includes saunas and plunge pools, an open-air swimming pool which can create artificial waves every 30 minutes and an outdoor swimming pool. A Finish sauna with a cold pool is also enclosed within the complex.
Opening hours are from 6am- 8pm and ticket prices are listed below. You can book online here.
- Adult ticket on weekdays, with locker: 5 900 HUF (Approximately $28 AUD)
- Adult ticket on weekends and holidays, with locker: 6 100 HUF (Approximately $30 AUD)
Fisherman’s Bastion
The Fisherman’s Bastion – world famous for its turrets and for spires – is one of the most well-known attractions of the Buda Castle area. Overlooking the Danube river where the fishermen’s guild built their defense walls in the Middle Ages, is the impressive Fisherman’s Bastion. The Neo-Romanesque complex of towers, courtyards, colonnades and walls was built between 1895 and 1902.
It’s one of the most popular points in the city for tourists, with its views over the city and the Danube. In the south courtyard stands a bronze equestrian statue of St. Stephen, the first King of Hungary. The reliefs on the sides of the base depict scenes from Stephen’s life. The Fisherman’s Bastion is one of the attractions that can be visited all day and is open any time. We visited at 9am and already it was very busy with tourists. TOP TIP – try get there super early if you want to take uninterrupted photos. Bus loads of tourist arrive here constantly throughout the day.
Don’t you think the tower reminds you of Walt Disney films logo?
New York Cafe
One of the most well known cafes in Budapest and possibly Eastern Europe’s most famous cafe is New York Cafe. At the turn of the 20th century the New York Café (New York Kávéház) was the most beautiful and the most beloved coffee house in Budapest. The ground floor has been a longtime center for Hungarian literature and poetry. The statues and other ornaments on the facade of the building as well as the café’s 16 imposing devilish fauns are the works of Károly Senyei. Sit back beneath the glittering chandeliers and art deco splendour, order a kávé (coffee in Hungarian) and revel in an old-world glamour.
TOP TIP- We recommend booking a table online if you are wanting to sit in the presence of this marvellous building. They did not have any availability for walk ins as we found the hard way. Once we arrived we realised the que was almost out onto the street and we couldn’t get a table. However we still walked in to admire the decor and interior, and to take some photos. Book a table online HERE.
Explore Budapest by Hop on Hop Off buses.
If your not really the walking around all day type (or if you carry lots of camera equipment like us) then you do have another option. Budapest is a fairly spread out city with many attractions scattered throughout.
The Site Seeing Budapest Hop On Hop Off tours offer you practical and convenient city sightseeing by bus, showing you the most famous Budapest’s sights. A great way to see all the top historical attractions from the open top cool double decker bus. Guiding is provided through headphones or live guiding where you can select from several languages to listen to the guide. Theres are 4 different routes and up to 59 stops. The tickets are valid for 48 hours so even if you don’t get to see all the attractions in one day you can get on the bus and see them the next day. Hop on and off as many times as you wish to take the tour at your own pace.
You can add a Boat Tour to your Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour Ticket and enjoy the views from the Danube River. We added the boat tour to our route and chose to take the last boat just before sunset. The boat takes you on a lap through Danube river and past Margaret Island.
Book your tickets online HERE.
Cost- $22 Euros for the city route
Ruin Bars
Its almost impossible to think of Budapest without its Ruin Bars. Szimpla Kert located on the bustling Kazinczy Street in the old Jewish quarter, is the mother of all ruin pubs. Ruin bars are built in Budapest’s old District VII neighbourhood in the ruins of abandoned buildings, stores, or lots. This neighbourhood was left to decay after World War II, so it was a perfect place to develop an underground bar scene. Szimpla Kert once an abandoned factory has a large open courtyard, a top floor filled with eccentric furniture, cocktail bars, music, and every room has a different theme.
We arrived during the day for a beer and a wine and as soon as we walked in we entered the inner courtyard and found ourself in the middle of a hip, artsy, and funky bar, bustling with crowds talking, dancing, and enjoying the laid-back atmosphere. There are many companies that offer “Ruin Bar Tours” which take you to all the best ruin bars where you can learn about the history, traditional drinks and food all while you enjoy a beer or ten,
Where to eat?
Budapest is known for having delicious food that doesn’t need to break the bank. Menus tend to be meat-heavy, but there are plentiful vegan and vegetarian options too. Some of the best restaurants in Budapest also draw inspiration from the city’s sizeable Jewish community, with Mediterranean and Israeli-leaning sharing plates a locals’ go-to.
Our favourite cafe to eat breakfast and conveniently located next to our apartments was Sonkapult Cafe. Our favourite dishes were the Acai bowl, omelette and the avocado on toast with feta and pomegranate. Sonkapult Cafe is a small cosy cafe that also has seating available outside.
For lunch we would eat at the Hummus Bar which serves middle eastern style cuisine. A tiny place in the lovely area of Kertesz, serves hummus, falafels, pitas, wraps, soups and salads. If you love hummus than you will love the variety of Hummus served at the Hummus Bar. We loved that there were plenty of Vegan/Vegetarian options.
OTHER MUST SEES
Unfortuanly there was so many more attractions and things we wanted to see but we ran out of time. Here is a list of other recommendations you can do while in Budapest.
- Buda Castle
- Gellert Hill and Citadella
- Margaret Island
- Rudas Bath
- Széchenyi Thermal Bath
- Enjoy a performance at the world famous Budapest Opera House.
Our trip to Budapest was short and sweet however we made the most of our time in this. Budapest’s rich blend of culture, art, and architecture will leave you thoroughly charmed.
We hope you enjoyed reading our blog and that it helps to make your next trip to Budapest fun and stress free!
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