Budapest for me is one of the hidden, underrated gems of Europe. And even though recently Budapest has seen a rise in tourism, its beautiful streets still remain more quiet than in most of Europe. Therefore, if you want to escape the crowds, and explore the city full of wonders – Budapest is the place to go. Not only you can see beautiful architecture that dates back to the 12th century, but also explore the city’s modern culture, amazing food and all without breaking your bank.
There is always so much to tell about a city, that is why I separate my articles into 3 very useful parts:
Part 1: Top Places to See in Budapest
Part 2: Best Places to Eat in Budapest
Part 3: Transport and Accommodation in Budapest
What to see?
This is my list of personal best things to do in Budapest, which you can do on a short weekend trip and on a small budget. For the best city sightseeing I really recommend taking one of the free Budapest walking tour, that you can easily find online.
1. Fisherman’s Bastion & Matthias Church
This was one of my favourite places on my journey to Budapest. It was like a Disney castle came to life and felt like a completely different city. From here you can also see the whole city in its beauty, with a view directly to the river and Budapest Parliament . In fact, there are two terraces on which you can enjoy the view. The lower terrace is free and I would highly recommend visiting it. From here you get amazing view on the city and the Parliament, which you can see on the picture below. The second terrace is about 2 metres higher and you need to buy a ticket for 1000 HUF (3 €) to visit it. I would advise against it as the view is completely the same 🙂
On the same square you can also find Matthias Church, which is one of the most intriguing churches I’ve ever seen. The church was built in the 14th century in Neo-Gothic style, however it’s roof is covered in thousands of colourful tiles, making it very modern. If you are intrigued by its architecture, I would really recommend visiting the inside of the church, as it is absolutely unique with it’s gilt walls and mosaic windows.
Price for Matthias Church:
Adults: 1800 HUF (5 €)
Students/retirees: 1 200 HUF (4 €)
Free for children under 6
Tip: you can also go up to the tower for a panoramic view of the city, which costs another 1800 HUF (5€). I would not recommend, as there are better free panoramic spots in the city 🙂
2. Buda Castle
Just a short walk away from the Matthias Church, you will stumble across the Buda Castle, which was once used by the Hungarian kings in Budapest. It was first completed in 1265, but the massive Baroque palace you can see today was built between 1749 and 1769.
Inside the Castle, you will find a Budapest museum: Hungarian National Gallery. Often there are several great exhibitions held inside, with art by Rubens, Van Dyck, Raphael, Rembrandt, Bogdány and many mine. So I would really recommend to visit, if you are interested in art. You can also purchase tickets online at their website to skip the queue and enter easily with your phone 🙂
Museum price:
Full price: HUF 3,200 (10€)
Reduced ticket for EEA citizens 6-26 years old: HUF 1,600 (5€)
Free for children under the age of 6; senior citizens over the age of 70
3. St. Stephen’s Basilica
St. Stephen’s Basilica is the biggest church in Budapest, which was built in 1851 in Neo-renaissance style. It is named in honour of Stephen, the first King of Hungary, so has a big symbolic value for Budapest. Make sure to visit the inside of the church, to enjoy the splendid marble interior. If you want, you can also climb on top of the dome for a little fee. The dome is 96 meters high, which is the highest building in Budapest (same as Budapest Parliament Building), so you can get a really nice view of the whole city.
Price: 300 HUF to enter (1 €)
Also, St. Stephen’s Basilica plays a very active role in the Budapest music scene. You can visit the Basilica on Monday at 5 pm to enjoy a classical organ concert. Tickets are HUF 3,000 (9 €).
Tip: You have to drop the coins in the box before entering the church, normally they do not check the amount or what you drop inside 🙂
4. Thermal Baths
There is a lot of debates about the best spa in Budapest. The two most popular ones are Széchenyi Thermal Bath (known for its size and variety of saunas) and Gellért Thermal Bath (known for its beautiful architecture). We were told by locals to not visit Széchenyi thermal on the weekends (especially on Saturday, as on Friday night they host parties there), so we headed there on Thursday. It was still suuuper crowded, to the point when we didn’t even want to enter the pool. In my opinion, the whole complex is a bit overhyped, and should definitely be cleaned and renovated.
Széchenyi Thermal Bath: Price on weekdays: 5800 HUF (17 €)Price on weekends: 6000 HUF (18 €)
Gellért Thermal Bath: Price on weekdays: 6200 HUF (19 €)Price on weekends: 6400 HUF (19 €)
As a local tip I was recommended Rudas Bath, which is a turkish style bath with a rooftop pool overlooking the Danube river. The Bath is more quiet and allows you to fully enjoy and relax in the thermal waters. However, normally only on Saturday and Sunday women and men can bathe together, other days are separate.
Rudas Bath: Price on weekdays: 5200 HUF (15 €)Price on weekends: 6500 HUF (19 €)
Tip: If you want to have a massage or other SPA procedures I would highly recommend booking it online a few days before, as when we visited Széchenyi Thermal Bath they had no free slots available.
5. Gellért Hill
This is the best free panoramic spot in the city I have mentioned before. Climbing Gellert Hill is a favourite thing to do in Budapest at night amongst the local crowd. Many people gather with friends to drink or have a picnic on the hill and watch the sun setting over the city. You can really see the whole city from up here, and at night when the city lights up, the view is really breathtaking. Here you can also see another famous Budapest attraction: a Citadella, which is a local statue of liberty.
6. Heroes’ Square & Vajdahunyad Castle
When visiting Széchenyi Thermal Bath we discovered a very cute park nearby and decided to take a stroll along it. The park has a beautiful castle that you can walk around and sit by the river, and just enjoy a quiet moment away from the big city. We were there in the evening, so the castle was closed, however we could still walk around the castle courtyard and enjoy the architecture. Personally, we enjoyed the castle from outside and didn’t feel the need to go inside. But if you come earlier in the day you can visit Museum of Agriculture inside of the castle.
Museum Price:
Adults: HUF 1,600 (5 €)
Students / Seniors: HUF 800 (2 €)
7. Hungarian Parliament Building
One of the most spectacular buildings of Budapest, that can be noticed nearly from everywhere in the city. It is worth seeing the building up close to admire it’s neo-gothic architecture and see the Hungarian patrol changing. You can also book a visit to see the inside of the Parliament, but our local friends suggested that it is not worth the money, so we haven’t done it.
Price:
EU citizens: 3500 HUF (10 €) (1900 HUF/6€ for students)
Non EU: 6700 HUF (20 €) (3500 HUF/ 10€ students)
8. Central Market Hall & Liberty Bridge
Central Market Hall is the biggest food market in Budapest. On the first floor you will find a range of fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and spices, and the second floor is filled with souvenirs and small stalls with food. We were lucky to visit Budapest in summer, when the market was full of fruits and fresh produce. We would just grab fresh cherries and have a little breakfast picnic along the Liberty Bridge, which is a 2 minute walk away from the market. Overall, it is a great opportunity to meet some locals and have a lovely time exploring the food.
To find out more about food in Budapest, best locations to stay in and which transport to use, check out my other articles:
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