Budapest

Beneath Budapest’s streets lie more than 200 caves, and one of them, below Buda Castle, reportedly served as a prison for Vlad Tepes, the fifteenth-century Wallachian prince who became the basis for Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula. This is the kind of detail that the city keeps tucking away under its grand Baroque facades. Budapest rewards the visitor who looks past the thermal baths and Parliament photos, though those are worth your time too, if you approach them correctly.

What Makes Budapest Different

Budapest is two cities merged into one in 1873. Buda occupies the hilly western bank of the Danube, dominated by Castle Hill and the Citadella fortress above Gellért Hill. Pest stretches flat to the east, holding the Parliament building, the ruin bars, the great market hall, and most of the hotels and restaurants. The Danube running between them is neither quaint nor picturesque in the way travel photography implies; it is wide, fast, and brown, and the bridges crossing it, particularly the Chain Bridge and Liberty Bridge, are among the finest pieces of nineteenth-century engineering in Central Europe.

The city’s turbulent twentieth century left deep marks. Budapest was heavily bombed in World War Two, then occupied by Soviet forces in 1945, then crushed during the 1956 uprising, then gradually rebuilt and repopulated. The Shoes on the Danube memorial, sixty pairs of iron shoes fixed to the riverbank north of the Chain Bridge, marks the spot where Arrow Cross militiamen shot Jewish residents into the Danube in 1944 and 1945. It is one of the most affecting war memorials in Europe and costs nothing to visit.

Key Attractions

The Hungarian Parliament Building is the third-largest parliament building in the world and one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture anywhere. From January 2026, standard admission for non-EEA citizens is 14,000 HUF for adults and 7,000 HUF for students aged 6 to 24; EEA citizens pay 7,000 HUF and 3,500 HUF respectively. Tours include a guided or audio-guided 45-minute route through the main halls. Book online well in advance: in summer, guided slots sell out one to three weeks ahead. The building is closed to tourists when Parliament is in session, which is not predictable far in advance, so check the booking portal for availability on your specific dates.

Buda Castle sits on Castle Hill above the Danube and houses the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum. The surrounding Castle District contains a warren of Baroque streets, Matthias Church, and the Fisherman’s Bastion, the latter being one of the most photographed spots in the city. It is pleasant but crowded; arrive before 9am if you want the terrace to yourself. The funicular from Clark Ádám Square at the base of the hill is the classic way up, but the climb on foot from the south side takes around fifteen minutes and is less congested.

St Stephen’s Basilica is the largest church in Budapest and houses, in a side chapel, the mummified right hand of Hungary’s first Christian king, Stephen I, who died in 1038. The hand is carried in procession through the streets on 20 August, Hungary’s national holiday. Climbing to the dome gives panoramic views across Pest.

Széchenyi Thermal Bath is the largest and most famous of Budapest’s thermal complexes, housed in a yellow Neo-Baroque palace in City Park. From 2026, weekday admission starts at around 13,200 HUF and weekends at around 14,800 HUF, following a price rise of roughly 5% from January. Note that as of August 2025, children under fourteen are prohibited from entering thermal baths across Budapest under new health regulations. There are no towels included with standard admission; bring your own or rent one on site. Saturday nights through most of the year feature Sparty, a pool party event with DJs and lighting, which requires a separate ticket and sells out regularly. For a quieter experience, Rudas Baths on the Buda side is a better choice: the central domed pool dates to Ottoman rule in the sixteenth century, the architecture is more atmospheric, and it draws fewer tourists.

The Great Market Hall (Központi Vásárcsarnok) near Liberty Bridge is a cast-iron and tile structure from 1896 that sells fresh produce, paprika, salami, and lángos (deep-fried dough topped with sour cream and cheese) across three floors. The upper floor souvenir stalls are aimed at tourists and can be skipped, but the ground-floor food stalls are where locals shop.

A hidden gem worth the detour: the fourth floor of the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library in the Józsefváros district. The building looks like an ordinary public library from outside, but the reading rooms on the upper floor are housed in a restored Baroque palace with ornate ceilings and gilded details. You can walk in during opening hours without a membership.

Ruin Bars

Budapest’s ruin bars occupy derelict buildings in the seventh district, the former Jewish Quarter, and fill them with mismatched furniture, outdoor courtyards, and cheap drinks. Szimpla Kert opened in 2002 and remains the original. It is now the most tourist-heavy of the group, but it functions as a farmers’ market on Sunday mornings, which gives it a different and more local character than the night-time version. Instant-Fogas Complex on Akácfa utca is the largest single nightlife venue in the city. Beers typically cost 1,500 to 2,500 HUF and cocktails around 2,500 to 3,500 HUF. Keep an eye on your belongings in crowded venues.

Where to Eat

Gundel in City Park is Budapest’s most famous grand-dining institution, expensive by local standards but genuinely historic. The Gundel palacsinta (pancake filled with walnut and rum, flamed tableside) has been on the menu since 1894.

Mazel Tov in the Jewish Quarter operates as a community centre and restaurant by day and a courtyard bar in the evenings. The food draws on Central European Jewish tradition, the courtyard is covered with greenery, and it is considerably calmer than the ruin bars at peak hours.

Auguszt Cukrászda is the city’s most respected pastry shop, with several branches. The dobos torte (layered sponge with caramel top) and Esterházy torte are both worth ordering.

Bors GasztroBar near Blaha Lujza tér serves creative Hungarian street food from a small counter. The lines move quickly and the food is excellent value by any standard. Cash is useful here.

For lángos, the Great Market Hall versions are reliable; avoid the tourist-targeted stands on the Buda side of the Chain Bridge.

Where to Stay

The Ritz-Carlton Budapest on Erzsébet tér is at the top end of the market, with an excellent location between Deák tér and the Danube. The rooftop bar is open to non-guests and worth a drink for the view.

Hotel Moments Budapest near the State Opera House offers comfortable mid-range rooms in a well-connected location. The Opera neighbourhood is genuinely pleasant for walking and slightly less saturated with tourist traffic than the areas immediately around the Chain Bridge.

Wombats City Hostel near Keleti train station is the most practical budget option, with dorms and private rooms in a building that is clean and well-run. Keleti is a major transport hub, which makes onward connections simple.

Budapest Card

The Budapest Card covers unlimited travel on public transport and gives a 20% discount at Széchenyi Baths, along with free or reduced entry at several museums. The 24-hour card costs around 7,990 HUF and the 72-hour card around 18,990 HUF. For a three-day trip that includes the thermal baths and multiple museums, it is likely worth the outlay. For a single day, run the numbers against your itinerary first.

Getting Around

Budapest’s metro has four lines and is cheap and fast. The M1 (the yellow line) is the oldest underground railway on the European continent, dating to 1896, and runs under Andrássy Avenue connecting the city centre to City Park. Trams are useful for moving along the Danube; the 2 tram along the Pest embankment offers some of the best views in the city from ground level. Taxis from the airport (Budapest Ferenc Liszt International) to the city centre take 30 to 40 minutes and cost around 8,000 to 12,000 HUF on the meter; pre-booked transfers are slightly cheaper and more reliable.

Timing and Crowd Avoidance

May, June, and September are the most comfortable months to visit. July and August are hot (often over 35°C), crowded, and expensive. The thermal baths are better on weekday mornings before 10am; the Parliament tours are most competitive for booking in July and August. The Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church area is at its worst on summer weekend afternoons; a visit at 8am before the tour groups arrive is an entirely different experience.

One practical note: Hungary’s currency is the forint. Budapest is not a eurozone city, and while some tourist businesses accept euros, you will get poor rates. Withdraw forints at an ATM on arrival and avoid exchange kiosks near tourist sites.