Central Hungary, on the Danube · Hungary
Two cities on either bank of the Danube: a hilltop castle in Buda, grand boulevards in Pest, thermal baths, ruin bars and a Parliament that glows at night.
Photo: Pierre Blaché · CC0
Budapest was created in 1873 from three towns, Buda, Óbuda and Pest, either side of the Danube, and it remains a city of two halves. Buda, on the west bank, is hilly and old, with the castle, the medieval Matthias Church and the Fisherman's Bastion on Castle Hill. Pest, on the east, is flat and busy, with wide boulevards, the neo-Gothic Parliament, cafés and the nightlife of the Jewish Quarter. Its riverbanks and Buda Castle Quarter are together a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Its golden age came in the late 19th century, when Budapest was the second capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and much of its grandeur dates from then: the Opera House, St. Stephen's Basilica, the Chain Bridge and the Great Market Hall. Underneath, the city sits on more than 100 thermal springs, and bathing in hot pools, from the palatial Széchenyi to the Ottoman-era Rudas, is a central experience.
By night, Budapest turns lively. The ruin bars, set in abandoned buildings in the old Jewish Quarter, started the trend in the early 2000s, and Szimpla Kert is the best known. The food scene has grown too, with modern Hungarian restaurants alongside traditional goulash and chimney cake. Three or four days is ideal, and it is a good base for day trips.
Why visit
Budapest is one of Europe's most beautiful and best-value capitals.
Parliament, the castle and the Opera.
Hot springs and palatial pools.
Bridges and the riverside at night.
Eclectic and lively.
Cheaper than Vienna or Prague.
Main attractions
Budapest's sights are on both sides of the river, linked by bridges and trams.
A neo-Gothic riverside palace opened in 1904, with 691 rooms, the Holy Crown of Hungary and a grand staircase, visited on guided tours.
Tip Book tours in advance.
A fairy-tale terrace of white turrets with views across the Danube to Pest, beside the Gothic Matthias Church.
Tip Go at sunrise for no queue.
A huge neo-baroque bath complex in City Park with outdoor pools, saunas and steam rooms, open year-round.
Tip Book tickets online.
A grand 1897 market hall with stalls of paprika, salami and produce, and a food court upstairs serving lángos.
Tip Go in the morning.
The first permanent bridge across the Danube in Budapest, opened in 1849, and lit at night.
Tip Walk it at dusk.
The city's largest church, with a dome you can climb for 360-degree views.
Tip Take the lift.
The original ruin bar, in a former stove factory, with mismatched furniture and lively courtyards.
Tip Visit at opening time.
Things to do
Budapest is for baths, boats and bars.
Széchenyi, Gellért or Rudas.
Tip Book a cabin.
A boat at night.
Tip Choose a sunset trip.
Synagogues, street art and bars.
Tip Visit the Great Synagogue.
For the best view.
Tip Go at sunset.
A scenic line beside the Danube.
Tip Cheap.
In wine bars.
Tip Try Furmint.
Local food
Budapest's food ranges from cheap market stalls to fine dining.
Paprika beef soup.
Where to try it Traditional restaurants.
Fried flatbread.
Where to try it Market Hall.
A sweet spiral pastry.
Where to try it Street stalls.
Layered cake.
Where to try it Cafés.
Fruit brandy.
Where to try it Bars.
Accommodation
Stay in Pest for convenience.
Transport
Budapest has an international airport and rail links.
Transit is cheap and frequent.
When to go
Budapest has hot summers and cold winters.
Mild.
Hot, with festivals.
Warm and golden.
Cold, with Christmas markets and steaming baths.
Worth planning around: The hottest July days.
Itinerary
Buda, Pest, the baths and a day trip.
Castle Hill.
Boulevards and markets.
A soak.
The Danube Bend.
Travel tips
A few tips help you plan.
FAQ
Three or four.
Széchenyi is the most famous, and Gellért the most elegant.
Yes, with normal precautions.
Yes.
Bars in derelict buildings with eclectic decor.
Some places accept them, but use forints.
Keep exploring
Places that pair well with Budapest, whether you have a few spare days or are building a longer route.
Pest and Komárom-Esztergom, north of Budapest, Hungary
A day-trip loop from Budapest to the baroque artists' town of Szentendre, the royal citadel at Visegrád and the basilica at Esztergom, along a picturesque stretch of the Danube.
Don't miss The view from Visegrád's citadel over the Danube's great S-shaped bend.
Explore Destination — The Danube BendHeves, northern Hungary, Hungary
A baroque town with a 16th-century castle, Europe's northernmost minaret, thermal baths and family cellars in the Szépasszony-völgy, home of Egri Bikavér, Bull's Blood wine.
Don't miss Tasting Bull's Blood red wine in a cellar carved into the hillside of the Valley of the Beautiful Women.
Explore Destination — EgerTransdanubia, western Hungary, Hungary
A 77-km-long lake with the Tihany Peninsula, Badacsony's basalt hills and wine, Balatonfüred's promenade and the Festetics Palace at Keszthely, popular for swimming, sailing and wine.
Don't miss Tihany Abbey on its peninsula above the lake at sunset, with lavender fields in July.
Explore Destination — Lake BalatonRead next
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