A day in Budapest

Budapest is the capital of Hungary and a cultural, historical and social feast. The city is bisected by the River Danube and the 19th-century Chain Bridge connects the hilly Buda district with flat Pest. With the city running across the river it is inevitable that the river forms a major part of life in Budapest, with hundreds of cruises on offer as well as most of the major sites being close to the waterfront which makes the city very scenic and enjoyable to explore.

One in five Hungarian’s now live in the capital and with over 7 million tourists visiting the city each year it is a busy and thriving hub full of things to do and places to explore.

When to go: A year round destination, but more temperate from March-October. We visited in January and it was cold but blue skies.

Essentials to pack: Trainers for all the steps you’re going to get in! Sunglasses, as even in the winter the sun will probably be out at some point.

Currency: Hungarian Forint. £1 = 450 Forint (January 2024)

Must see: Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, Hungarian Parliament Building, River Cruise, Shoes on the Danube Bank, St. Stephen’s Basilica, Central Market Hall, Széchenyi Thermal Baths

How to get there: Train from London to Amsterdam (www.eurostar.com) and then Amsterdam to Budapest via Vienna (www.trainline.com) approx. £400 return, approx. 25 hours of travel time each way. Bus from London to Budapest approx. £200 return, 33 hours travel time each way (www.flixbus.com). 2.5 hour flights from London to Budapest approx. £75 return (www.skyscanner.com).

Public transport: There are trams and busses that run throughout the city but most of it is walkable in a day. The metro is also useful if you're going to sights further out of the city e.g. the thermal baths.

Where to stay: We didn’t stay the night here, as we visited from neighbouring city Vienna and had accommodation there. However, there is a lot of availability on Booking.com and Airbnb for places to stay smack bang in the middle of the city. Prices are more expensive here on weekends and in summer months as it is a very popular city break and destination for stag and hen parties.

TOP TIP: The Budapest Card comes in 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 hour versions. It gives you free entry to some attractions and discounts at others across the city as well as unlimited free public transport and hop on hop off bus tours. Some options include free river cruises or entry to thermal baths. They range in price from 33 euros for the 24 hour card to 92 euros for the 120 hour card. You can buy them online (https://www.budapestinfo.hu/en/webshop).

1 day itinerary:

8am:

You’ve arrived in the capital, and you’re excited to explore but also in need of some sustenance. If you’ve arrived into the main train or bus station it’s a 25 minute walk to the centre and to Szimply brunch and coffee shop. Refuel yourself here with a breakfast and a drink and take some time to settle in to the idea that you’re really here - listen to the Hungarian language being spoken around you, interspersed with other languages of tourists and visitors. Read the menu fully to find out what foods may be traditional here and take some photos for later if there’s anything you’d like to try elsewhere. You could even ask your server the words for “hello”, “please” and “thank you” - the best way to integrate yourself immediately in to a different culture.

10am:

Cross over the River Danube for the first time today by the closest foot bridge and make your way to Buda Castle. It’s quite a lot of stairs up to the castle and if you will struggle with this there is a funicular that can whisk you up to the top. The castle has an interesting history, first being built in the 1300’s but having been rebuilt, remodelled, damaged and raided several times over the years. It is one of the most prominent buildings on the landscape around Budapest as it sits high on Castle Hill.

You can wander around the gardens, courtyard and surroundings free of charge, or pay 13 euros to enter the castle and you can pay more for tours and such. We explored the free outside areas as it was a beautiful day and if you head to the side of the castle which sits above the river you can get magnificent views down over the Danube and Budapest.

11am:

A 10 minute walk will bring you to Matthias Church and the Fisherman’s Bastion - both unmissable sights in Budapest. Matthias Church was constructed in 1015 to serve the citizens of Budapest and is still used today as a Roman Catholic church. The gothic style of the building mixed with the delicate turrets and coloured tile roof combine to create a unique church unlike any other in Europe. Entry is free with the Budapest card or approx. 5 euros to enter on the day. Again, we simply admired this from outside.

Opposite the church is Fisherman’s Bastion which was built in the early 1900’s to celebrate the 1000th birthday of Budapest. Built as a viewing terrace with lookout towers on the base of a stretch of the castle walls. The intention was to give locals a communal panoramic terrace. The 7 towers feature 7 Hungarian Chieftains who had led their tribes to the present day Hungary to settle down in 895, as well as the statue of St Stephen, the first Hungarian King. The arrangement of the bastion was arced around the church to embrace it and enhance its’ beauty, whilst also connecting the Castle hilltop with the Danube settlement below. One thing’s for sure - it certainly delivers on those panoramic views.

*View of the Hungarian Parliament Building from a turret at Fisherman’s Bastion*

Stop for a drink at Panoramia Café & Bar, it’s worth the premium prices for the view you can enjoy whilst there and is almost built into the bastion itself.

1:00pm:

Wind your way back down a set of steps and sloped pathways to the waterfront below Fisherman’s Bastion and to your right you’ll see the famous Széchenyi Chain Bridge. This iconic landmark was built in the 19th century and was designed by William Tierney Clark. The suspension bridge is beautifully constructed and illuminated at night. It has become to Budapest what Brooklyn Bridge is to New York City - a must visit!

Cross over the bridge and then turn right to find the pontoon where you’ve booked onto a river cruise. We recommend Legenda City Cruises. We went on the daytime Duna Bella tour, a 1 hour 15 minutes trip on the boat including an alcoholic drink, soft drink and audio guide, all for 15 euros per person! https://legenda.hu/en

2:30pm:

Once you get off the boat, we imagine you’ll be Hungary! Walk the 20 minutes south along the river to the Central Market Hall and enjoy a feast for all the senses. You can buy pretty much anything here, but food is upstairs and can be quite busy with long queues. It’s worth it as the produce is fresh and cooked to order. You can try a lot of the traditional Hungarian food here too.

3.30pm:

Leaving the Market Hall feeling much more tranquil after a good meal, walk along to Tram stop “Marcius 15. ter” and get the iconic yellow number 2 tram all along the front of the Danube. The views are great, and it’s only two stops until you get off, and then a short walk to the Shoes on the Danube Bank installation.

The Shoes on the Danube Bank is a memorial erected in 2005 by sculptor Gyula Pauer on the east bank of the river. The film director Can Togay conceived the idea in honour of the Jews who were massacred by Hungarian military in Budapest in WW2. The Jews were ordered to take off their shoes (shoes were valuable and could be stolen and resold by the militia after the massacre), and were shot at the edge of the water so that their bodies fell into the river and were carried away. The memorial represents their shoes left behind on the bank. The memorial is a very sombre reminder of the amount of history that the city has seen, and as a descendant of German Jews, I found this very moving.

4:00pm:

A short 5 minute walk further up the river will take you to the Hungarian Parliament building, which you’ll have gotten a great look at from the river cruise (the best way to see it in all it’s magnificence!). The Parliament building is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary as well as a notable landmark and popular tourist destination. It was designed by Hungarian architect Imre Steindl in neo-Gothic style and opened in 1902. It has been the largest and most jaw-dropping building in Hungary since its completion. For 30 euros per person you can take a tour of the building. Have a drink in one of the bars running behind the building on Alkotmány u. to admire the building for a while.

5:00pm:

Walk 20 minutes to the Oktogon metro station and take the metro 5 stops out of the city to Széchenyi fürdő, the location of the Széchenyi Thermal Baths. These are a very popular tourist attraction which has to be booked far in advance (tickets go on sale at least a month before so keep an eye on the website - https://www.szechenyibath.hu/prices) it costs around 30 euros per person depending on the day you visit and whether or not you book extras such as lockers or time in the spa.

The Széchenyi Thermal Baths are grand and ornate and were built in 1913 to make use of the natural hot water springs beneath the city. There are a few big pools here all of different temperatures and there is also a bar and restaurant on site. We recommend you time your visit so that you arrive in the light and are there when dusk and darkness falls, as it’s a lovely space to see illuminated too.

7.00pm:

Leaving the thermal baths, head back into the city by foot so that you can see a bit of the park as well as Heroes Square just outside of the park. This is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, with statues of the leaders of 7 tribes who founded Hungary and is beautifully lit up at night.

A short 10 minute walk away is your dinner stop for the night, Regos Vendeglo, an intimate and cosy, highly rated restaurant serving traditional Hungarian food. You could try goulash, chicken paprikash, or langos topped off with a chimney cake - yum! Take your time over dinner and don’t rush to leave. You’ve done a lot of walking and exploring today, and now is the time to relax.

When you are ready to leave, walk off your dinner by ambling down Andrássy út. You will see many grand buildings which serve as apartments, educational hubs and cultural centres. One of these is the impressive Hungarian State Opera house. Stop at the Pálinka Museum at which you are entitled to a free taster of the Hungarian drink Pálinka if you show your entry ticket to the thermal baths. Soak in the atmosphere around St Stephen’s Basilica and perhaps go to a bar near here before seeking out Budapest’s famous “Ruin Bars”.

Ruin bars were born at the turn of the new millennium from the gentrifying urban decay of the city's 7th District. These creative and cobbled-together bars quite literally hijack ruins – abandoned warehouses, empty parking lots, historic buildings – and call them home. Pop into Szimpla Kert and Instant-Fogas complex for a look at some of the best examples in the city, enjoying a drink as you marvel at the space you’re in. The range of different styles is interesting and a great way to end your day of adventure and exploration in Budapest.

Egészségére (cheers!)

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