Short Stay in Budapest - What to do

[serfty]

Later this year I'm planning two full days in Budapest (three nights).

I have created this thread for suggestions about what to see, do, stay, where to visit etc.

Any suggestions, comments and discussion about experiences will be appreciated.

 

[p--and--t]

20yrs ago now but riding on their quaint line 1 "underground" the oldest in Europe and second oldest in the world was a unique experience

Buda Castle is often quoted as a must visit.

We spent half a day at Széchenyi Thermal Bath - amazing complex

Viewing the "Wedding Cake" parliament building from the river was a great photo opportunity

I missed this when we were there

 

[RooFlyer]

Viewing the "Wedding Cake" parliament building from the river was a great photo opportunity

Looking for the bullet holes left over from the revolution!

 

[SYD]

We were there for a week over Christmas (first time there). Should be pretty easy to fill 2d / 3n!

Get the BudapestGo app beforehand to buy the airport bus fare into town (if you’re planning on that). Plus you can then get metro tickets in app that you scan to use.

Here’s a list of the usual suspects

The best things to do in Budapest in 2025

Thermal spas, ruin bars and leafy parks await you

www.timeout.com

You can walk up to the castle if there’s conga line for the funicular. Probably allow 1/2 d to walk across the bridge and up and around the various bits. Note that there’s a lot of reconstruction going on. A lot of what people saw over the last 20-30 years was cheap reconstructions done by the Soviets. They’re gradually pulling a lot down and redoing stuff again.

Our host talk his way into the New York cafe (skipping the conga line). It’s very flash, horribly overrated and over priced, plus riddled with effluencers.

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

Spend a day just wandering around Buda side for all the heritage

 

[Bundy Bear]

I think @kpc will be a good one to give you ideas, he seems to have perfected the art on visiting European cities for a few days, google Budapest and sign up for a few emails and you will get spammed by Facebook ads in a short time.

 

[kpc]

I think @kpc will be a good one to give you ideas, he seems to have perfected the art on visiting European cities for a few days, google Budapest and sign up for a few emails and you will get spammed by Facebook ads in a short time.

Has been 9 years since I visited Budapest so memory is fading...

Sign up for a "free walking tour"...i remember doing a couple to get oriented to the city.

Free Walking Tours in Budapest | FREETOUR.com

Learn interesting facts and enjoy views of the Danube and the city's majestic landmarks. Explore Budapest with a free tour to discover its history and culture

www.freetour.com

Have a coffee here instead of the expensive touristy New York Cafe or do both

Log in to Facebook

Log in to Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family and people you know.

www.facebook.com

We stayed at Hilton Budapest which is in the Castle District which is on a hill overlooking Budapest Parliament House. The Exec lounge has excellent views! It is not in the city but a short walk (climb) away....there is a bus

If you have time, you can do an English tour of Parliament House

We visited the famous

Szechenyi Baths

Szechenyi Spa Baths Budapest Tickets Guide & Booking

szechenyibath.com

But in the end did not go in for a soak....

Check out a Ruin Bar

Ruin bars in Budapest 👉️ The history of the best Hungarian pubs

Ruin bars in Budapest play an essential role in the nightlife of the capital of Hungary ⭐ Discover the history of the best ruin pubs in Neverland’s article!

neverland.hu

Tbh, Hungarian food was not to my liking....and they eat lots of animal parts I don't normally eat. ;

Added:
Visit: Great Market Hall - Wikipedia

...a bit like Melbourne's Victoria Market. Lots of food here!

 

[Human]

Don’t miss the “Terror House”: the former Secret Police headquarters which is now a memorial/museum. Moving, informative, and very well done.

You won’t understand Hungary and Hungarians until you’ve understood their recent history….

 

[kamchatsky]

We stayed 3 nights at IC Budapest with River view. The view of the Buda Castle from the hotel room is excellent, but the room was very dated.



We did the following:

- Buda Castle
- Hungarian Parliament Building tour (well worth it)
- Heroes' Square
- Széchenyi Baths and Pool
- Central Market Hall
- Danube River Cruise
- Fisherman's Bastion
- St Stephen Basilica
- New York Cafe Budapest (New York Café Budapest)

We used the following 2 websites for research:

Budapest Info - The Official Tourist Website of Budapest

Explore top attractions, sightseeing programs, events, and useful info for first-time or returning visitors to Budapest. Stay updated with the latest news!

www.budapestinfo.hu

https://visithungary.com/discover-budapest

 

[RooFlyer]

I'm sure you'll have quite enough to do in Budapest, serfty, but going (driving) down the Danube towards Bratislava you'll find some fantastic stuff.

Just out of Gyor about 90 mins west of Budapest is the town of Pannonhalmi, with its World Heritage listed Benedictine ArchAbbey (est 996) on the hill overlooking the town. The second largest territorial abbey in the world. A great deal has been spent to make this an attractive visiting place. There is a modern visitors centre about half way up the hill, undercover parking and friendly staff; modern toilets. After buying a ticket and audioguide, the Abbey is reached via boardwalks though a very pleasant forest. (You no longer have to take a guided tour.)

The highlight of the visit is the Library, one of the most beautiful rooms I have ever visited.

 

[ausfox]

The city market is a great place for a casual lunch.

 

[I love to travel]

We were there for a week over Christmas (first time there). Should be pretty easy to fill 2d / 3n!

Get the BudapestGo app beforehand to buy the airport bus fare into town (if you’re planning on that). Plus you can then get metro tickets in app that you scan to use.

Here’s a list of the usual suspects

The best things to do in Budapest in 2025

Thermal spas, ruin bars and leafy parks await you

www.timeout.com

You can walk up to the castle if there’s conga line for the funicular. Probably allow 1/2 d to walk across the bridge and up and around the various bits. Note that there’s a lot of reconstruction going on. A lot of what people saw over the last 20-30 years was cheap reconstructions done by the Soviets. They’re gradually pulling a lot down and redoing stuff again.

Our host talk his way into the New York cafe (skipping the conga line). It’s very flash, horribly overrated and over priced, plus riddled with effluencers.

Thanks really helpful post

 

[Scash]

Agree with @SYD re the funicular. When we were there about 18 months ago the line was crazy so we walked up. A bit of a hike but not too bad.

We also did an evening Prosecco cruise which was amazing with pretty much free flow Prosecco.



Walking tours for me are worth it plus also look for the mini sculptures scattered around.



And for the sad part of their history there’s the shoes on the Danube memorial.

 

[serfty]

Thanks for the tips and advice. Staying first night at airport havinga10pm arrival and booked accomfation in theCastle area the other nights - have up to six months to plan.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Only briefly mentioned by p-and-t, but the thermal baths are one of the biggest pass times / attractions in budapest.

The thermal baths at the Gellert Hotel are stunning, built in the early 1900s IIRC. The main swimming pool was covered by glass and used as the floor to the ballroom.

Sadly the hotel I think is closed, but the baths are still open.

edited to fix spelling g and autokorrect

 

[Happy Dude]

Agree with @MEL_Traveller - the baths are terrific. I like the free walking tours too. Chuck in a few coffee houses and you're all set!