Travel guide · Hungary
Budapest travel guide
Thermal baths, Danube views and ruin bars at Central European prices
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Visions of Domino, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
Budapest straddles the Danube: hilly Buda on the west bank has the Castle District and Fisherman's Bastion, while flat Pest on the east holds the Parliament, St Stephen's Basilica, the old Jewish Quarter and most hotels, restaurants and bars. The city sits on more than a hundred thermal springs, and a soak in the Széchenyi or Rudas baths is as much a part of a visit as the sights. Trams, the historic M1 underground and walks across the bridges link everything, and prices stay moderate by Western European standards. Plan 4 days for a first visit; the best months are April–May and September–October.
Key facts
- Country
- Hungary
- Best time to visit
- April–May and September–October
- Ideal stay
- 4 days
- Main airports
- BUD
- Mid-range daily budget
- $110–$210 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Thermal baths, Hungarian Parliament, Danube views and Ruin bars
Why visit Budapest
- Thermal baths fed by natural hot springs range from Széchenyi's yellow neo-baroque outdoor pools to the 16th-century Ottoman dome at Rudas.
- The floodlit panorama of the Parliament, the Chain Bridge and Buda Castle can be seen from a river cruise, the bridges or Fisherman's Bastion.
- Ruin bars in the old Jewish Quarter, led by Szimpla Kert, turned derelict courtyard buildings into the city's most distinctive nightlife.
- Hungarian cooking — goulash, chicken paprikash, lángos and Tokaji wine — is hearty, with weekday set lunches at local prices.
- Szentendre, the Danube Bend and the royal palace at Gödöllő are easy day trips by suburban train, bus or boat.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 20 things to do.
Architecture · District V
Hungarian Parliament Building
Hungary's neo-Gothic Parliament, completed in 1904, stretches about 268 metres along the Danube beneath a central dome 96 metres high.
- Time needed
- 1 hour tour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Palace · Castle District
Buda Castle
The vast royal palace on Castle Hill, rebuilt many times since the Middle Ages and restored after the Second World War, houses the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum.
- Time needed
- Half a day with a museum
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Views
- History
- Free
- Architecture
Viewpoint · Castle District
Fisherman's Bastion
This neo-Romanesque terrace of seven white turrets, built between 1895 and 1902 to represent the seven Magyar tribes, wraps around Matthias Church and frames the best-known view of the Parliament and the Danube.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Iconic
- Photo spot
- Couples
- After dark
Experience · City Park
Széchenyi Thermal Bath
One of Europe's largest spa complexes fills a yellow neo-baroque palace in City Park, opened in 1913, with three big outdoor pools kept warm all year and more than a dozen indoor thermal pools, saunas and steam rooms.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Rainy day
- Couples
- Outdoors
Religious site · Erzsébetváros
Dohány Street Synagogue
Europe's largest synagogue, completed in 1859 in a Moorish Revival style, seats about 3,000 worshippers.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Architecture
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Religious site · Lipótváros
St Stephen's Basilica
Budapest's largest church, finished in 1905, shares a height of 96 metres with the Parliament, a reference to the Magyar arrival in 896.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Views
- History
- Iconic
Where to stay
Belváros and Lipótváros (District V) is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 8 areas.
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, shopping and families
Belváros and Lipótváros (District V)
The Pest riverfront between the Parliament, St Stephen's Basilica and Váci utca
$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers, budget and solo travellers
Erzsébetváros (District VII)
The old Jewish Quarter of synagogues, ruin bars and street food
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, culture and shopping
Terézváros (District VI)
Andrássy Avenue, the Opera House and café-lined Liszt Ferenc tér
$$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays, luxury and culture
Castle District (Várnegyed)
Cobbled medieval lanes on Castle Hill above the Danube
What to eat
- Goulash soup — Hungarian goulash is a soup rather than a stew: beef, potatoes, carrots and plenty of sweet paprika simmered in broth, as herdsmen once cooked it in a kettle over a fire.
- Chicken paprikash — Chicken braised in a sauce of onions, paprika and sour cream, served with nokedli, small egg dumplings similar to spätzle.
- Lángos — A disc of deep-fried dough brushed with garlic water and topped with sour cream and grated cheese; heavy, inexpensive and best eaten hot.
- Chimney cake — Sweet dough wound round a wooden spit, roasted over coals until caramelised and rolled in sugar, cinnamon, walnuts or cocoa; it comes from the Hungarian communities of Transylvania.
- Fisherman's soup — A fiery, brick-red river-fish soup made with carp or catfish and hot paprika, eaten by many families on Christmas Eve and served year-round in fish restaurants.
- Stuffed cabbage — Cabbage leaves filled with pork and rice, layered with sauerkraut and smoked meat and finished with sour cream; a winter and Christmas favourite.
When to go
The best months for Budapest are April, May, September and early October, when it is warm enough for terraces and river walks without the summer heat and crowds. July and August are hot and busy with festivals; November and December bring the Christmas markets, and January and February are cold but low-priced, with steaming outdoor baths.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Blossom on Margaret Island, café terraces reopening and the Spring Festival; May is warm but showery. |
| Summer | June–August | Hot days, open-air pools, Sziget Festival and the St Stephen's Day fireworks, but peak prices and occasional heatwaves. |
| Autumn | September–November | Wine festivals, golden Buda Hills and mild sightseeing weather until late October; foggy and cold by November. |
| Winter | December–February | Cold and sometimes snowy, with Christmas markets, skating in City Park and thermal baths at their most atmospheric. |
Getting there and around
Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport is about 16 km south-east of the centre. The 100E airport express bus runs to Kálvin tér and Deák Ferenc tér in about 35–45 minutes and needs a dedicated ticket, the 200E bus connects with the M3 metro, and official taxis wait at the rank outside arrivals.
Budapest is walkable within each bank, and the bridges make crossing the Danube on foot easy. Four metro lines, a dense tram network and buses, coordinated by BKK, cover everything else; trams 2, 4 and 6 are the most useful for visitors.
Plan your days
Two days covers the Parliament, the Castle District, one bath and the Jewish Quarter. Four days leaves time for a second bath, an evening Danube cruise, the Great Market Hall and a day trip to Szentendre or the Danube Bend.
Practical information
- Currency
- HUF
- Language
- Hungarian
- Plugs
- Type C and F sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe to drink, and public drinking fountains are common in parks and squares.
- Emergency number
- 112 (European emergency number)
- Tipping
- Tip about 10% in restaurants unless a service charge is already on the bill; tell the server the total you want to pay rather than leaving cash on the table, and round up taxi fares.
Budapest is generally safe for visitors. Pickpockets work trams 4 and 6, the metro and Váci utca, and some bars overcharge tourists, especially when strangers invite you in. Use licensed taxis or apps, and make sure menus show prices before ordering.
Flights to Budapest
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Budapest?
Two days covers the Parliament, the Castle District, one bath and the Jewish Quarter. Four days leaves time for a second bath, an evening Danube cruise, the Great Market Hall and a day trip to Szentendre or the Danube Bend. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Budapest?
The best months for Budapest are April, May, September and early October, when it is warm enough for terraces and river walks without the summer heat and crowds. July and August are hot and busy with festivals; November and December bring the Christmas markets, and January and February are cold but low-priced, with steaming outdoor baths.
+What is Budapest known for?
Thermal baths, Hungarian Parliament, Danube views, Ruin bars, Goulash and paprika, Buda Castle and Coffee houses. Thermal baths fed by natural hot springs range from Széchenyi's yellow neo-baroque outdoor pools to the 16th-century Ottoman dome at Rudas.
+Is Budapest expensive?
Budapest is affordable for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $110–$210 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Budapest?
No. Public transport is inexpensive and frequent, central parking is limited and paid, and the Castle District is closed to non-resident cars. A car is only useful for wine regions or Lake Balaton.