4 days in Budapest

Day by day

1. Day 1: Hungarian Parliament Building and Shoes on the Danube Bank

   Hungarian Parliament Building, Shoes on the Danube Bank and Buda Castle, then Fisherman's Bastion in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Hungarian Parliament Building

      Allow 1 hour tour (mid-priced). For the classic photo, cross to Batthyány tér or the Buda embankment, ideally after dark when the building is floodlit.

   2. Late morning

      Shoes on the Danube Bank

      The memorial, created in 2005 by film director Can Togay and sculptor Gyula Pauer, is simple and deeply moving.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Goulash soup

      Traditional restaurants (vendéglő) and csárda-style places; a bowl with bread makes a full lunch.

   4. Afternoon

      Buda Castle

      Allow Half a day with a museum (free). Walk up through the Castle Garden Bazaar (Várkert Bazár) from the river, or take bus 16 from Deák Ferenc tér over the Chain Bridge.

   5. Evening

      Fisherman's Bastion

      Come at sunrise for empty terraces and soft light on the Parliament, or after dark when both are floodlit.

2. Day 2: Matthias Church and Hospital in the Rock

   Matthias Church, Hospital in the Rock and Széchenyi Thermal Bath, then Szimpla Kert and the ruin bars in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Matthias Church

      Franz Joseph and Charles IV were crowned kings of Hungary here, and the bell tower can be climbed on guided visits.

   2. Late morning

      Hospital in the Rock

      Allow 1 hour (mid-priced). Visits are by guided tour only; bring a layer, as the tunnels stay cool all year.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Chicken paprikash

      Home-style restaurants and weekday set-lunch menus across the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Széchenyi Thermal Bath

      Locals play chess on floating boards in the hot outdoor pool, even when it snows.

   5. Evening

      Szimpla Kert and the ruin bars

      Visit once in the afternoon to see the rooms properly, then come back late to see it full.

3. Day 3: Heroes' Square and City Park and Museum of Fine Arts

   Heroes' Square and City Park, Museum of Fine Arts and Dohány Street Synagogue, then Széchenyi Chain Bridge in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Heroes' Square and City Park

      Allow Half a day (free). Ride the M1 underground, opened in 1896 and continental Europe's oldest metro line, from Vörösmarty tér to Hősök tere to get here.

   2. Late morning

      Museum of Fine Arts

      On the north side of Heroes' Square, the Museum of Fine Arts holds one of Central Europe's major collections of European painting, with strong Spanish holdings including El Greco and Goya, Old Masters, Egyptian and classical antiquities, and the restored Romanesque Hall.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Lángos

      The upper gallery of the Great Market Hall, market stalls and street-food counters, especially at weekends.

   4. Afternoon

      Dohány Street Synagogue

      Allow 1.5 hours (mid-priced). Cover your shoulders; men are given a kippah at the entrance. Pair the visit with a walking tour of the old Jewish Quarter.

   5. Evening

      Széchenyi Chain Bridge

      Walk across from Pest at dusk towards the floodlit castle, then ride bus 16 up to the top of Castle Hill.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Szentendre

   About 40 minutes by suburban train each way. Getting there: HÉV H5 from Batthyány tér.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Szentendre

      About 40 minutes by suburban train (HÉV H5 from Batthyány tér); about 20 km.

   2. Day

      Szentendre

      A riverside artists' town of baroque churches built by Serbian settlers, cobbled lanes and galleries, including the Margit Kovács ceramics collection. The Hungarian Open Air Museum (Skanzen) on the edge of town brings together village houses from every region of the country.

   3. Evening

      Back in Budapest

      Dinner: try Chimney cake.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Hungarian Parliament Building, Széchenyi Thermal Bath and Dohány Street Synagogue before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 4 nights, Belváros and Lipótváros (District V) keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Erzsébetváros (District VII) ($$) suits nightlife, food lovers, budget and solo travellers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 17–21 hours of visiting over 4 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.5 hours in December to 15.9 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Budapest
• 2 days in Budapest
• 3 days in Budapest
• 5 days in Budapest
• 7 days in Budapest

Questions travellers ask