Outdoors · Budapest · Hungary
5 best outdoor things to do in Budapest
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Start with Széchenyi Thermal Bath, Heroes' Square and City Park and Margaret Island. Together the 5 picks below take roughly 13–18 hours across 4 areas; 2 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 5
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 13–18 hours
- Areas
- City Park, Margaret Island and District XXII
Outdoors in Budapest
Experience · City Park
1.Széchenyi Thermal Bath
Go on a weekday morning, bring flip-flops and a towel, and pack a swimming cap if you want to use the lap pool.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Rainy day
- Couples
- Outdoors
Park · City Park
2.Heroes' Square and City Park
Ride the M1 underground, opened in 1896 and continental Europe's oldest metro line, from Vörösmarty tér to Hősök tere to get here.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Architecture
- Iconic
Park · Margaret Island
3.Margaret Island
Rent a bike or a pedal cart near the southern entrance and catch one of the musical fountain shows.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Active
Historic site · District XXII
4.Memento Park
Allow about half a day including the bus ride from Kelenföld, and go on a dry day, as almost everything is outdoors.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Experience · Buda Hills
5.Children's Railway and Zugliget Chairlift
Ride the train to the János-hegy stop, walk up to the lookout tower, then take the chairlift down to Zugliget for a bus back to the centre.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- Views
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| City Park | Széchenyi Thermal Bath and Heroes' Square and City Park | 2–3 hours + Half a day |
| Margaret Island | Margaret Island | 2–3 hours |
| District XXII | Memento Park | Half a day |
| Buda Hills | Children's Railway and Zugliget Chairlift | Half a day |
Booking and timing
Of these 5, 2 free, 2 low cost, 1 mid-priced. Book ahead for Széchenyi Thermal Bath. The longest visit is Heroes' Square and City Park; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Széchenyi Thermal Bath: Buy tickets online for weekends and holidays, when the queue at the entrance can be long.
How to fit them into 5 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (City Park): Széchenyi Thermal Bath, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 2 (City Park): Heroes' Square and City Park, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Margaret Island): Margaret Island, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 4 (District XXII): Memento Park, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Buda Hills): Children's Railway and Zugliget Chairlift, at least 3 hours.
The best months to be outside
- September: highs of 23°C (73°F), about 6 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm, settled weather and wine festivals make September one of the best months to visit.
- August: highs of 28°C (82°F), about 6 rainy days, very busy crowds. Peak summer, with Sziget Festival and the St Stephen's Day fireworks over the Danube; book rooms well ahead.
- May: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 9 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm and green, ideal for walking the riverbanks, though May has some of the most frequent showers of the year.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Újlipótváros (District XIII) — 1930s apartment blocks, local cafés and Margaret Island next door
More of Budapest
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Budapest?
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.
+Which of these are free in Budapest?
Heroes' Square and City Park and Margaret Island.