My Suggested 3-day Itinerary for Budapest
Budapest was a very pleasant surprise. I didn’t really know much about the city and its history before visiting. All I knew was that my friends loved it. And now I can see why.
The city has this quiet allure to it. It has the gorgeous grand buildings with mosaic roofs that remind you of colorful Lego blocks, remnants of the Soviet architecture and a quirky bar and nightlife scene. It feels like the city took bits from every era of its history and blended it seamlessly into one picture perfect canvas.
Nestled in central Europe, it’s an up-and-coming destination. If you happen to make your way to this European capital, below is my suggested 3-day itinerary with must-see places. I’ve also included a few popular spots that can be skipped.
Where to stay
Budapest is split into 2 parts – Buda and Pest.
Buda is the historical center that has the famous Buda Castle and the Fisherman’s Bastion. It is more residential and quieter.
Pest, on the other hand, is more modern and has a livelier night scene. If you are not looking to party, you can still stay here as it has plenty of famous sights and quiet streets lined with great spots to eat.
How to get around
Getting to Budapest from the airport
To get to the city center from the airport, take the 100E bus. It costs 2,200 HUF (~5.5 euros or 6 USD) and takes about 30 minutes (it only has 2 stops). The bus runs 24/7, with departures every 10 min during the day and every 30 minutes at night.
A taxi costs about 35 USD and is metered.
How to get around Budapest
Even though I normally opt for private taxis, or rideshare services like Uber, or Bolt in Europe, I was impressed with the public transportation system in Budapest. It’s well-maintained and easy to navigate and is often a more convenient option to get around town.
You can get a travel card that is valid on all public transport for 24 hours, 72 hours or for the entire week. Just make sure to validate your ticket before starting your trip. You can also buy your ticket on the BudapestGO app and validate it by scanning the QR code on the doors before getting on the bus or tram.
Subway, trams and busses
The subway system is clean and covers most major tourist sights. The transfers between the 4 major lines are very easy. The M1, the Millennium Underground, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and transports you between historic landmarks in style.
Trams are my favorite way to see the city. The iconic tram lines 4 and 6 run along the Great Boulevard and offer a picturesque journey through the heart of Budapest.
Day 1 – Explore the historic Buda
Start your trip with visiting the historic sights
Start your morning with visiting Castle Hill. The best way is to walk up to the top of the hill via the winding paths and dreamy staircases. At the top of these staircases, you’ll end up at one of the most famous and in my opinion most beautiful sight in Budapest – the Fisherman’s Bastion. The bastion looks like a castle taken straight from a fairytale and provides panoramic views of Pest and the Danube River. Spend some time here taking photos and admiring the views.
Next to the Fisherman’s Bastion is the famous Matthias Church. This church is one of my favorite ones in all of Europe. It has beautiful Gothic architecture with colorful roof tiles and a fitting, yet somehow out of place, black tower. Inside the church, you can walk up to different levels and balconies.
After visiting the Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church head to the back streets for a lovely walk through a maze of cobblestone streets, historic buildings and quiet city squares.
Make a stop at one of the oldest cafes in town, Budavar Ruszwurm Cukraszda, for desert. It’s been around for 150 years and has a large variety of traditional deserts.
Buda Castle and the Hungarian National Gallery
Continue your day by exploring the Castle District. Visit the Buda Castle, which dates back to the 13th century and explore its courtyards. Spend some time at the Hungarian National Gallery that’s located inside the Castle. It houses an impressive collection of Hungarian art from the medieval times to the present.
Skip the Castle Hill Funicular: The funicular ride was underwhelming. Not only can you walk up the hill yourself without having to use the funicular, it is also overpriced, so it’s best to skip this popular activity.
After visiting the castle, have lunch at one of the traditional restaurants in the area. I ate at Ildico Konyhaja and thoroughly enjoyed their goulash (beef stew).
Visit the Cave Church
After lunch, visit the Cave Church on the way to the world-famous Gellert Baths. The church is small but has an impressive history. Currently run by Pauline monks, it used to be the home of a hermit monk, who is believed to have healed the ill with thermal waters from a nearby lake.
Relax at Thermal Baths
After a quick stop at the church, relax at either the Gellért Thermal Baths or Rudas Spa. The Rudas Spa dates back to 1550 when Hungary was under the Ottoman rule. It is located at the foot of the Gellért Hill and has a swimming pool and six different therapy pools.
The Gellért Thermal Baths, built in the 1900s in the Art Nouveau style, are located in Hotel Gellért. These baths feature both indoor and outdoor pools, decorated with beautiful turquoise blue mosaic tiles and surrounded by grand columns.
After the baths venture out back to the streets of the charming Castle District for a dinner with a view of the Danube River.
Day 2 – Visit a more bustling Pest
St. Stephen’s Basilica
Start the day with visiting the St. Stephen’s Basilica, the only other building in downtown Budapest that’s as tall as the Hungarian Parliament. Allocate about half an hour to an hour for this visit. Afterwards, spend some time roaming the nearby streets shopping for souvenirs and try a Hungarian traditional dish, langos, for lunch. It’s a deep-fried dough with either sweet or savory toppings. Looks a bit like pizza.
Andrassy Avenue and the Museum of Terror
After the basilica, make your way to Andrássy Avenue, the city’s ritzy boulevard. It’s lined with boutique stores, restaurants, museums and historical buildings, including the Hungarian State Opera. Further down the avenue is the Museum of Terror, dedicated to documenting the life under the fascist and communist regimes of the 1900s. The outside walls of the museum display photographs of the victims who were executed or tortured to death after the 1956 Hungarian uprising.
After the visit to the museum head over to Liszt square and have lunch in one of the charming cafes lining both sides of the avenue.
Skip the New York Café: Many online guides recommend this place for brunch. While I did end up going there, I’d recommend skipping this place. I wouldn’t fully discount it – the line to get in was moving quickly, the indoor decor was impressive, and the food was quite good. But the menu is overpriced and the service could use some improvement.
Visit the magnificent Parliament building
After lunch, make your way to the grand and impressive Hungarian Parliament building. After the three cities (Buda, Pest and Óbuda) united and formed the city of modern-day Budapest, it was decided that a parliament building was needed. This magnificent building is the largest building in Hungary and took 19 years to build.
Book your tickets in advance!
Book your tour in advance, as tickets to visit the neo-Gothic interior sell out days, if not weeks, in advance.
Stroll the Danube promenade
After the visit to the Parliament building, head over to the river front. Walk along the bank and admire the beautiful Buda Castle from afar. As you make your way down the promenade, you will come across many cafes, funky statues and the sobering “Shoes on the Danube bank” memorial honoring the lives of the 3,500 Hungarian citizens, many of whom were Jews, killed by the fascist militia during WWII. They were ordered to take their shoes off before they were executed and thrown into the river.
Take an evening cruise with dinner
Finish the day by taking an evening cruise along the Danube River to see the Parliament building at night, along with other famous sights. There are multiple tour operators that you can buy tickets from on the day of offering different options – with or without dinner.
Day 3 – a more relaxing day exploring Pest
Shop and eat at the Central Market Hall
Start the day with getting some shopping and dining done at the Central Market Hall. It’s the oldest and largest market in the country. The market has 3 floors lined with shops selling souvenirs, produce, baked goods and duck liver pate. The top floor of the market is lined with restaurants where you can taste some traditional meals.
Wander through the Palace District and visit the Dohány Street Synagogue
From the market, take a stroll through the Palace District (VIII District), a charming and underrated neighborhood. Walk through the Baross Utca street and visit the beautiful Szabó Ervin Library.
You’ll eventually reach the Dohány Street Synagogue, the largest synagogue in Europe. The synagogue includes the Holocaust Memorial and museum. Plan to spend at least an hour here on a guided tour.
Continue to explore the Jewish Quarter and have lunch at Mazel Tov
Meander through the streets of the Jewish Quarter diving into the rich history and the significance of the Jewish community in Hungary.
Have lunch at the beautiful Mazel Tov restaurant in the heart of the Jewish Quarter. Its airy design and tasty Mediterranean food create a charming atmosphere. Just make sure to make reservations ahead of time, this spot is very popular.
Relax at City Park
After lunch head to the City Park, Budapest’s most famous park, which is home to the Széchenyi Thermal Baths, the Budapest Zoo, the House of Music, and the Ethnographic Museum.
Popular activities in the summertime include boating on the lake and admiring the city views from a tethered hot air balloon.
Visit the famous Ruin Bars
Around the corner from Mazel Tov is the original ruin bar, Szimpla Kert. It is the mecca of all ruin bars. The inside feels like a maze of graffiti covered rooms with unusual artwork, funky furniture and different types of music. It’s definitely touristy, but well-worth a visit. I recommend visiting on a weeknight, trust me, it will still be packed.
After a fun night out at the Ruin Bars, stop by Fuego, a roasted chicken restaurant next door. The food here is absolutely delicious, the vibe is just right and the price tag – very affordable.
Show off your dance moves at Sparty
Another popular activity, mostly among tourists, not so much the locals though, is going for a party at the Széchenyi thermal bath. Called Sparty, it’s an electronic dance party in the outdoor pools of the Széchenyi thermal baths, located in the City Park.
Whether you are visiting Budapest for the history or the underground partying or dreamlike walks on the river front, I have no doubt you will love this city!
