Budapest is one of the central European cities preferred by tourists for a weekend or a slightly longer getaway. The Hungarian capital city was founded in 1873 by the merger of Buda and Pest. If you’re only going there for a few days, you should check out this list of best things to do in Budapest Hungary for your stay!
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The 12 Best Things to do in Budapest Hungary
For compiling a list of things to do in Budapest Team Planet-Mag tried its best to combine all the best points, please read up to the end, don’t forget to give us feedback in comments and help us to improve the list of “Best Things to do in Budapest Hungary.”
Here’re the 12 best things to do in Budapest Hungary with interesting details;
1. Castle Hill and its historic monument, museums, and cafes
This district located in Buda conceals a significant number of sites to be visited. The castle of Buda (Royal Palace) is not to be missed. Still, there is also the Fisherman’s Bastion and the view it offers on the Danube and Pest.
The Matthias church located on the Place of the Trinity, but still many statues and buildings with beautiful architecture. In the neighborhood, it is enjoyable to walk there on the cobbled streets and stop at a cafe for a drink or a meal.
2. The chain bridge
A walk on this bridge is a lesson in history. Built from a design by British engineer William Tierney Clark in 1840. It was one of the very first suspension bridges. Inflicting statues of lions at every end of the structure protector the passage.
It is one of the typical sites of Budapest. The city having been created from two cities on either side of the Danube. Budapest is a city of bridges. So you will find others along the river.
3. The incredible Hungarian parliament
The enormous building of the Hungarian parliament stands on the banks of the Danube. Inspired by the Palace of Westminster in London. The building presents incredible neo-Gothic architecture.
At night, it is lit, and it is even more beautiful. You can visit the Hungarian Parliament whose interior decoration and the size of this building are breathtaking.
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4. Shoes from the Danube (Jewish Memorial)
On the banks of the Danube near the Hungarian Parliament and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. You will find a memorial dedicated to the Jews shot dead in the river during the Second World War. Members of a fascist party had asked them to take off their shoes before being shot.
To find the Place, it’s simple: walk along the shore from the chain bridge to the Houses of Parliament. This mini-masterpiece was designed by Can Togay and Gyula Pauer in 2005.
5. Budapest thermal baths
Budapest is a spa city with a different type of baths to pick from. Opt for the old Ottoman way of the Rudas Baths (booked for men on weekdays and all on weekends).
If you require a full contrast, choose the vast Gellert bath complexes (at the Gellert hotel; the covered baths are magnificent) or Szechenyi baths with substantial outdoor pools, marble treatment rooms and a large number of treatments that will keep you entertained for hours.
For locals, coming to spas is a friendly way to meet friends while enjoying medicinal waters or an invigorating massage, body scrub, or other beauty treatment.
6. The St. Stephen’s basilica
This building is a real masterpiece of humanity. Located in Pest in the Belvaros district, it is one of the largest churches in Hungary. Its domed roof shelters some relics and works of art but especially the astonishing Sainte Dexter.
The mummified right hand of the 1st Hungarian king Etienne to whom the church owes its name. On the architecture side, the locals say they like to admire it every time they pass by, so imagine when it happens to you for the first time!
7. The house of terror
Located on Andrassy Avenue in a former building of the Hungarian secret police. The House of Terror is a museum that tells the story of the successive dictatorships suffered by Hungary (those of Nazism and Communism). This museum is worth a visit if you are interested in the history of the Hungarian people.
8. The heroes square (Hook Tere)
At the end of Andrassy Avenue, one of the most famous squares in Europe awaits you. Come there very early to enjoy the calm of the morning or come at the end of the day to capture the excitement that is brewing.
Around the square, there are some museums and especially the Varosliget, the “wood of the city” where you can go picnic and walk in the shade of the trees.
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9. Spend an afternoon on ILE Marguerite
This island is easily accessible by tram number 4 or 6. These tram lines are the most used, so trams run regularly. Formerly called “the island of rabbits,” it has since been renamed the name of Sainte-Marguerite (the daughter of King Bela IV).
If you come here in the summer, expect to see crowds of people sitting in the grass, drinking beer and laughing (great for picnics). In winter, there are a lot fewer people, but it is an excellent place to come to run because there are tracks on 5.3 km.
10. Shopping in Budapest
If you like the atmosphere of the markets, go without hesitation to the central halls of Budapest. It is an excellent place to eat but also to meet the locals doing their shopping. The Place itself is lovely. For shops, there is also Vaci Street (Vaci utca), but it is very touristy.
If you want a little more authenticity, go to Gozsdu Court, which is located between Kiraly, Dob, and Hollo streets.
11. Have a wine tasting
Spend a romantic evening in a wine cellar trying some of the best drinks in Hungary, including the famous Tokaji wine. Faust cellar is a great place to have a tasting session. It is located in the Hilton hotel and was built in the Middle Ages.
12. Go caving
Still not sure what things to do in Budapest? Take out your headlamp and get ready to visit Budapest from a different perspective. Over 100 km of caves have been formed over millions of years by thermal waters. Szemlohegy Cave is easily accessible from the city center and offers daily guided tours.
