Budapest, Hungary: travel guide
Two cities on the Danube, with thermal baths and grand riverside views
Capital of Hungary, split by the Danube into hilly Buda and flat Pest, famed for thermal baths.
About Budapest
Budapest is split by the Danube into hilly Buda on the west bank and flat Pest on the east, and the contrast between the two is part of its appeal. The Parliament building, the castle district and the chain bridge are among its most recognisable sights.
Things to do in Budapest include soaking in the thermal baths, walking up to Buda Castle and the Fisherman's Bastion, exploring the grand boulevards of Pest and spending an evening in the ruin bars and coffee houses. Hungarian food, with goulash and chimney cake, is an easy pleasure.
Budapest suits first-time visitors to central Europe and short city breaks. Spring and early autumn have comfortable weather, and winter is the season for steaming outdoor baths.
- Country
- Hungary
- Currency
- HUF
- Time zone
- Europe/Budapest
- Nearest airport
- BUD
Last updated
Trip planning for Budapest is coming soon.
Top places to visit in Budapest
Fisherman's Bastion
Heritage · 4.7 rating · about 1 h · entry Ft1,700 (≈ ₹500)
The fairy-tale neo-Romanesque viewing terraces on Castle Hill, built 1895–1902 with seven turrets representing the seven Magyar tribes — offering postcard views of Parliament.
Hungarian Parliament Building
Heritage · 4.8 rating · about 1.5 h · entry Ft6,000 (≈ ₹1,760)
The world's third-largest parliament — a neo-Gothic masterpiece on the Danube bank completed in 1904, with the Hungarian Holy Crown in the central domed hall.
Széchenyi Thermal Baths
Activity · 4.4 rating · about 3 h · check the fee at the gate
Budapest's most famous thermal bath complex — a magnificent 1913 neo-Baroque building in City Park with 21 pools, outdoor chess players and three thermal pools.
Buda Castle & Castle District
Heritage · 4.7 rating · about 3 h · check the fee at the gate
The UNESCO-listed royal palace rising above the Danube — a 13th-century fortress complex rebuilt in Baroque splendour, housing the Hungarian National Gallery and Budapest History Museum.
Chain Bridge (Széchenyi Lánchíd)
Heritage · 4.7 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate
Budapest's most iconic landmark — the 1849 suspension bridge linking Buda and Pest, restored and reopened in 2023 with pedestrian walkways and stone lion guardians.
City Park (Városliget)
Nature · 4.6 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
Budapest's central park — 100 hectares with Vajdahunyad Castle, Széchenyi Baths, the Zoo, the Circus and the Municipal Museum, all bordered by the famous Andrássy boulevard.
Great Market Hall (Nagy Vásárcsarnok)
Market · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
Budapest's grandest covered market in a stunning 1897 neo-Gothic building with a Zsolnay ceramic tile roof — three floors of paprika, sausage, folk crafts and langos.
St. Stephen's Basilica
church · 4.7 rating · about 1 h · entry Ft200 (≈ ₹59)
Budapest's largest church, completed in 1905, with a 96m neo-Renaissance dome, panoramic rooftop terrace and the preserved hand of Hungary's founding king.
Margaret Island (Margit-sziget)
Nature · 4.7 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
Budapest's green lung — a 2.5km island in the Danube with walking trails, a rose garden, thermal springs, medieval monastery ruins, an open-air theatre and zero private cars.
Matthias Church
church · 4.6 rating · about 1 h · entry Ft3,000 (≈ ₹880), Adult HUF 3,000; tower extra; EU students half price
The 13th-century coronation church of Hungarian kings, with its dazzling Zsolnay ceramic tile roof, vivid interior frescoes and the Crown of Saint Stephen replica.
Heroes' Square (Hősök tere)
Cultural · 4.7 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate
The grandest public square in Hungary, flanked by the Museum of Fine Arts and the Kunsthalle, with the Millennium Monument commemorating 1,000 years of Magyar history.
Szimpla Kert Ruin Bar
Cultural · 4.5 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
The original and most famous Budapest ruin bar, opened 2002 in a dilapidated factory courtyard — a labyrinthine multi-space bar with vintage décor, live events and Sunday morning farmers market.
Things to do
- Szechenyi Thermal Baths Day Wellness · 4 h · from HUF 7,400 per person
- Buda Castle Funicular and Tour Heritage · 3 h · from HUF 3,600 per person
- Hungarian Parliament Building Tour Heritage · 1 h · from HUF 7,400 per person
- Gellert Hill Sunset Walk Viewpoint · 1.5 h
- Danube River Dinner Cruise Sightseeing · 3 h · from HUF 11,600 per person
- Ruin Bar Crawl in Jewish Quarter Nightlife · 4 h · from HUF 8,700 per person
- Hungarian Cooking Class with Goulash Cooking Class · 3 h · from HUF 11,600 per person
- Budapest Caves Tour Outdoor · 3 h · from HUF 10,300 per person
Where to stay in Budapest
Hotels
- Aria Hotel Budapest 5-star · INR 12,000 to INR 30,000 per night
- Four Seasons Hotel Gresham 5-star · INR 30,000 to INR 120,000 per night
- Anantara New York Palace 5-star · INR 10,000 to INR 25,000 per night
- The Ritz-Carlton Budapest 5-star · INR 25,000 to INR 100,000 per night
- Matild Palace Luxury Collection 5-star · INR 25,000 to INR 95,000 per night
- Kempinski Hotel Corvinus 5-star · INR 11,000 to INR 28,000 per night
Where to eat
- Szimpla Kert hungarian, international, brasserie · about HUF 8,000 per person
- Vakvarjú hungarian, modern, international · about HUF 10,000 per person
- Mazel Tov middle_eastern, jewish, modern · about HUF 12,000 per person
- New York Café hungarian, european, brasserie · about HUF 22,000 per person
- Karavan hungarian, international, street_food · about HUF 5,500 per person
- Menza hungarian, modern, traditional · about HUF 9,500 per person
- Café Gerbeaud hungarian, european, brasserie · about HUF 9,500 per person
- Centrál Kávéház hungarian, european, brasserie · about HUF 12,000 per person
Getting to Budapest
Airport: Budapest (BUD)
Getting around
- Metro
- Tram
- Transit Pass
- Walking
Apps to download for Budapest
Food delivery
- Wolt Restaurant and grocery delivery in Budapest and other Hungarian cities
- foodora Restaurant and grocery delivery in Hungary (formerly NetPincer)