🇭🇺 Hungary

10 best places in Budapest

Budapest is split by the Danube into hilly Buda and flat Pest, united by a shared devotion to thermal baths and ruin bars. It's a city of Art Nouveau facades, paprika-laced dinners, and evening river cruises that look good in any weather.

Sight

Hungarian Parliament Building

A neo-Gothic giant on the Danube bank and Hungary's most recognizable landmark, especially lit up at night.

Sight

Széchenyi Thermal Bath

Europe's largest thermal bath complex, where locals play chess waist-deep in the outdoor pools.

Sight

Fisherman's Bastion

Neo-Romanesque turrets on Castle Hill offering the best lookout over the Danube and the Parliament.

Café

Szimpla Kert

The city's original and most famous ruin bar, packed with mismatched vintage furniture in a crumbling courtyard.

Market

Great Market Hall

A sprawling covered market stacked with paprika and foie gras, plus lángos stalls upstairs worth queuing for.

Museum

Museum of Fine Arts

A collection of European painting from El Greco to Goya on grand Heroes' Square.

Park

Margaret Island

A green island in the middle of the Danube with a musical fountain, jogging paths, and its own thermal pools.

Restaurant

Rosenstein

A family-run classic Hungarian restaurant near Keleti station, famous for its foie gras.

District

Váci utca

Pest's main pedestrian street lined with boutiques, street musicians, and open-air cafés.

Café

New York Café

A lavish 19th-century café dripping in frescoes and gilding, once a haunt of Hungarian writers.

FAQ

How many days do you need in Budapest?

Three days is a comfortable minimum: the Parliament, the Buda castle district and Fisherman's Bastion, the Szechenyi baths and an evening in the ruin bars. A fourth day adds the Central Market Hall, Margaret Island and a long river walk. Under two days feels rushed.

Best time to visit Budapest?

April to June and September to October are best, warm without the summer crowds and heat. Summer is muggy in the city, though the outdoor baths and festivals are in full swing. Winter is cold and grey, which is exactly when the thermal baths make sense.

Is Budapest cheap?

Cheaper than Vienna or Prague for meals, transport and bath entry. The currency is the forint and it has swung a lot in recent years, so convert prices at a current rate rather than an old one. Exchange booths in the tourist centre are usually a bad deal.

Can you move to Hungary?

Hungary is in the EU and Schengen, with residence permits for work, study, business and family, plus the White Card for remote workers. An investor residency scheme has also been reintroduced, and its terms have changed more than once. Check the rules in force before applying, they are updated often.