I loved walking around Budapest at night. The main monuments were lit up and there were fewer people. I felt safe (but still avoided dark alleys) walking around. I usually take long walks in the day at night just to see the city. Budapest has plenty of beautiful buildings from different parts of its history.
Cafe HoppingBudapest has a vibrant cafe culture. There are establishments decades or even more than a century old. They serve drinks, dessert and others serve full meals. One of the most famous cafes is New York Cafe. I was able to walk-in and have dessert. The dessert was expensive and so-so, but the beautiful interiors of New York Cafe made it worth it. Gerbeaud-Haz Cafe also had pretty interiors and more affordable desserts. There are also hole-in-the-wall cafes in various parts of the city where you can just hang out and chill while drinking coffee and eating a pastry.
I tried the sausage (really good!) at a kiosk just outside Matthias Church. There are probably other cheaper places to try it in, but it was the closest one I found after a few hours of walking around. The Langos is pretty good too. Its deep fried flatbread with your choice of toppings on it. You can try both of these in the Central Market Hall.
Other places of interest include:
- Hungarian National Gallery
- Budapest History Museum
- Gellert Hill
- Hungarian National Museum
- Museum of Fine Arts
- Other churches in the city
- Ruin bars (Szimpla Kert is the most famous one)
- Cruise along the Danube (depending on the season)
Budapest is a beautiful city that caters to varying tastes, if you like museums, there's plenty of them here, if you like to party, there's plenty of choices too, and if you just want to walk around and admire the architecture and soak in the history, there's plenty for you to do as well. I spent a lot of time just walking around Buda and Pest, admiring the architecture and lingering in some places. I only spent 6 winter days in this vibrant and beautiful city and just scratched the surface. When preparing your budget and itinerary for Budapest, you can add a bit of everything you're interested in.
*COVID REQUIREMENTS: Always wear a face mask indoors and have your Covid certificate ready when establishments ask for it. I always brought mine with me whenever I was out exploring the city.Getting Around Budapest
Budapest is a "walkable" city, most of the attractions are within walking distance from each other. You can do a day each for Buda and Pest at an enjoyable and leisurely pace. However, this means walking the whole day. You can also buy day passes for the subway, trams and buses that go to different parts of the city. You can purchase 24, 48 or 72 hours day passes from the machines near bus and metro stations. Day passes cut the travel time between places you want to see.
Day Trips
I always try to visit another city or a couple of towns whenever I visit a new country. This provides me with a different perspective of the country I visited. I had enough days in Budapest to do some day trips to other places in the country.
EgerEger is a historic city with plenty of charm. It's also a famous wine destination during the right season. The town square has lovely buildings and churches. Go up the castle ruins to get a beautiful overlooking view of the square.
How to go: There are regular trains departing from Budapest to Eger. It costs 2394 Forints for a train ride from Budapest to Eger. The return ticket costs 2520 Forints.
SzentendreSzentendre is a popular day trip destination from Budapest because of its proximity and accessibility. It's home to many cafes, art galleries, souvenir shops, restaurants, and quaint buildings.
How to go: Make your way to Batthyany Square Metro Station, you can easily get to this area by bus, tram or metro. Once there look for the HEV train station (this is underground). You can purchase tickets at the booths or the machines. I bought a round trip ticket for 620 Forints.
EsztergomEsztergom used to be the capital of Hungary. It's home to the largest church in Hungary, the Esztergom Basilica.
How to go: There are direct trains traveling from Budapest to Esztergom. I paid 1064 Forints from Budapest to Esztergom and 1120 Forints for the return trip.
You can check this website for train schedules and tickets whenever you plan to visit different parts of Hungary: https://www.mavcsoport.hu/en
When taking the train or bus, check which part of Budapest it departs from, there are stations in Buda and in Pest. It's more convenient to depart from a station that's at least in the same part of the city as your accommodation.
Where to Stay in Budapest
You have plenty of options when choosing accommodation in Budapest, whether you're backpacking on a budget or spending luxuriously.
BudgetNetizen Budapest Centre: Rates and Availability
Maverick Hostel and Ensuites: Rates and Availability
Hostel One Budapest: Rates and Availability
Wombat's the City Hostel: Rates and Availability
Mid-PriceeasyHotel Budapest Oktogon: Rates and Availability
Marmara Hotel: Rates and Availability
Soho Boutique Hotel: Rates and Availability
You can look for and book accommodation through Agoda:
How to Go to Budapest
By AirBudapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport is easy to get to by public transport to and from the city. You can book a shuttle online or take the bus from different parts of the city. You can easily find flights to Budapest from major cities in Europe.
By LandHungary shares land borders with Croatia, Austria, Ukraine, Serbia, Slovakia, Romania, and Slovenia. It's easy to get into the country (straight to Budapest) from the countries mentioned. I took the direct bus from Zagreb to Budapest, but you also have the option to take the train.
I took Flixbus, link here: https://www.flixbus.com/
*You can buy your tickets online and just show it to the conductor before boarding.
When I was planning my trip, I often checked OBB for train tickets and schedules, link here: https://tickets.oebb.at/en/ticket
Budget for Budapest
This list below outlines what I spent for 6 days and 5 nights in Budapest.
Everything's in Hungarian Forints:
22375 - 5 nights Netizen Hostel (dorm bed)
22883 - Food and drinks
3300 - 2x 24 hours transportation pass
4150 - 72 hours transportation pass
4200 - Matthias Church and Tower
200 - St. Stephen's Basilica (more of a donation)
5760 - Miscellaneous (laundry, etc)
7000 - Dohany Synagogue
1064 - Train to Esztergom
225 - Bus fare in Esztergom
1120 - Train from Esztergom to Budapest
620 - Round trip train tickets for Budapest-Szentendre
2394 - Train to Eger from Budapest
2520 - Train to Budapest from Eger
2400 - Eger Castle entrance fee
1500 - Cab fare
900 - Bus fare for airport shuttle82611 - Total for 6 days and 5 nights
You can either spend more or less than what I did depending on what you like doing, where you eat, how you get around the city, and where you stay. There's plenty of budget and higher end options for everyone who'll stay in the city.
I visited Hungary during the winter, some places were closed or offered reduced prices. Prices may vary depending on the season you visit.
***Hungary was part of a longer trip in Europe that included Austria, Croatia, Spain and Ukraine.
Itinerary for Budapest
Here's a sample Budapest itinerary for your trip:
Day 1Parliament Building
St. Stephen's Basilica
Jewish Quarter
Central Market Hall
Hungarian National Museum (if you like museums)
Danube Promenade
Day 2Buda Castle and Castle Hill
Fisherman's Bastion
Matthias Church
Day 3City park (Vajdahunyad Castle, Hero's Square and Millenium Monument)
Szechenyi Thermal Bath (if you like baths)
Cafe hopping
Day 4Day trip to other cities (Eger, Szentendre, Esztergom, or others)
This is just a rough itinerary which you can change as you please. We have different tastes and interests. It's possible to visit the main highlights of Budapest in one hectic day, but that means you'll just rush through places. I suggest doing one full day each for Buda and Pest to get a general feel of the city.