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I just learned three facts about Budapest. One, Budapest, is a city formed via the unification of three cities namely, Buda, Obuda, and Pest back in 1873. Two, the city is bisected by Europe’s second largest river, the Danube River. And three, it is famous for having 123 thermal spas and more than 1,300 bathing spas nationwide. If that’s not enough to blow your mind, here’s a list of some of the best places to visit in Budapest, why it’s worth it to visit them, and guide maps so you know which place is the best to start your trip.
Part I. Pest Side (and Map)
1. St. Stephen’s Basilica
Located in the heart of Pest, St. Stephen’s Basilica was built between 1851-1905. Built by three architects, the Basilica is known to be the third largest church in Hungary, and is known to have mesmerizing interiors equipped with a dome that can be accessed by either elevators or 364 steps of metal spiral staircase. Visitors who choose to climb the top can see fantastic panoramic views of the capital.
Another interesting fact about the church is that it was named after Stephen, the first king of Hungary. His alleged right hand is mummified, and preserved in the reliquary of the basilica.
The church is open from Mondays from 9am to 4:30pm, Tuesdays to Saturdays from 9am to 5:45pm, and Sundays from 1pm to 5:45pm. Admission is supposed to be free, but visitors are expected to donate upon entrance. Ticket offices are across the Basilica.
2. Andrassy Ave
Andrassy Avenue is a beautiful boulevard that connects Elizabeth Square to Heroes’ Square. It’s a line of beautiful buildings where you can find a series of luxury fashion houses as well as important cultural institutions such as the Hungarian State Opera House, the House of Terror Museum, the Ferenc Liszt Memorial Museum, and the Hungarian University of Fine Arts.
The UNESCO World Heritage site was named after Prime Minister Count Gyula Andrássy as he backed the building of the road in the late 19th century.
3. Liberty Square
In Liberty Square, you’ll find a number of controversial statues and monuments, one of which is the Soviet War Monument. The piece which is dedicated to the fallen Soviet Soldiers leaves many people divided: either pro or against it.
Why is it controversial? Because during World War II (December 1944), Soviet troops helped liberate Hungary from German rule, whereas years following that, the Soviets themselves had their own agenda of dominating the country:
“On November 4, 1956, Soviet tanks rolled into Budapest to crush, once and for all, the national uprising. Vicious street fighting broke out, but the Soviets’ great power ensured victory.”
– Excerpt from: Soviets put a brutal end to Hungarian revolution 2009
Another figure which you can find at the Square is the statue of Ronald Reagan. The bronze 2-meter statue was placed to commemorate his contribution in ending communism.
4. Hungarian Parliament
Another World Heritage Site, the Hungarian Parliament also known as The House of Parliament is most likely the most iconic building in the country. It took 17 years to construct the edifice which currently serves as the home of the Holy Crown (the Crown of St. Stephen), and the workplace of Hungary’s legislative body and members of the parliament.
The structure’s interiors are adorned with 40 kilograms of 22-23 carat gold and the exteriors are built using a mixture of Baroque, Gothic, and Renaissance architectural styles. Inside, you can find hundreds of offices, majestic chambers, and lavish stairways.
If you want to visit The House of Parliament, you can check out the ticket prices here.
One last thing, in case you decide to join a walking tour, there’s a chance your guide might ask you this trivia question: which world-renowned rockstar visited Hungary in 1986, had a concert, and asked if the Hungarian Parliament is for sale? The answer is: Freddie Mercury.
5. Shoes on the Danube
Chilling and heartbreaking, this memorial was put in place to commemorate the victims of World War II. Specifically the Hungarian Jews who were forced to take their shoes off and line up on the banks of the Danube. They were then shot into the icy river.
Part II. Jewish District Walk – Where to Start
6. Jewish District Walk
If you happen to finish your morning tour at Shoes on the Danube, you might as well go straight to Elizabeth Square and then stroll around the Jewish District Walk.
There are about five places of interest you can visit in the Jewish District Walk. Most of them are synagogues but the most famous one is called Dohány Street Synagogue. As of writing, there are currently 20 synagogues in Budapest, but Dohány stands out because it’s the largest synagogue in Europe.
Located right behind the Great Synagogue is the Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park. Raoul Wallenberg is a Swedish diplomat who worked with the War Refugee Board (an agency established in the U.S.) to save thousands of Hungarian Jewish lives. Inside the park, you’ll find the Tree of Life – a sculpture that commemorates the lives of Holocaust victims buried in the area.
Part III. Castle Hill on Buda
7. Buda Castle
If there’s something you shouldn’t miss in your itinerary, it’s definitely the Buda Castle. From Pest side, you can take either buses or trains to get there. When taking the bus, you need to take Bus no.16 from Deak Ferenc Square. And when taking the train, you just need to get off at Clark Adam Square.
Once you reach Clark Adam Square, you can take the funicular to get to Buda Castle. And when you get to the top, it’s easy to understand why it’s one of the best places to visit Budapest. The castle used to be the home of Hungarian kings for centuries, but now you’ll find a number of museums and cultural institutions such as the Budapest History Museum and the Hungarian National Gallery among others.
Other places you can find include old-fashioned restaurants and cafes. Depending on the time of the year, you can also find events like wine, beer, or crafts festivals.
7.1 Fisherman’s Bastion
When you get to the castle turrets that resemble a lot like the Disney castle, then you’ve reached Fisherman’s Bastion. Similar to the purposes of any other towers, the bastions were designed to be a structure of defense. But the term “fisherman” was included because the fishermen who used to live beneath the tower used to defend it.
This is, again, one of the best places to visit in Budapest because it offers the finest and most romantic views of the city.
7.2 Matthias Church
Matthias Church is arguably not as world-renowned as the Notre Dame or Sagrada de Familia, but this is, by far, one of the most memorable churches I’ve visited in Europe. The entire structure is not as massive, but its simple and elegant architecture, and its colored tile roofs really do stand out.
This church reminds me of Hagia Sophia, a church that became a mosque at some point during the Ottoman Empire and then was converted back into a church. If you want to see where Hungarian kings were crowned for centuries, then this is where you go.
7.3 Labyrinth of Buda Castle
If you know the story of Count Dracula aka Vlad the Impaler, there’s a myth that goes around which says he was kept as a prisoner in the labyrinth of Buda Castle. But, that’s only a myth indeed. Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler) was kept in a cell 25 miles away from the Castle District.
Visit this labyrinth only if you have spare time. There is a small exhibit of statues of various historical leaders, but its main attraction is probably the “maze of darkness” where you have to hold a rope in order to find your way through the cave. Afterall, the labyrinth was originally created as a bomb shelter and a prison, so its seemingly endless tunnels are there to leave you slightly spooked.
7.4 House of Houdini
Given more time, we would have visited the House of Houdini as well. The House of Houdini, well, features a lot of the famous magician’s personal items and things he used on his shows while he was still alive.
Part III. Margaret Island (Park)
8. Margaret Island
An island that sits between Buda and Pest and is located in the Danube River, Margaret Island is yet another one of the best places to visit in Budapest if you want to spend an entire day on recreational activities. You can visit the Japanese Garden, pet the animals at the Wildlife Park, ride pedal carriages, or dip in an open air bath. There’s so much to do with the whole family at Margaret Island in Budapest.
Part IV: Other Best Places in Budapest
9. Szechenyi Thermal Bath
If you want to experience something different, try the highly-rated Szechenyi Thermal Bath. Inside, you’ll find indoor and outdoor pools, sauna, steam rooms, private spas, and other wellness services. You can purchase tickets at a much cheaper rate from Mondays-Thursdays especially if you plan to go from 5pm.
I was seven months pregnant when we visited Budapest. And since I wanted to be on the safer side, I didn’t push through. Still, just seeing the building and the atmosphere surrounding it was already relaxing enough for me. Also, the reviews say it all. It has 4.4 out of 43,000+ reviews in Google. So why wouldn’t it be one of the best places to visit in Budapest?
10. Budapest Zoo
One of the oldest zoos in the world, Budapest Zoo opened in 1866. The zoo comprises 18 hectares of land and houses various zones featuring animals and the continent they’re from. Depending on the time of the day, you can also find some programs such as feeding the animals, or short movies in Magic Hill. It’s a great place to visit with kids. Entrance ticket for adults costs HUF 3300 (EUR 8-9 at the time of writing).
11. The House of Music
The House of Music officially opened in January 2022. It was designed by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, which was selected out of 170 international projects that joined an architectural competition. It covers 9,000 square-meters of land dedicated to celebrating everything about music.
The House of Music welcomes both locals and foreigners to the concerts, family programs, exhibitions, and other educational events they hold every week.
12. Central Market Hall
No matter which country you visit, it’s always good to stop by their local market to see how you can further expand your flavor profile. Like other notable markets in Europe, Central Market Hall is equipped with fruits, vegetables, spices, meat, herbs, and souvenirs. It has a reputation of being expensive but it’s still a place where locals frequent.
If you decide to go, make sure to put it in your itinerary on any day except Sunday.
After visiting these places, we found out that Budapest also has an Asian Shopping Mall, but we didn’t have enough time so we went to Taste the World instead. It’s a supermarket that houses almost all spices you can think of.
Wrapping Up
There you have it! If you want to brush up your knowledge in history (particularly WWII), visit places with breathtaking sceneries, try recreational activities, or relax by taking a quick dip in one of the cities’ thermal baths, then visit one of the best places in Budapest.
I hope this guide helps you decide on which places to go to when you visit Budapest, and if you’re still feeling a bit lost, check our three-day road trip visiting the city. In this article, I’ve shared the places we visited in Budapest, where we stayed, ate, and also shared a sample three-day itinerary you can use for your trip!
1 comment
This looks incredible! Thank you for sharing 🙂