Margaret Island (Margit-sziget) is a green island almost 3 km long in the middle of the Danube. Budapest residents come here to go for a run, have a picnic or go for a swim, whilst tourists can enjoy a pleasant half-day away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre.

The appeal of Margaret Island lies in its combination of a park, the Palatinus Spa, musical fountains, historic ruins and spots where you can sit down on the grass for a while. Entry to the island is free and the park is open 24 hours a day.

A thermal hotel right on Margaret Island

Is Margaret Island worth a visit?

If you’re in Budapest for the first time and only have one day, I’d recommend the Parliament Building, Buda Castle and a stroll along the Danube.

Margaret Island makes the most sense if you’re staying for two days or more, in hot weather, with children, or when you want to take a break from sightseeing for a few hours.

• Allow 1½ to 2 hours for a basic walk
• Allow 3 hours if you’re visiting the fountain, the garden and other attractions
• You can easily spend half a day to a full day here visiting the Palatinus Spa

The Palatinus Spa and Leisure Centre

Palatinus is not just a traditional thermal complex, but a combination of a spa and a family swimming pool. That’s precisely why it’s one of the best options in Budapest for families with children.

The indoor thermal and wellness area and some of the outdoor pools are open all year round. In summer, large leisure pools, a wave pool, children’s pools and water slides are added.

Compared to the Széchenyi Baths, Palatinus is not as architecturally impressive, but it is cheaper and significantly more fun for children. We also describe the differences between the various complexes in our guide to the best thermal baths in Budapest.

Children are allowed in the family and leisure pools. However, children under 14 are not permitted in the hottest therapeutic pools with water temperatures above 35 °C unless they have a doctor’s recommendation.

Opening hours and admission

Palatinus is open daily from 9.00 am to 7.00 pm.

Outside the peak season

Ticket	Weekdays	Weekends and public holidays
Adult (full day)	3 800 huf	4 200 huf
Child, student or senior	2 500 huf	2 800 huf
2-hour admission	2 600 huf	3 000 huf

In peak season

Ticket	Weekday	Weekends and public holidays
Adult (full day)	6 000 huf	6 500 huf
Child, student or senior	4 500 huf	5 000 huf
2-hour entry	4 400 huf	4 900 huf

A locker is included in the price. There is an additional charge for a changing cubicle 1 000 huf. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office or online via the official website.

Please bring your swimwear, a towel and slippers. A swimming cap is compulsory only in the swimming pool, not in the thermal and leisure pools.

Thermal hotels on Margaret Island

Staying on the island itself makes sense mainly if you’re visiting Budapest for the spas, peace and quiet, or running. In the evening, however, you won’t find as many restaurants or as much city life here as in the centre of Pest.

Both of the local four-star hotels share one extensive thermal and wellness complex with swimming pools and saunas:

• Ensana Thermal Margaret Island – the more modern hotel with the most convenient direct access to the wellness centre; the best choice if the thermal baths are the main reason for your stay.
• Ensana Grand Margaret Island – a historic 19th-century hotel with a more traditional atmosphere; guests visit the wellness centre at the neighbouring Ensana Thermal Hotel.

If you’d like to be closer to the sights, restaurants and nightlife, choose a different area according to our guide ‘Where to stay in Budapest’.

What to see on Margaret Island

The Musical Fountain

The Grand Musical Fountain stands right by the southern entrance from Margaret Bridge. From May to October, music plays at regular intervals during the day, whilst the evening programme is complemented by lights and projections. The exact programme varies throughout the season.

The fountain is free to visit and is best seen in the evening. If you’re visiting the island during the day, you can stop by again on your way back.

Ruins of St Margaret’s Monastery

In the centre of the island, you’ll find the freely accessible ruins of a Dominican monastery. It was here, in the 13th century, that Princess Margaret, daughter of King Béla IV of Hungary, lived – and it is from her that the island takes its present name.

It is not a large site, but it is one of the few places on the island that offers a glimpse into its history. A visit takes about 15 minutes.

Water Tower

The Art Nouveau water tower, built in 1911, stands 55 metres tall and also serves as a viewing tower and exhibition space. There are 153 steps leading up to the viewing platform, from where you can see the whole island and the surrounding districts of Budapest.

The tower is only open during the tourist season and may be closed outside the summer months. You should therefore check the current opening hours on the official website before you go. The standard admission fee is 500 huf.

Japanese Garden and Small Zoo

At the northern end of the island, you can stroll through a small Japanese garden featuring a pond, a waterfall and wooden footbridges. Entry is free and a visit takes just 15 to 20 minutes.

There is also a small, freely accessible zoo nearby. Both places make for a pleasant stop, particularly with children, but they are not, in themselves, reason enough to travel across the whole city.

Running, cycling and picnics

A 5.3 km-long running track with a soft surface runs around the island. You can also hire a bike or a pedal car on site, which is particularly handy if you don’t want to walk the length of the island – nearly three kilometres – and back.

The extensive lawns in the central part are ideal for a picnic. You’ll find refreshments on the island, but outside the summer season the choice is considerably more limited.

The best route across the island

The most pleasant way to explore Margaret Island is to walk in one direction only and not return by the same route:

1. Get off the tram at the Margitsziget / Margit híd stop and cross the bridge to the southern end of the island.
2. Start at the musical fountain.
3. Continue to the ruins of the Dominican monastery.
4. In the centre of the island, visit the Palatinus or the water tower.
5. Walk past the small zoo to the Japanese Garden.
6. At the northern end, take bus 26 and continue to the M3 metro.

Without visiting the thermal baths, this route, including stops, takes about 1½ to 2 hours.

How to get to Margaret Island

The most convenient way to get there is by bus number 26, which runs across the island from north to south and connects it to Nyugati railway station and the M3 metro station Göncz Árpád városközpont. Get off at the Palatinus fürdő stop, right by the spa.

Trams 4 and 6 run at very short intervals to the southern end of the island:

• Margitsziget / Margit híd – trams 4 and 6; access to the island directly from Margaret Bridge
• Margitsziget / Árpád híd – buses 34 and 106; access from the north

Private cars are not permitted on most of the island, and driving there makes little sense for a standard tourist visit. We describe tickets and how the public transport system works in a separate guide to public transport in Budapest.

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