Historic building, Parliament

The Hungarian Parliament Building is Budapest’s most striking landmark. Up close, it impresses with its wealth of detail, but the best view of the entire façade is from the opposite bank of the Danube. You can view the Parliament from the outside free of charge. Access to the interior is only available as part of an organised tour at a specific time, and we recommend buying your ticket in advance. [btn "Book the cheapest accommodation in…

Spa

The Széchenyi Baths are the most famous thermal baths in Budapest and rank among the largest spa complexes in Europe. The highlight is the two outdoor thermal pools surrounded by yellow Neo-Baroque buildings. They are open even in winter. In my opinion, Széchenyi is well worth a visit, mainly for its atmosphere and setting. Don’t expect a quiet, luxurious spa. The baths are very popular, some of the indoor areas look a bit dated, and it gets…

Castle

Buda Castle is the main landmark on the Buda side of the Danube and one of the places you shouldn’t miss on your first trip to Budapest. From the palace terraces, there are views across the Danube to the Hungarian Parliament and the historic centre of Pest. However, don’t expect a single castle with just one guided tour route. Buda Castle comprises an extensive complex of palaces, courtyards, museums and streets. It therefore functions more…

Temple

Matthias Church stands in the heart of Buda’s castle district, right next to the Fishermen’s Bastion. At first glance, it catches the eye with its tall Gothic tower and colourful roof made of Zsolnay ceramic tiles. Inside, you’ll find painted walls, stained-glass windows, royal tombs and a small museum exhibition. Always combine your visit with a walk through Buda Castle. Both sites are located in the same castle district, and it takes about…

Lookout, Historic building

The Fishermen’s Bastion is one of the most photographed spots in Budapest. From its white terraces and towers, there is a direct view across the Danube to the Hungarian Parliament, the centre of Pest and Margaret Island. Most of the site can be visited free of charge at any time of the day or night. You only need to pay for entry to the upper terraces, and even these are not subject to a charge at all times. How much time to allow: 30 to 45…

Basilica

St Stephen’s Basilica is one of the most striking buildings in the centre of Budapest. From the outside, you can recognise it by its 96-metre-high dome; inside, by the gold, marble, mosaics and vast space, which appears far more monumental than in photographs. However, the main attraction is not just the cathedral itself. A panoramic terrace runs around the dome , offering a 360-degree view of the whole of Budapest, whilst inside, the Holy…

Bridge

The Chain Bridge (Széchenyi lánchíd) is not just one of Budapest’s landmarks. For visitors, it is also the most picturesque pedestrian link between the centre of Pest and Buda Castle. Crossing the bridge is free and takes about 8–10 minutes without stopping. In reality, however, allow at least 20 minutes: from one side of the bridge you can see the Parliament, from the other Buda Castle, and from the middle of the bridge you can take a…

Street

Andrássy Avenue (Andrássy út in Hungarian) is certainly Budapest's most famous and most prominent street, where you will find many luxury boutiques, countless restaurants and cafes, as well as a number of galleries and museums, palaces and state buildings. The famous M1 Jubilee metro line, colloquially known as Földalatti, runs under the entire length of Andrássy Avenue. This 2.5-kilometre-long avenue runs from St. Stephen's Basilica to Heroes'…

Opera

In the historic centre of Pest, right on Andrássy Avenue, the magnificent Neo-Renaissance building of the Hungarian State Opera House is one of the country's symbols. In addition to the city of Budapest, the construction was also significantly financed by Emperor Franz Joseph I to support the cultural development of the Hungarian part of the monarchy. The opera house was inaugurated in 1884. [btn "Find hotel prices in central Budapest" https:/…

Synagogue

The largest Jewish temple in Europe, built in the Moorish style with a typical copper dome, is one of the most striking and important buildings in Budapest. It can accommodate 3,000 worshippers, making it the second largest synagogue in the world (after the synagogue in New York). This conservative (not Orthodox) synagogue was built in 1859 to a design by Viennese architect Ludwig Förster and has elements of both Romanesque and Moorish…

Square

This square is located between the Városliget Municipal Gardens and Andrássy Avenue, and the main landmark of the square, the Millennium Monument, is facing it. In Hungarian, the square is called Hősök tere. [btn "The cheapest accommodation in Budapest" https://www.booking.com/city/hu/budapest.cs.html?aid=2380460;label=p-budapest-namesti-hrdinu] The Millennium Monument and a bit of history The central landmark of the square is the Millennium…

Spa

The Gellért Spa is closed for renovation from October 2025 until 2028. The spa is the second most famous in Budapest after Széchenyi's and operates as part of the luxury hotel of the same name. Built between 1912 and 1918, visitors can enjoy not only the thirteen thermal springs but also the architecture of the building with its columns and stained glass windows in Art Nouveau style. [btn "Prices and availability of hotels in Budapest" https:/…

Market

The market (Nagyvásárcsarnok), housed in a building from 1896, is only one of many of its kind in Budapest, but it is the most interesting for tourists in terms of size, architecture and location. The building has two floors above ground and one underground. The market is popular with tourists and locals alike, who buy vegetables, fruit, fresh meat and fish, dairy products and spices. Tourists mostly buy small souvenirs such as dried peppers,…

Island, Spa

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.…

Statue

The Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial consists of 60 pairs of cast-iron shoes attached to the embankment in the centre of Budapest. It commemorates the victims, primarily Budapest’s Jewish community, who were murdered in 1944 and 1945 by members of the fascist Arrow Cross Party. The Hungarian name of the memorial is ‘Cipők a Duna-parton’; on maps and in foreign guidebooks, you will also find it listed as ‘Shoes on the Danube Bank’. The shoes…

Castle

In the popular Városliget Park near Heroes' Square and Szćhenyi Spa, the small Vajdahunyad Castle on the shore of an artificial pond attracts tourists and locals alike. It is a much smaller replica of the famous Romanian castle Corvín (Hunyad), built in 1896 originally as a wooden backdrop for the Millennium Exhibition, which was held to commemorate 1 000 years since the settlement of the Hungarian basin. [btn "The 10 best hotels in Budapest"…

Archaeological site

The Roman city of Aquincum stood on the territory of today's Budapest at the end of the 1st century AD. Today it is the best-preserved civil Roman settlement in Hungary, with a covered museum and an open-air archaeological park. [btn "The 10 cheapest hotels in Budapest" https://www.booking.com/city/hu/budapest.cs.html?aid=2380460;label=p-budapest-aquincum] Roman Aquincum's period of greatest glory was roughly between 124 and 200 AD, when it…

Cable car

The historic funicular railway (Budavári Sikló in Hungarian) was put into operation in 1870, but was completely destroyed by bombing during World War II, and then put back into operation in 1986. The cable car will take you to the Buda Castle complex. You will find the boarding station at the gate to the tunnel under the castle near the Chain Bridge. [btn "The 10 best hotels in Budapest" https://www.booking.com/city/hu/budapest.cs.html?aid…

Lookout

Gellért Mountain (Hungarian: Gellért-hégy) is a forested peak rising to 235 metres on the Buda side of the city. Its appearance and significance is somewhat reminiscent of Prague's Petřín, except that there are no cable cars to the mountain and instead of a lookout tower, there is a large military citadel on the top, from whose terrace you can enjoy magnificent views of the Danube and the Pest side of the city. [btn "Book a hotel with a view"…

Spa

The Rudas Baths are the best choice for those who want to experience something other than large outdoor pools in Budapest. At its heart lies an authentic 16th-century Turkish bath, whilst the modern section features a small rooftop pool overlooking the Danube. Rudas also has a few peculiarities that are worth knowing about in advance. On certain days, the historic Turkish section has separate opening hours for men and women, and children under…

Spa

The Lukács Baths are a less ostentatious, cheaper and generally less touristy alternative to Budapest’s famous baths. Don’t expect a grand palace or a pool with a view of the city. The main reason to visit is the pleasant outdoor thermal pool, several indoor therapeutic pools and the atmosphere of the spa, which is still largely frequented by locals. The official name is Szent Lukács Gyógyfürdő és Uszoda. The complex is open all year round,…

Spa

The Dagály Thermal Baths are connected to a classic swimming pool and a large grassy area with trees, which serves as a beach and relaxation zone on hot summer days. In terms of size and number of pools, Dagály ranks 1st among Budapest's spas, but if we consider only the thermal part, Dagály is one of the smallest. [btn "The cheapest accommodation in Budapest" https://www.booking.com/city/hu/budapest.cs.html?aid=2380460;label=p-budapest-dagaly…

Water Park

Aquaworld Resort Budapest is one of the largest indoor water parks and artificial holiday destinations in Central Europe and is a very popular destination not only for Hungarians. Although its size is not on a par with the more famous Tropical Islands resort near Berlin, it is one of the most popular entertainment centres in Hungary and the surrounding area. Official website: aquaworldresort.hu Dozens of pools, water slides and attractions …

Park, Lookout Tower

Budapest is not only a city of monuments, but also of nature and a very uncharacteristically hilly landscape for Hungary. Among the most beautiful sightseeing spots are the Buda Hills and especially the János-Hegy area with its many hiking trails, viewpoints, lookout towers and an unconventional excursion railway that is practically run entirely by children. [btn "The 10 best hotels in Budapest" https://www.booking.com/city/hu/budapest.cs.html…

Station

This line, called Földalatti, is the second oldest in the world after the London Underground. It was put into service in 1896, almost 80 years before the first line in Prague was launched. The line was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002, not only because of the time of its construction, but also because of its architectural design. The stations are decorated with supporting columns with decorative elements made of cast iron or…