What to do in Budapest on a Vacation?

Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is divided by the Danube River. Its 19th-century chain bridge connects the hilly Buda district with Flat Pest. A funicular runs from Castle Hill to Buda’s Old Town, where the Budapest History Museum traces city life from Roman times. Trinity Square houses the 13th-century Matthias Church and the bastion of the Fishermen’s Bastion, with sweeping views. What to do in Budapest on a Vacation? below are the things.

Visit the Baths

Gellert Baths

The history of Budapest is not limited to Austria-Hungary. It is much richer and dates back to the Roman Empire. Therefore, it is not surprising that the city is full of baths. There are 13 of them, and believe me, this is more than enough for such a small town.

The most popular and largest in Europe is Széchenyi. They promoted this place so much that there is no end of visitors there. But most of them are unlikely to return there again. The facilities in the bath are more reminiscent not of a place of rest for Roman patricians, but of the Romashka sanatorium with eerie locker rooms and grannies in each pool.

The Gellert Baths are another matter. There are much more young people here than pensioners, so you will feel much more comfortable in this place. In addition, this bath looks amazingly beautiful: large pools with mosaic floors, marble columns and bronze statues – all in the best traditions of Ancient Rome.

Try Local Alcohol

Gozsdu Udvar

Gozsdu udvar is an endless tunnel of bars. It turns into one big noisy party every weekend. If you drop in here on Friday night, be sure to leave this place only in the morning. Gozsdu udvar has a huge selection of cafes, pubs and bars where you can have a great time and meet the locals. Come to any place you like and start tasting traditional Hungarian alcohol. Order palinka, a fruit vodka infused with apricots, and a unique aromatic herbal liqueur. This is a powerful biostimulant, so after drinking it, be sure that you will have enough energy for the whole night.

Look at the pictures

Art’otel

There are no picture galleries with such rich collections of paintings as in the Tretyakov Gallery or the Hermitage, in Budapest and not even close. Chances are good that you will simply waste your time and money if you do buy a ticket, for example, to the Hungarian National Gallery. But if you still want to get involved in painting, check into the Art’otel and study contemporary art at least every day. The hotel walls are decorated with 600 works by contemporary American artist Donald Sultan. A free excursion is held daily for visitors, telling about the work of the painter. But you will see the most beautiful landscape from the window of your room. Art’otel boasts one of the most spectacular views of the Danube.

Visit the Abandoned

Mazel Tov

We are not going to introduce you to the gopniks and homeless people of Budapest. You can do this at your leisure and without us. It is worth visiting an abandoned building in order to feel the culture of the city. In the Hungarian capital, instead of building new buildings, they prefer to restore abandoned ones. And they do it at no special cost, preserving the atmosphere of the place: they restore the walls a little, repair the roof. The owners of Mazel Tov, for example, added tables, chairs and one of the most popular ruin bars in the city. Come here in the evening for cocktails and the traditional oriental meze served with all alcoholic drinks.

See the city from above

Budapest, although a small capital, cannot be seen from one observation deck. The Danube divides the city into two parts, so it is better to climb higher in both Pest and Buda.

Fisherman’s Bastion offers a beautiful view of Pest with its streets and lovely houses. The Hungarian parliament is best seen from there.

Once you get a chance to admire the city, walk to the Royal Palace, which is a 20-minute walk from the Fisherman’s Bastion, and take another look at Pest. There is only one minus of the observation deck near the palace – the palace itself is not visible from it. And this majestic building is worth seeing both up close and from afar.

So you have to go down from the hilly part of Budapest to the flat. The easiest way to do this is on the oldest funicular in the world. Once in Pest, head to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the tallest building in this part of the city. Of course, you can’t see the beautiful cathedral from its observation deck, but you can admire it to your heart’s content from the Fisherman’s Bastion. So don’t worry, it’s all covered.

Take a ride on the Ferris wheel

If you are a free bird at heart, then there is another option for you to see Budapest from above – the Ferris wheel. It is located in Elizabeth Square, but you do not need to know the address. You can easily find this wheel: there are no tall buildings in the Hungarian capital, so the attraction can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. We advise you to ride it for two reasons: firstly, you will get good photos against the background of the city and the nearby hills, and secondly, from the wheel you can see in detail the towers and dome of St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

Eat Goulash

Decent Hungarian goulash in Budapest can be tasted everywhere. But in few places it will be incomparable. At Rosenstein Vendéglő, it is just like any other dish prepared here. Most likely, you will return to this place, and for the second time we highly recommend you try the game, which is also considered part of the Hungarian national cuisine. Rosenstein Vendéglő cooks wild boar, roe deer, but we recommend ordering deer steak in berry sauce.

And yes, the service in the establishment is incomparable: if you do not like the dish, you will not include it in the bill.

Take a tram ride

Tram number 2

Seeing Budapest from the window of a vehicle is a great idea. In summer, it is best to take a water tram ride, but in late autumn tourist boats no longer run along the Danube. But ordinary trams run along the entire river. In Budapest, they are quite old, but very cute, so the trip will be quite romantic. Try to catch a ride before rush hour. Then you can sit by the window and view the city in a relaxed atmosphere. The most successful route is number 2. The tram runs along the entire embankment, from the Margaret Bridge and reaches the parliament.

Listen to classical music

Franz Liszt Academy of Music

You cannot visit Milan and not see La Scala, the same situation with Hungary. The Franz Liszt Academy of Music is well worth a visit, even if you don’t know anything about classical music. In this 19th century building, frescoes have been preserved, which were opened after restoration only in 2013. Every Sunday there is a guided tour about the work of Franz Liszt, who founded this academy. If one excursion is not enough for you, come here for a concert. Now it is one of the most prestigious music schools in Europe, where its students and graduates regularly perform.

Visit a Local Market

Budapest, like all other cities, has central markets. In the capital of Hungary, it is located at the end of the most popular shopping street Váci. As you can imagine, the prices there are extortionate, so it costs nothing to buy here. It is much more reasonable to visit the Lehel tér market, which is visited by the locals. It is much quieter here, and the range of spices and fish is wider. Therefore, if you love paprika, now you know where to go for it.

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