Budapest, the glory of Hungry. If you travelling to Europe on a budget and want to enjoy the best of food and culture, then look no further and make your stop at Budapest.
Bucket List of must things to do in Budapest!!!
I have been travelling within Europe for over a year now and have been to cities such as Barcelona, Paris, London, Italy, Prague and many more but Budapest has its own unique charm. I just love Budapest in every bit. Here in this article I will share with you the perfect bucket list of must things to do in Budapest. I am sure you will fall in love with Budapest.
Here the perfect bucket list of must places to visit in Budapest. Perfect Itinerary planner for 3-4 days of travel.
The Grand Parliament
The Hungarian Grand Parliament is a treat to see for your eyes. When I saw it for the 1st time I just could not stop admiring it. Indeed, a massive and magnificent work.
The Parliament Building, built in 1904, was designed in a Gothic Revival Style and since then used as a state parliament.
The internal architecture of the building is as beautiful as that from outside. The inside guided tour is a must do for tourist visiting Budapest. The guided tours run in various languages approximately for 10 Euro’s and it can only be pre-booked online. I suggest you to secure a spot as it fills up quickly.
Pro Tip: Take the Danube cruise at night to watch the lighted parliament. Best part of my Budapest trip.
The Chain Bridge
Famous chain bridge of Budapest, built in 1849, is also a major tourist attraction. The bridge was built to connect Buda town and Pest town (hence the name Budapest). You can start your day itinerary by walking across the chain bridge and climbing to the Buda (other) or vice versa depending which part of the city you choose to live it.
Highly recommend to visit chain bridge at night for some great pictures.
Szechenyi Thermal Bath
If you are in Budapest, you just cannot miss the most relaxing experience of your life. If you don’t know and if it’s your first time experiencing thermal bath then Budapest, also known as the ‘Spa City of Europe’, has a number of hot springs. I personally would recommend to go for the most visited Szechenyi thermal bath.
Click here to book ticket and to know everything about the Szechenyi thermal bath.
How to reach ‘Szechenyi Thermal Bath’ location?
You can reach ‘Szechenyi’ by taking the yellow line train (public Transport) from Budapest central station going towards ‘Vorosmarty ter’. You can then get down and visit ‘Szechenyi furdo’ (Szechenyi Thermal Spa). It takes around 25 mins to complete this journey.
Either you can pre-book your entry ticket for 18Euro with locker and avoid an entry line or alternatively arrive early morning to buy ticket. As the day progress, there is generally a queue outside to get in. Save your euros and take only one locker room if you are a family.
The thermal bath is a must do thing in Budapest and should be on the top of your list.
Fisherman’s Bastion:
Fisherman’s Bastion is one of my favourite view point in Budapest. It looks like a medieval monument and gives you a perfect panoramic view of Danube river and Budapest city. The beautifully build castle (look) structure is built in Neo-Gothic style and named after the Guilds of Fisherman. Visit Fisherman’s Bastion for a perfect sunset view.
Hungarian State Opera house
If you are an Acoustic music fan, you must visit the Royal opera house of the Budapest. It was built in a neo-renaissance style in 1875, decorated with finest paintings and sculptures. Hungary is famous for its Acoustic artist and Budapest’s Opera House comes in the top 3 in Europe. There is a short guide tour followed by a mini opera performance at certain times each day. Its good option if you want to explore the Opera House from within.
The Buda Castle:
The Buda castle is another massive structure of Budapest. It was a former Royal Palace but now converted to National gallery and historical museum to showcase Budapest’s history. The castle is on the top of the hill and if you are comfortable, you can hike the hill and stop at those hidden viewpoints. You can also take funicular to go on the top. There is a recommend option to book a two (2) hour tour, to know more about the castle and the history. Alternative would be to take a walking tour of the castle complex by yourself and explore.
It is handy to check if there is any activity in Buda Castle during your visit. It is a host to festivals such as beer festival, chocolate festival, wine festival, Palinka festival (local Alcohol) etc.
The New York café
Welcome to one of the fanciest cafés in the world: The New York café!
The cafe is a part of The New York Palace (Hotel Boscolo) which is grand luxury hotel in Budapest. Back in 18th century, the café was the meeting point of the top writers and stronghold of refined gastronomy. The café is situated on the ground floor of the hotel, with beautiful chandeliers and polished marble walls and ceilings which are ornamented with crystals. Indulge yourself in some mouth melting dishes and desert.
Pro tip: Do try the famous hot chocolate in New York Cafe.
Ruin Bar Clubs
Let’s talk about what we all are waiting for, the Ruin Bars of Budapest. It is hard to describe what exactly ruin bar is, but these ‘one in a kind’ bars are located in abandoned buildings, that have been left after world war II, in Budapest. These buildings are now converted to the most happening bars of the country.
There are many ruin bars in the city, with each of them having multiple floors. Each floor having its own vibe and music.
The oldest and the most famous among all of the ruin bars is ‘Szimpla kert’. Though opened throughout the day, the best time to visit the place is around late evenings. I visited this place, around 9 pm which is the perfect time to grab a good place and start with your local Hungarian beer. Generally, there is a long queue to get in after 10pm.
Pro Trip: You can skip the ruin bar tours as you can easily create your own pub crawl. All the must visit ruin bars in Budapest are very close to each other, what you need is just google maps!!!!:)
Danube night River Cruise
The best thing is always left for the last! Take a night canal cruise in Danube river, the life of Budapest. The illuminated parliament building and Buda castle are a treat to watch at night. You can just stroll down on the bank of the river Danube and choose the different canal cruise option available. The tickets can be taken on the spot approx for 10-12 euro depending upon the time slot and cruise.
End your amazing trip of Budapest with the beautiful picture of illuminated parliament and Buda castle from your night cruise.
Check out another gorgeous city in Eastern Europe in your same trip.
Hope you like the article. If you have any other top spots in Budapest, please let me know in comments.
Much Love ❤️💛💙
