Budapest Travel Guide

I spent a few days in Hungary and my lovely trip will be summarised into this comprehensive Budapest Travel Guide. Budapest is the capital of Hungary and is in the Eastern part of Europe.

The capital is a combination of three cities Buda, Pest and Obuda. Today, the city can be categorised in two – Buda on the west bank of the river Danube and Pest on the east bank. It is so fascinating how Buda is less busy and more residential while Pest is more touristy and the vibey part of Budapest.

BUDAPEST TRAVEL GUIDE: WHAT TO DO IN BUDAPEST

1. Boat Cruise over the Danube

The Danube is Europe’s 2nd largest river (after the Volga). It runs through 10 countries. It starts from Germany and runs through Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia before emptying into the Black Sea.

Since we were staying just off Liberty Bridge, the Danube was in view and we knew we had to go on a cruise. Mr E and I were going to do a dinner cruise; but realised we could ride the boat just around the popular spots as part of a tour and that’s what we did. We chose the first boat on the pier, Silverline cruises and the entire tour lasted about 2 hours. This is a fantastic way to tour Budapest. You get to see the contrast between Buda and Pest as you sail through.

It cost only 2700 HUF per person and on board, there are food and drinks to buy. The boats leave every 2 hours and we caught the 1pm slot and had a fantastic time touring.

2. Go to Margaret Island for the Day

They say Margaret Island is to Budapest as Central Park is to New York.

Margaret Island (Hungarian: Margitsziget) is on a precious Island on the Danube. It is what I will call a slice of beauty in central Budapest. The best thing about Margaret Island is that it is more familiar with locals than tourists so it’s somewhat a hidden gem in Budapest. On the island, there is a musical fountain, a pool and restaurants. There are a few gorgeous gardens including the most impressive Japanese garden.

We rented a golf cart to explore as far as we could and it was possibly the highlight of our entire trip! So if you’re ever in Budapest, head to Margaret Island.

3. Light a candle at St Stephen’s Basilica

I have an obsession with Basilicas so I had to go the popular St Peter’s in the Pest side of the city. Its architecture is stunning with the most magnificent and striking exterior. The Basilica has its own square with restaurants and many activities happening so it is always buzzing. However, as soon as you step into the church, you recognise that all too familiar serenity you usually get once you walk into a Cathedral or Basilica. It is quite overpowering and this is where I know that God is welcoming us into his church.

When we went in, there was Mass going on which was so beautiful to watch. We lit our candles, said our prayers and took some pictures.

4. Watch sunset on the Liberty Bridge

Ohhhh my love for sunsets, will it ever end?

They fascinate me so much. All the colours and beauty in the transformation make me feel like I’m in a fairytale. I love sunrises too; however I’m too lazy to wake up early for them, so I have fallen in love over and over with sunsets. It is so exciting to try to catch a decent one on every trip.

The first evening post dinner, we noticed people were on Liberty Bridge and wondered why. Then we noticed they were facing the same view where the sun had just set. I knew we had to return the next day, on time to witness the magic too. 

Budapest had a few sunsets spots as with every city but this was the only spot we watched the sunset from and I totally recommend.

4. Relax at Gellért Spa

For a chill day, the best thing to do in Budapest is to visit a spa. Budapest is known for its natural spas & thermal bath facilities. We visited Gellert Spa and I’d recommend spending at least half a day in the summer to use the pools. Our favourite pool was the wave pool which was such a vibe. In winter, you can actually spend the whole day hoping from thermal bath to sauna to massage parlours etc.

There is a very comprehensive post on our lovely day at Gellert Spa with all the information to visit. 

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5. Visit The Gellért Hill Cave (The Cave church)

Hungarian: Sziklakapolna

Ok this was the most fascinating thing we did. It was not on our list of places to see that day. However, we had just walked from Pest through the Liberty Bridge to Buda; saw this huge rock formation, walked up to it and voilà! Just in front of us was a Catholic church. Sziklakapolna is situated on Gellért Hill, across from Gellért Thermal Baths.  Simply put, it is a church inside a cave, dedicated to the Lady of Hungary. The Cave Church was reopened in 1989 to the public and is now a tourist attraction.

Fun fact: It is always 20 degrees inside the church regardless of the weather outside; winter or summer. This is due to the thermal springs running through the rocks.

BUDAPEST TRAVEL GUIDE: WHAT TO SEE IN BUDAPEST

1. Great Market Hall

(Hungarian: Nagyvásárcsarnok)

It is the oldest and largest indoor market in Budapest. The market is located at the end (or beginning, depending on where you are coming from) of the popular Váci Utca; on the Pest side of Liberty Bridge.

2. Shoes on the Danube bank

This is probably one of the most emotional memorials I have ever come across. It is on the Pest side of the Danube and is in honour of the Jews who were killed during WWII. They were ordered to take their shoes off at the bank; shot and their bodies fell into the water. Shoes on the Danube are in their memoriam as a significant eerie reminder of the tragedy.

3. Buda Castle

Buda castle is the historical castle of the Hungarian Kings in Budapest. It is a part of the world heritage site and has baroque designs, which add to its beauty. It is currently a Gallery and History Museum. From the top of the stairs, facing Pest, you can see a magical skyline of the city.

4. Széchenyi chain bridge

(Hungarian: Széchenyi Lánchíd)

The Széchenyi chain bridge is the most popular bridge in this city of bridges. It is the oldest bridge in Budapest, which connects Buda to Pest (like the other bridges). It was named after Charles Széchenyi and opened in 1849. We walked down the bridge on our way to Fisherman’s Bastion and also sailed under it on our Danube boat cruise tour. Although there are other bridges which link east and west, Széchenyi chain bridge is seen as a symbol of national awakening.

5. Fisherman’s Bastion

(Hugarian: Halaszbastya) 

The Fisherman’s Bastion stands to commemorate the fishermen who provided for the city. It resembles the famous Disney tower which features in Disney cartoons and as the popular backdrop in Disneyland. 

6. The Hungarian Parliament Building

It is one of the most prestigious governmental buildings in Europe and was founded in 1902. Thanks to its striking architecture, it is one of the most recognisable buildings in Europe. I got a really good view of it during our Danube boat cruise.

7. Liberty Bridge

(Hungarian: Szabadság Híd)

 We had a cute view of the bridge from our hotel window. When we initially planned our trip to Budapest, the only bridge on our list was Széchenyi because it is the popular one. However, I can now say that my favourite bridge was Liberty Bridge. Probably because it was the one we walked past the most. Most importantly, it was where we saw the gorgeous sunset.

BUDAPEST TRAVEL GUIDE: WHERE TO EAT IN BUDAPEST

1. Anna’s Café

This was such a lush terrace restaurant at the foot of our hotel. Budapest was scorching hot when we visited as it was the middle of a heat wave. We often sought solace in Anna’s Café which was the perfect spot for people watching. They also happened to have a cooling fan so it was a win win for us. Service was lovely, food was tasty and vibe was perfect for our first meal in Budapest.

2. New York Café

When you have read that the most beautiful café in the world is in Budapest, you know that you have to see it live, eat in it and just be in it. Prior to going to Budapest, I made a reservation a few weeks before our trip because I knew it was a busy spot.

We got there and there was a queue but thanks to my reservation, we walked right in.

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I totally recommend going there for the hot chocolate and chocolate milkshake.

3. Grappa

This was one we stumbled upon on our last evening while strolling on Váci Utca. Mr E and I were so hungry and decided to eat at Grappa. We had spotted it the previous night and I could perceive the aroma of the food lol. I knew we had to come back to try it out. We ordered a few different plates to try and everything was so tasty. I was quite impressed as it was reasonably priced.

One thing to note is that lemonade seems to be the most popular summer drink in Budapest. Get ready to be offered lemonade everywhere you go and on every menu.

BUDAPEST TRAVEL GUIDE

We loved Budapest and did a lot in the few days we visited. It is a lovely city break and there is so much to see and do. It might not be as popular as a lot of the more familiar European cities but it is worth a trip.

Until next time…

…Bisous, ‘Bugo x