Top 20 Things to Do in Budapest
Budapest · 20 things to do
The 20 best things to do in Budapest on one map, from Parliament and the castle to thermal baths, ruin bars and the best Danube views.
By Amit KerenWhat are the best things to do in Budapest? This map shows the 20 must-see places in Budapest, with what each one is known for, which ones need a ticket and Google Maps directions to every spot.
On the Buda side, Castle Hill holds Buda Castle, Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion, the best view of Parliament. Ride the funicular up from the Chain Bridge and walk down. Gellért Hill next door has the widest view of the city.
On the Pest side, see Parliament, St. Stephen's Basilica and the Shoes on the Danube Bank, then walk up Andrássy Avenue past the Opera and the House of Terror to Heroes' Square and City Park. The Jewish Quarter has the Dohány Street Synagogue by day and the ruin bars by night.
Which thermal bath should you visit? Széchenyi in City Park is the big classic with its yellow outdoor pools. Rudas has a 16th-century Turkish pool and a rooftop hot pool over the river. Gellért Bath is closed for renovation and plans to reopen in 2028.
Attraction · Landmark
Hungary's huge neo-Gothic Parliament on the Danube, finished in 1904 and the city's best-known building. Guided tours show the Holy Crown and the domed hall; book online, as tours sell out.
Attraction · Castle
The former royal palace on Castle Hill, now home to the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum. The courtyards and terraces are free, and the changing of the guard takes place at Sándor Palace.
Viewpoint
White neo-Romanesque turrets and terraces next to Matthias Church, with the best view of Parliament across the river. The lower terraces are free; the upper towers need a small ticket in the daytime.
Attraction · Gothic church
The church on Castle Hill with the colourful Zsolnay tile roof, right next to Fisherman's Bastion. Hungarian kings were crowned here, and the inside is painted from floor to ceiling. Entry needs a ticket, and it closes to visitors during services.
Attraction · Funicular
A short, steep ride in a 19th-century cabin from the Chain Bridge up to Buda Castle. The queue can be long; walking up the path next to it takes about 15 minutes.
Attraction · Bridge
Budapest's oldest and most famous bridge, opened in 1849 and guarded by stone lions at both ends. Walk across from Pest to Buda, and come back after dark when it is lit up.
Viewpoint · Hilltop viewpoint
The Liberty Statue on top of Gellért Hill has the widest view of Budapest: the Danube, its bridges, Parliament and Buda Castle. The walk up from the Elisabeth Bridge end takes about 30 minutes. The Citadella fortress behind the statue was closed for years for renovation, so check whether it is open before you plan a visit inside.
Attraction · Thermal bath
A 16th-century Turkish bath at the foot of Gellért Hill, with an octagonal pool under a domed roof and a rooftop hot pool looking over the Danube. The Turkish bath section has single-sex days during the week, so check the timetable before you go.
Attraction · Basilica
Budapest's largest church, with the Holy Right hand relic of St. Stephen. Take the lift and a few stairs to the panorama terrace around the dome for a 360-degree view of the city.
Attraction · Memorial
Sixty pairs of iron shoes on the riverbank south of Parliament, remembering the Jews shot into the Danube in 1944 and 1945.
Attraction · Synagogue
The largest synagogue in Europe, built in the 1850s in a Moorish Revival style. The visit includes the Hungarian Jewish Museum, the Holocaust memorial garden and the metal weeping willow memorial. It is closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays.
Bar · Ruin bar
Budapest's best known ruin bar, in an old building in the Jewish Quarter filled with mismatched furniture and odd decorations. It is busy every night, and on Sunday mornings it hosts a farmers' market.
Café & dessert · Historic café
A grand café from 1894 in the New York Palace, with gilded columns, frescoes and chandeliers, often called the most beautiful café in the world. Expect a queue and high prices. Going early in the morning helps.
Attraction · Opera house
The 1884 neo-Renaissance opera house on Andrássy Avenue, reopened in 2022 after a full restoration. Take a guided tour of the gilded auditorium and grand staircase, or book a ballet or opera night.
Attraction · History museum
A museum on Andrássy Avenue in the building once used by Hungary's Nazi and then communist secret police, about life under the two dictatorships. The basement holds reconstructed prison cells. It is closed on Mondays.
Attraction · Square
The big square at the end of Andrássy Avenue, with the Millennium Monument and statues of Hungary's founding chieftains and kings, at the gateway to City Park.
Attraction · Castle & park
A romantic castle in City Park built for the 1896 millennium celebrations, copying famous Hungarian buildings. Rent a rowing boat on the lake in summer or skate on the ice rink in winter.
Attraction · Thermal bath
The famous yellow baths in City Park, one of the largest bath complexes in Europe, with warm outdoor pools open all year. Go early in the morning or in the evening to avoid the crowds.
Market
Budapest's biggest and oldest indoor market, from 1897, full of paprika, salami and pastries on the ground floor. Go upstairs for lángos and other Hungarian street food. It is closed on Sundays.
Park & garden · Island park
A car-free park island in the Danube between Buda and Pest, about 2.5 km long. Walk or rent a bike, see the musical fountain, the old water tower and the Japanese garden, and swim at the Palatinus outdoor pools in summer.
Recommended hotels
Chain Bridge, Pest side
Best for: Danube views
Art Nouveau palace at the Pest end of the Chain Bridge, with views across the Danube to Buda Castle.
Near St Stephen's Basilica
Best for: Rooftop bar
Music-themed hotel next to St Stephen's Basilica, with the High Note rooftop bar.
Váci utca, by Elisabeth Bridge
Best for: Belle Époque
Restored 1902 palace at the Elisabeth Bridge end of Váci utca, a short walk from the Central Market Hall.
Central Pest, by Deák Ferenc tér
Best for: Walk to the big markets
Five-star hotel a few minutes' walk from Advent Bazilika, Vörösmarty tér and Városháza Park.
Buda, by the Chain Bridge
Best for: Castle market
Modern hotel next to the funicular up to Budavári Advent, with a rooftop bar looking at the river.
Andrássy út
Best for: Location
Boutique hotel on Andrássy Avenue near the Opera, between Deák Ferenc tér and the Jewish Quarter.
Near St Stephen's Basilica
Best for: Value luxury
Four-star hotel in a historic building between the basilica and the Danube, with a spa.
Palace Quarter
Best for: Design on a budget
Design hotel with a rooftop bar close to the Central Market Hall and the Hungarian National Museum.
Újlipótváros, near Margaret Island
Best for: Families
Apartments with kitchens and a pool, on the tram line towards the city centre.
Jewish Quarter
Best for: Budget
Hostel with private rooms in the middle of the Jewish Quarter, close to the ruin bars and the Dohány Street Synagogue.
Recommended activities
Before you go
spotz.guide is a collection of travel maps and step-by-step routes, made to be opened on your phone and followed on the ground. Every guide is put together and checked by founder and editor Amit Keren.
Spots come from time on the ground and strong recommendations, and each one is checked before it goes on the map.
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