Budapest

I have been wanting to travel to Budapest for so long. And I am so glad I finally did.

You will find incredible Art Nouveau details everywhere you go

Budapest has been hailed as a Central European favorite for years. It is admired for its beautiful architecture, mostly done for the 1896 millennium anniversary of the city. The buildings that were created for this celebration, including the truly stunning Parliament Building, are fantastic. They are grand, and regal, and many celebrate the Art Nouveau style that was popular at the time. I was mesmerized walking around this city.

It had honestly been a while since I had taken a trip to somewhere completely new, so I went all out planning this trip. There are no shortage of blogs with meticulous “3 days in Budapest” itineraries that are a vague repetition of one another. Still I read them, trying to find the best way to map ourselves around the city, the destinations to check off, the food we needed to eat.

And while all that preparation did serve us in the end, of course, the best moments occurred by chance.

Crossing the Liberty Bridge connecting Buda and Pest

Also just to note, Budapest is a city that is very easy to get around, so we were able to see many things in the first three days, including a half-day trip outside of the city. We had four full days in Budapest, arriving in the early morning and flying out in the late evening. I think having that extra time allowed us to see everything without having to rush, and gave us extra time to, for example, relax at the baths for a second day. It also would have given us time to make up for any days lost to bad weather, but fortunately for us, it was beautiful the whole time we were there.

Therefore, I have prepared a little guide for you, but just take it as a starting point. Budapest is an incredible city, and there are no shortage of things to do there. I certainly only had a glimpse into this what this city has to offer. Everywhere I turned there was another museum, exhibit, restaurant, or cafè. While I do think I had a sampling of the “must-do’s,” remember that this is really just a taste, of Budapest.

When to Go

An incredible juxtaposition of an H&M inside a historic Art Nouveau building

Now obviously I won’t say that this is the only time of year to go, but Budapest definitely has a reputation of being a “fall” city. We went in early October, and honestly, it was perfect. We had very cool, cozy, nights, so much so that we had to stop into an H&M that turned out to be an amazingly preserved Art Nouveau building interior (located at Deák Ferenc utca 3-5), but the days were still very warm and sunny. But I definitely got my taste of autumn, falling leaves, and not-so-traditional pumpkin spice lattes.

Where to Stay

Unbeknownst to me, we ended up booking at probably the best location. Our AirBnb was directly off of Deák Ferenc tér, one of the main hubs of the city. Here, we found every possible means of public transportation, including the convenient tram lines 47 and 49, a metro station, and buses to go up to the hill on the Buda side. We were also very close walking to the Jewish Quarter, which is home to many shops, restaurants, and attractions. Not to mention, the airport bus dropped us here practically in front of our front door, which was one of my main reasons for booking this specific apartment.

The impressive St. Stephen’s Basilica

Since we were arriving around 1 a.m., I was also specifically looking for an apartment which had the option of self-check-in, which this apartment had. It was a small place, but perfect for two people and had everything we needed. We did go to the supermarket to buy some fresh fruit and other snacks, which we were able to keep in the mini-fridge. We also had some leftovers from going out to eat that we were able to heat up in the microwave. Best of all, our apartment had a semi-private terrace where we could sit out in the fresh air, have tea, and play cards. Just a few things to consider when you are looking for an apartment there.

Public Transportation

Now it may seem strange, given all of the architectural marvels and interesting cuisine of Budapest, but one of the things that struck me the most was the public transportation. Every method of transportation we took was clean, calm, and on-time. It is also extremely accessible for tourists, with, for example, screens in buses that show the upcoming stops. They even have the BudapestGO app to help you plan your routes.

Don’t forget to validate your tickets!

There were ticket machines everywhere, including at the airport where you can buy the special ticket for the airport express bus that takes you into the city. While there, I also bought a few of the regular tickets so that way we could just get going the next morning.

There are boxes to validate the tickets on the bus and trams, and at the entrance to the metro. There were ticket controllers sometimes at the entrance to the metro, and sometimes at the exit, and even on the tram, so be sure to validate your tickets!

The Baths

The central pool - at room temperature - is reserved for lap swimmers

One of Budapest’s main attractions for visitors is of course, the thermal baths. There is so much information on blogs, that I really agonized over which bath we should visit. After visiting and seeing for myself, as well as talking with other people who visited more than one, I really believe that you will enjoy yourself no matter which one you go to.

I have the impression that the baths are managed by the same management system, as their websites have the same format and the baths seem to operate on the same wristband/locker system. As well, when I researched the baths, each one seemed to have some baths open, some baths closed. With some baths, certain areas may have hours that are open for one gender only. Just some things to keep to keep in mind. However, I believe your experience depends more on your attitude and being open to the experience.

In the end, we chose to visit the Gellért Baths. While there are outdoor baths, I appreciated that here they are mostly indoor, as I would not want to be in the sun. The architecture and design is incredibly beautiful Art Nouveau. I was enchanted.

The temperature of the pools is displayed

There is a long, room temperature lap pool where you would be required to wear a swimming cap, however it is not necessary for the other pools. At the end of this pool, there are two areas that are a mirror of each other which have different temperature pools, massages rooms, and sauna and steam rooms. The temperature pools range from 36°C (96.8°F), 38°C (100.4°F), and even 40°C (104°F). If you can stand it, there is also a small cold plunge pool of 18°C (64.4°F), although it felt a lot colder at the time.

We booked our tickets ahead of time, directly on the spa’s website, especially because I wanted to book a massage, of which the time slots are limited.

You can book either a locker or a cabin, so we booked a cabin to have some privacy and more room to store our things. The cabin locks with the wristband you are given upon entry.

Ultimate tranquility

We went to the baths on our first day, spending about half the day there. We also returned on our last day. In just a few hours the first day, we were able to relax in the different pools and explore the different amenities. It was a sunny day, so we even had some lunch outside on the terrace.

On our last day, since our flight was in the evening, we spent the majority of the afternoon there. We were able to really relax, going from pool to pool, having a coffee break and lunch upstairs. There are even lounge chairs upstairs where we just relaxed for a while.

From my experience, you should definitely budget a least a few hours to make the most of the experience, but can spend even longer if you have time to spare. Remember though to spend only short periods in the hot water and to take breaks as needed.

The first day we went was a Thursday morning, and it wasn’t exceptionally crowded, but Sunday afternoon it was definitely more full. You will absolutely need to bring flip-flops and your own towels (it was not possible to rent them).

Buda

The incredible design of Fisherman’s Bastion

As you may already know, the name Budapest came from the merging of Buda and Pest, two cities on opposite sides of the Danube River (along with other communities), in 1873. Buda is the side of the city on the left bank of the river. While there are many famous attractions there, it is definitely a quieter area, more administrative and residential, compared to Pest, which is more commercial and lively.

We made a point to head out one morning to explore the sights on top of Buda’s Castle Hill, taking the bus to reach Fisherman’s Bastion. A fortress overlooking the Danube, there was interesting architecture and gorgeous views. Right there is also located the St. Matthais Church. We just walked around the outside, not paying to go inside any of the structures.

Ready for breakfast, we stopped at a very cute coffee shop called Flat White for a coffee, cake, and orange juice to enjoy in the sunshine.

Quiet, residential streets of Buda

We then headed over to the Buda Castle complex, where on the way we passed by the changing of the guard at the Presidential Palace. At the complex there are some fountains and gardens, and some museums, although we did not go inside.

While there are many tourists in Budapest, it was really only when visiting the Castle Hill area that I noticed so many of them. While these are considered the “must-see” sights of Budapest, we only spent about half a day there exploring them. No doubt they are beautiful and historically significant, but there is also so much more to do and see here. Maybe one day we’ll be able to go back and explore more.

Pest

Paprika displays at the Central Market Hall

Since we were staying on the Pest side of the river, we had more opportunities to explore here. We spent almost all of our time on this side of the river, so the “Pest” section is really just most of this blog. The only times we crossed over to Buda were when visiting Castle Hill, and the Gellért Baths.

We visited the Central Market Hall, where we picked up some paprika, which I think is the essential souvenir from Hungary. There are two varieties: hot and sweet. The first floor of the market is a traditional food market also with fruits and vegetables, and upstairs there are vendors selling souvenirs.

Danube River Cruise

For a long time, I had longed to see the Hungarian Parliament Building lit up at night. So it was a priority for me to take a Danube River cruise, and I can say it was one of the highlights of the trip.

It seems that most of the river cruises begin in the northern end of the city, sailing down under the bridges that span the river and past several wonders, before turning around to make their way back to the dock. We booked our cruise to take place during the sunset hour, meaning that on the way down we were able to witness the beautiful sunset, and on the way back the buildings were lit up against the dark blue sky. It was truly magnificent.

The sunset along the Danube

Our cruise was one hour long, about 25€ for two people, and also had a welcome drink of wine or juice. I would recommend arriving early for your dock time, so as to not be rushing and worry about the boat cruising away without you.

Restaurants

Before I knew I would travel to Budapest, I had already begun saving restaurants I saw on Instagram from other travelers, and I was highly anticipating these meals.

Kunefe at Mozata

First up, there was the Lebanese restaurant, Mozata. Long craving my favorite Arabic foods, we ordered a spread to have a nice sampling. To start, they have a lovely drink menu with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. I could have ordered everything, but we settled on hummus fatteh (a dish of whole chickpeas with yogurt, bread chips, and pine nuts), falafel (fried balls of mashed chickpeas), kibbeh (friend balls of beef and bulger), and cheese rakakat (cheese wrapped in a thin dough and fried), which I ordered alongside thoum, a garlic sauce, to dip in. We also order kunefe, a typical dessert of cheese, shredded dough, sugar syrup, and pistachios. Needless to say, we went home with leftovers which made for a great snack later.

Then, wanting to check out one of the typical “ruin pubs,” formally derelict buildings that were turned into makeshift, quirky bars, we headed to Szimpla Kert. It ended up being way too crowded for me to enjoy, though I am glad I got to see its eclectic design and ambiance.

Mushroom paprikash with galuska from Gettó Gulyás

I am even more glad because on the way, we walked past Gettó Gulyás, which looked so rustic and charming. I particularly wanted to try it because looking at the menu outside, I saw they offered a vegetarian mushroom version of the typical paprikash dish which I desperately wanted to try. The paprikash sauce (and usually chicken) are served alongside galuska, an egg dumpling that reminds me of spätzle, though I would say it is more eggy than doughy. They were already almost completely booked for reservations for the weekend, but we were lucky to find a place during lunch where we enjoyed some traditional Hungarian food.

While I believe it is a must to try local food when visiting a new city or country, I was also amazed by the variety of international cuisine available in Budapest. For another dinner, we went to Padthai Wokbar, a kind of make-your-own Thai restaurant. While they did try to upsell us to put more ingredients (and therefore more €€€) in our dish, honestly just the base dish with one protein topping (tofu for me) was more than enough. So while I didn’t appreciate that, the meal was delicious and I always enjoy having Thai food.

Beautiful artisanal ice cream from Gelarto Rosa

On the last night of our trip, there was still one last place I needed to try. I had seen the beautiful, petal-scooped artisanal ice cream from Gelarto Rosa on Instagram, and I already knew what flavor I would take. I took a small cone with two flavors, a tart basil-lemon sorbet in the middle, with delicate white chocolate and lavender ice cream petals on the outside. The combination of sweet and tart was delicious, and definitely one of the prettiest ice cream cones I’ve ever had. Paired with a stroll in the shadow of the incrdible Szent István Basilika (St. Stephen’s Basilica) lit up at night, it was the perfect last night in Budapest.

Szentendre Day Trip

On thing that was very important to me when planning this trip was to try to take a day trip outside of city. I saw that there were several option accessible via public transportation, but in the end we selected Szentendre.

Outside the train station in Szentendre

Just one train ride away, for the tickets we needed both a regular public transportation ticket for the segment within Budapest, well as the “extension” ticket for the segment outside of the city. While this seemed a little complicated, the teller at the Batthyány tér H station (where we took the metro line to in order to take the train to Szentendre) was incredibly helpful and explained everything. Ask to make sure you validate the right tickets (;

Classics lángos from Álomlángos

The town was very cute, and understandably crowded with tourists on a Saturday. However, I enjoyed the change of pace, and seeing another side of Hungary outside of the capital city. While here, we finally tried lángos, a local dish of hot fried dough, which always sounds like a good idea, topped with sour cream and grated cheese. We followed a narrow alley to find Álomlángos, a well-known hole-in-the-wall. Quite literally a small garden nestled in the wall, there are a few tables and benches, or places to stand and enjoy your treat. We then continued to follow the alley up to a small square, that of Saint John the Baptist parish, where we were able to take in a view of rooftops.

Just to note, it seems Álomlángos is closed seasonally in winter, so check to see if they are open before making a special trip.

Szentendre rooftops

After a quiet stroll along the Danube, we returned to Budapest, glad to have had a breath of fresh country air.

Cash vs. card, and more

If you are considering a trip to Budapest, I would not wait. Long having a reputation as being a budget-friendly city, I felt it was more moderately priced. I could also note recent price increases, given that I found prices for certain things like public transportation tickets and certain food items to be more expensive then were written on blogs from even one year ago.

Sunlight hitting St. Matthias Church

While Hungary is part of the European Union, it still uses its own currency, the Hungarian forint. When we visited in October 2023, it was about 2,000 forint to 5 euro. I like to have cash on hand, so I did withdraw some money at a local ATM, but card did seem to be accepted almost everywhere, even in small shops and street markets.

On a side note, I encourage you to always go a bank ATM instead of using generic ATMs on the street in tourist areas or at the airport. They often have exorbitant fees, and I prefer to be at a bank where there is staff in case something goes wrong.

In terms of tipping, I found that in most, if not all, restaurants there was already a 10-15% service fee added to bill.

Closing thoughts

Budapest is a bustling, vibrant city. The magnificent architecture will take your breath away. While there are the trademark Budapest experiences, be sure to leave room to wander off the beaten path, because like I found, there is plenty more to discover. I love how we organized our trip; I felt it was a great balance of the traditional and the contemporary, planning and spontaneity. I feel content with what I was able to do and see, having got a good idea of the city, but I also know that if I ever have the opportunity to come back to Budapest one day, that there is certainly more to experience here.

Nightlife at Szimpla Kert

I am so glad I finally booked a trip to Budapest. So much about life is unpredictable, and I really felt like I just needed to stop putting things like this off. You don’t know when you will have the opportunity to experience the things you want to, so if you are able to make it work, the time to do so is always now.

Note: The header image is the Hungarian Parliament Building, taken from a boat on the Danube River, an absolute must when visiting Budapest.