Budapest is my second home. After living in this beautiful city for four months, I’ve come to love its stunning architecture, trendy restaurants, lively ruin bars, and cheap prices (of course). The river that flows through the city, dividing the Buda and Pest sides, houses two famous bridges that are my favorite places to relax. The untouched feel of this historically-rich city makes it a must-see when visiting Europe.
Things to Do
Walking Tour – (FREE + tip) Stops: Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, St. Stephen’s Basilica, Parliament, Chain Bridge, Shoes on the Danube, Hero’s Square, last for 3 hours
Liberty Statue – (FREE), 20 min hike upstairs, not difficult, visit at sunset for the best view of the city, pretty at night with all the lights, located close to the famous Liberty Bridge (green bridge)
Thermal Bath – ($20) MUST DO if in Budapest, it’s basically a big hot tub/pool
Options: Szechenyi (most popular), Gellert (cheaper), Rudas (less expensive with sky deck)
Danube River Cruise – (prices vary, starting at $7) MUST DO – Budapest is beautiful at night when all the buildings light up (especially the Parliament Building), options available online
Margaret Island – (price varies), huge park in Budapest similar to New York’s central park, visit famous fountain with show and music, there is a thermal bath that is more like a water park which was fun, and it’s just a nice place to enjoy good weather, rent a bike, and stroll around
Segway Tour – (mid-priced) because Budapest is very cheap, activities that are normally expensive, are actually affordable, my family spent a day on a segway tour and it was a great way to see the highlights of the city
Ferris Wheel – ($10) located in Deak Square, a famous square with many shops, restaurants, and street food, only 15min ride with cool views of the city
City Park Ice Skating – ($5) huge ice skating rink, ask for a student discount if available, a fun way to spend a winter day in Budapest
Jewish Walking Tour – (FREE) Budapest has a lot of Jewish history that is definitely worth checking out
János Hill + Elizabeth Lookout Tower – ($10) a half of day experience, but worth it if you have time
Step 1: take local bus to Nomafa stop (45 min from the city center)
Step 2: Walk through the park to the main point, follow the crowd & signs
Step 3: Take scenic chairlift down and back for $6
Step 4: After, walk up to the Elizabeth Tower for the tallest point in Budapest
Places to Eat
Breakfast
Szimply – (mid-priced) very hipster, artsy, all-natural, can’t make reservations, always has a wait, menu changes monthly, look up on Instagram for pics, HIGHLY RECOMMEND
New York Cafe – (mid-priced) very elegant interior, heard great things about this restaurant
Budapest Bagel – (cheap) popular, artsy, to-go bagels, located off Kálvin Ter (Kalvin Square)
Lunch
Chimney Cake – (cheap) famous Hungarian treat that you MUST GET, chimney cake stands are all over the city, and even in metro stops (only 50 cents) but expensive in touristy places like by the castle
Central Market – (cheap) big touristy market hall, this is where local Hungarians get their groceries but the upstairs is more touristy with food and souvenir stands, go to the top floor to try fairly overpriced Hungarian food, try langos (popular Hungarian dish – fried dough with toppings) with Nutella and strawberries
Szimpla Kert – ($20) ruin bar that turns into a farmers market on Sunday, all you can eat brunch buffet made from fresh ingredients from the farmers market
Karavan (cheap) food trucks with Hungarian food
Chili Burger – (cheap) my favorite gyros, also have cheap burgers and fries
Bamba Marha Burger Bar – (cheap) my favorite burger, fries are amazing, located by Deak Square
Pasta. (cheap, cash only) to-go pasta, usually a line that moves fast, quick option, located in Kálvin Ter (Kalvin Square)
Dinner
Mazel Tov – (mid-priced), Mediterranean, cool ambiance, need a reservation
Vintage Garden – (mid-price) many options, cute decor, location: Jewish district
Drum Cafe – (budget) Hungarian food, get beef goulash with rice (typical Hungarian dish), good crepes (popular Hungarian dessert), homemade beer, location: by Astoria metro stop
Pozsonyi Kisvendeglo – (budget), local authentic Hungarian food, big portions, big menu, need a reservation
La Pampa – (upscale), fancy steak restaurant but pretty affordable compared to other cities because Budapest is so cheap, steak was so good!
Urban Betyar – (mid/upper) Hungarian food, upper-scale but nice menu, need a reservation
Michelin Star Restaurant – (upscale), because Budapest is so cheap, a nice Michelin star restaurant is very affordable, Google your options and make a reservation
Going Out
Budapest is known for its ruin bars which are basically old cheap apartments (typically in the Jewish district) converted into clubs. Google to understand the concept; the history is super interesting and this is a MUST DO
Szimply – most famous ruin bar in Hungary, MUST DO, long line, but no cover, same place that has farmer’s market on Sundays
Morrison – $1.25 beer on Mondays and Thursdays, very popular for Americans, many rooms, go to R&B room or karaoke room
Otkert – better for R&B music
Other Late Night Options – Instant, Peaches & Cream, Doboz, Kuplung
