We recently took a short trip to Budapest and were instantly enchanted by the stunning architecture, the rich history and the many facets of the Hungarian capital. The city consists of two parts: Buda to the west of the Danube and Pest to the east. Whilst Buda is considered the more residential part of the city, Pest is the district for working and going out. It’s also where most the hotels and landmarks are situated. We found that three days was the perfect amount of time to spend in Budapest. Here are our ideas for how to fill them.
Day 1: Budapest through the ages
We began exploring Budapest by taking a walk along the riverbank. This seemed like a good way to orientate ourselves in the city as several major landmarks, such as the castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, parliament and, of course, Chain Bridge, are located along the river.
Another sight we passed by was the Shoes on the Danube memorial. Eerily lifelike sculptures of shoes are strewn across edge of riverbank as if their owners had just slipped them off. Some shoes are also decorated with flowers and tea lights. The memorial acts as a reminder of the horrific mass shootings of Jews into the river during the reign of the Arrow Cross Party (the Hungarian National Socialist party).
M2 to Kossuth Lajos tér
By far the most imposing sight on the Danube is the parliament building, the majestic emblem of the city. Though its Gothic architecture makes it seem a lot older, construction was only actually completed in 1904.
We decided to take a tour of the building to learn about the history of both the building and Hungary in general, as well as gain an insight into Hungarian political life. Tickets for tours are available online at: https://www.jegymester.hu/eng/Production/480000/Parliament-visit
It is recommended that visitors book tours in advance as many time slots get sold out! Tickets must be printed, but as we didn’t have access to a printer we showed the PDF file to the cashier at the visitor centre, who printed our tickets for us. (The visitor centre also has free toilets and wi-fi!)
The highlight of the tour was the magnificent entrance hall, with its sweeping stairways and ornately gilded facades and ceilings. Another main attraction is the Holy Crown. The crown itself is actually damaged; the cross on top is slightly bent, and there are a multitude of stories about how this damage could have occurred. Along with the other coronation jewels, the crown is kept securely in a glass box and is watched over by an armed guard. Despite the impressive chandelier in the Dome Hall, only a few bulbs can be lit so as to provide the correct lighting to preserve the crown. Similarly, the temperature and humidity are also kept at an optimum level.
Two chambers are housed in the parliament building as the Hungarian government used to be bicameral. Since the abolition of the upper chamber, the equivalent of the British House of Lords, one chamber is open to public tours, whilst the second remains in use as a debating chamber.
M2 to Kossuth Lajos tér
Tram 2 to Országház, látogatóközpont
Having clued up on Hungarian political history, we headed to the House of Terror (Terror Háza) located on the main road running through Pest, Andrássy út. The museum documents life in Hungary under the rule of the Arrow Cross Party and as a USSR satellite state. Normally, we’re not big museum-goers, but the House of Terror really brought Hungary’s turbulent history to life by means of video, eye-catching displays, and mood-setting music and light.
M1 or Tram 4/6 to Oktogon
Day 2: Exploring Buda
To reach Buda we took a stroll over the iconic Chain Bridge which, to our surprise, was severely damaged during the Second World War and has since been perfectly restored to its former glory. It was the first permanent connection between Buda and Pest; before its construction there was no way of crossing to the other side when the river froze in winter. The suspension bridge was designed and constructed by British engineers.
The bridge leads directly to the foot of Castle Hill. It’s possible to take the bus or walk up to the castle, but for a more a direct – and quaint – route we opted for the funicular railway. Though more expensive than public transport, it still costs less than the tour companies swarming around the foot of the hill trying to sell tourists their minibus services to the castle.
Though impressive from afar, we had to admit that up close the exterior looks like it could do with a little TLC. Despite this, Castle Hill offers spectacular views over the Danube, Chain Bridge and the parliament.
Tram 19/41 to Clark Ádám tér
From the castle it was just a short walk to the Fisherman’s Bastion (Halászbástya), a fairytale-like structure with round, pointed turrets that serves as a lookout point across the Danube. The facade also frames the Matthias Church (Mátyás-templom), the patterned, tiled roof of which is reminiscent of St Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna.
Bus 16/16A/116 to Szentháromság tér
The other major sight on the Buda side of the river is the citadel perched on top of Gellert Hill. This a great place to relax and take in views over the city. We visited on a gloriously sunny day and enjoyed taking a break to admire the sights from above.
Bus 27 to Búsuló Juhász (Citadella)
Day 3: A Day in Pest
We did a very informative and entertaining segway tour of this part of the city, so we were able to see (and learn!) a lot in a short space of time. It was also great time zooming along the riverbank and maneuvering around various obstacles about town! We used Budapest Segway Tours and were very satisfied with both the service and the price.
One of the most visited sights in Pest is Heroes’ Square (Hősök tere). Positioned at the head of Andrássy út, the square was constructed to commemorate Hungary’s millennium in 1896.
M1 to Hősök tere
Further down Andrássy út you’ll find the opera house, a rival of the opera house in Vienna. This is the place to visit to get your fill of opulent marble and gold designs and chandeliers.
M1 to Opera
St. Stephen’s Basilica (Szent István Bazilika) is another attraction not to be missed in Budapest. At 96m tall it is the same height as the parliament building, which symbolises the balance between the church and the state in Hungary.
M1 to Bajcsy-Zsilinszky
M3 to Arany János utca
Liberty Square (Szabadság tér) is lesser known by tourists but home to key reminders of the Cold War. At one end of the square is a monument dedicated to victims of German Occupation; at the other, opposite the US embassy, is a Soviet memorial to soldiers killed in war. Though the Communist star was removed from the memorial following the fall of the Iron Curtain, the memorial itself, complete with hammer and sickle, was allowed to remain. The Americans responded to the provocative positioning of the Soviet memorial by installing a larger-than-life Ronald Reagan statue approaching the embassy from the Hungarian parliament. As he strides confidently into the square, Reagan extends a hand, one eye focused firmly on his nation’s embassy, the other not letting the Soviet construction out of sight.
M2 to Kossuth Lajos tér
A short walk from Liberty Square, in the southern part of the city, lies the Jewish Quarter, home to the striking Great Synagogue (Nagy zsinagóga). Sadly the front of the building is obscured by ticket booths and lines of tourists, which detracts slightly from the impressive architecture. However, if you walk around the side of the building, you can look through the gates into the courtyard, where a sizeable weeping willow sculpted from metal is situated. Each of the leaves on the tree is engraved with a name of a victim of the Holocaust. Parts of the sculpture are also dedicated to those who aided Jews threatened by persecution.
M2 or Tram 47/48/49 or Bus 9 to Astoria
The Jewish part of Pest also hosts many of the city’s famous ruin bars established in abandoned buildings. There are many to choose from, but we visited the most well-known, Szimpla Kert. This quirky bar is spread over different floors and in the courtyard of an old house. The random mix of furniture, decoration, fairy lights and even an old car combine to create an off-beat explosion of colour, light and styles. Despite the makeshift feel of the bar and the sheer number of visitors, Szimpla Kert retains a chilled out, harmonious atmosphere perfect for a relaxed evening in the city.
Bus 5/7/8E/108E/110/112/133E/178 to Uránia
M2 or Tram 47/48/49 or Bus 9 to Astoria
Practical tips:
- Budapest is famous for its spas. Though we weren’t able to fit in a trip to the spas on our short break, we were told that the Király bath was the best to visit. It’s not so well-known by tourists so it’s supposed to be a bit quieter (and cheaper) than the tourist hotspots.
- Getting around Budapest is very easy thanks to a well-developed network of metro lines, trams and buses. The metro (which incidentally is one of the oldest underground public transport systems in the world) comes at extremely regular intervals, often every three minutes or so.
- Many public transport ticket machines only accept card payments. If you want to pay with cash, there are ticket offices at the airport, Deák Ferenc tér (the main interchange point), Keleti pályaudvar, Kőbánya-Kispest and a few other metro stations. When we were there the ticket machine at Batthyány tér accepted both coins and notes.
- A single ticket (350 HUF) is only valid for a journey without any changes. If you need to change metro lines, buses or trams, you have to buy a transfer ticket for 530 HUF for the whole journey.
- At most stations you have to show your tickets to staff stood at the top of escalators leading down to the platforms.
- There are two bus services to the airport. The 100E runs directly to the city centre but costs 900 HUF for a single ticket. The 200E runs from Kőbánya-Kispest metro station to the airport. The route takes slightly longer, but a single ticket only costs 350 HUF (or 450 HUF if bought from the driver). You can also use day or week passes on this service. At night, however, the 100E is the only service to the airport.
- If you’re looking for somewhere to leave your luggage, Keleti Station (Keleti pályaudvar) is your best bet. There are different sized lockers and it’s possible to pay in either HUF or Euro, but the machines only accept coins.
Words and Places 
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