Budapest Travel Blog: It’s Beautiful!
Budapest is one of those cities that constantly ranks in various Top 10 lists, yet it’s still hardly visited by many travellers. After seeing so many amazing pictures, I finally decided to make a stop there on my most recent Eurotrip. With stunning architecture, refreshing thermal baths, and a culture that can be unique, Budapest lives up to its reputation.
Many travellers have yet to commit to Budapest due to old fears. Its part of Eastern Europe so people tend to have misconceptions of what to expect. English is very commonly spoken, and I assure you there is no communism here. It’s a must visit for tourists looking for something a little off the beaten path.
Here are a few quick notes for those who are thinking about visiting Budapest, followed with my Budapest travel blog through pictures further below.
The Budapest basics
Accommodations – Although accommodations in Budapest are pretty reasonable, I recommend Airbnb since they offer incredible value. I was able to find an apartment in District V for about 50% of the cost of a hotel.
My preferred booking site is booking.com since it lists hotels, apartments, B&B’s, vacation homes and inns. In addition, they price match and you’re not required to pay until after your stay for almost all accommodations. After five bookings, you become a member of their Genius program which gets you an extra 10% off on selected properties.
Transportation – Budapest has an extensive transit network which features subways, trams, and buses. Public transportation is inexpensive and is quite easy to navigate. Since the city is relatively small, many attractions are within reasonable walking distance of The Deák Ferenc square e.g. 30 mins to get to Castle hill or Heroes’ Square
Eat and drink – I was amazed at how little it cost for meals and drinks. A spritzer was $1.50-2.50 Canadian, while a pint of beer was on average $2.50-4. We also had quite a few meals for under $20 per person. Cafes are very popular and a must do since some of them are like taking a step back in time.
Attractions –Â Budapest is home to a few UNESCO heritage sites so there are many things to see. Most of the attractions are bunched together making it easy to see the city in just a few days. The three main areas being; Castle Hill, Pest (east of the Daunbe), and Heroes’ Square.
Discount tickets – The 24hr/72hr Budapest card gives travellers unlimited use of  public transportation, free entry into 8 museums, and entry into the St Lukács Bath– purchase it through my affiliate link to save an extra €4.50. Check out the full list of tours you can purchase at a discount through my affiliate including: The Hop On Hop Off bus tour and the Budapest parliament tour.
Here’s my Budapest travel blog as told through pictures:
Buda Castle is the most famous landmark in Budapest
Chain bridge spans the river Danube and connects Buda to Pest
Castle Hill is the historic area of Budapest and overlooks the Pest side
Buda Castle is now home to the Budapest History Museum and Hungarian National Gallery
Matthias church is also located in castle hill and was originally built in 1015
Like many older Roman Catholic churches, the interior is stunning
located directly across from Matthias Church is Fisherman’s Bastion which was built in 1895
If you get tired, stop and have a drink , and enjoy the view
The Hungarian Parliament Building. It was built on the Pest side to give the city some balance
Coffee shops are very popular in Budapest and have stunning architecture. This one is Central Kavehaz
Budapest has a booming nightlife with many restaurants and bars
Plenty of ruin bars are in Budapest. Find an old building, add some art and cheap alcohol then watch the people come
Also famous in Budapest is the thermal baths. Here is Szechenyi bath where locals and tourist come year round
Heroes’ Square is a world heritage site and a popular gathering spot for locals whenever something political is going on
Vajdahunyad Castle is located close to Heroes’ Square and houses the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture
St. Stephen’s Basilica is considered the most important church in all of Hungary
The view from above the basilica offers sweeping views of Budapest
The Great Market Hall is popular for both locals and tourists but it really is just a market
On the 2nd level, there are many food stalls, here they are preparing a local delicacy called Lángo
Nice pictures, I have never been to Hungary but hope to make it there someday. It looks like a fun place to visit and the architecture is similar to many other parts of Europe
Hey Dan,
Dunno why I didn’t get an email alert to this comment but yeah Budapest was fantastic, great city, was happy to finally see it.
My husband is Hungarian and we plan on going to Budapest
and meeting family we have never met next year. So excited.
Many thanks for this piece. Budapest is on our list of cities to visit and this just helps to confirm it.
Best wishes
Brian
Brian,
Definitely worth a stop but depending on your pace all you really need is 3 days
Hi Barry
We tend to ‘city break’ for 3 or 4 days depending on where it is, flight times and what there is to see and do etc so many thanks for the advice.
Brian.
Brian,
I had 4 full days and saw everything I wanted to see. I no longer try to hit every museum and gallery, I just pick a few to check out and the rest of the time I prefer to wander the streets, eat at coffee shops and just people watch.
I used Wizz Air to fly to Budapest from Istanbul and used them to fly to Eindhoven on my way out. The flights were about $120 each all in which was very cheap
Barry
We have thought about combining Budapest with a trip to Vienna and hopping on a train between. Like you we no longer look to visit every available museum and gallery although my wife Catriona tends to go to more than me which gives me the opportunuty to sit and have a drink, relax and people watch.
Cheers
Brian
Oh wow! Budapest has been on my list but this makes me want to go right now. I love how Eastern Europe is still relatively inexpensive. I hope it stays that way but Croatia recently jumped on the pricey Euro so I’m wondering if that means others will follow?
Cristina,
Budapest was super affordable, I paid only $70 a night for an Airbnb flat. Wombat’s hostel is only 20Euros a night. Food and drink is pretty cheap by Canadian standards too.
Hello,
We have two and half days to spend at Budapest. Is it enough to visit most of the touristic places ?
Hey Jamshed,
Yes you should be able to see most of the main attractions. The major attractions are all located in the Castle Hill area so you could spend a day there leaving you with a day and a half to see other things. You might not have time to take a dip in the thermal bath though.
I’m in Budapest right now and going to the the Basilica today. Can’t wait for those views! The market was a bit too touristy for me but the food was good and homestyle. Directly across the street we discovered a neat pub called For Sale. A local recommended it for it’s traditional hungarian food and cool looking atmosphere – the place is filled with notes from pub-goers and floors covered in peanut shells!
Cristina,
The views were indeed awesome, lots of good eats in Budapest. Yes the market was meh, waaaaay too packed and not much different than St. Lawrence market in Toronto. I have a peanut allergy so probably a good thing I never found For Sale =D
Hi Barry
I too have a severe peanut allergy and was looking at booking a trip to Budapest. How sage is it for me to travel there?
Thank you!
Hi Natasha,
Everyone I ran into in Budapest spoke good English so I imagine communicating that you have allergy concerns shouldn’t be an issue.
Great, detailed info with pics! Thanks.. I will be there in the summer..
Kubilay,
It’s a great city. I really enjoyed my time there.
Oh Budapest – so lovely! Thanks Barry for all the information you provided – we had a great time thanks to you : )
Virna,
Happy to help anytime.
Great photos and info. My daughter and I are excited to see Budapest 3rd wk of July. Was looking for 3 day itinerary. Its good to know we can do the major attractions in 3 days. Again tnx for the info.
Macon
Macon,
3 days is a good time. On your arrival day explore the Pest side, hopefully that’s where you’ll be staying. On day 2 explore Castle Hill. For day 3 go to whatever is left on your list.
Barry, thank for this post, great pics!
I used to live in Budapest and absolutely loved it. The nightlife is simply crazy, probably only Berlin in Europe can compete. Check this list for a memorable night out in Budapest:
http://whereparty.com/blog/2015/06/14/best-nightclubs-of-budapest-craziest-nightlife-in-europe/
Michael,
I’m a little jealous that you used to live in Budapest, it really is a fantastic city. I was only there a few days so I didn’tget to check out too much of the night life, but we did stop for a drink in Szimpla Kert
Hey, I’m compiling a list of restaurants in Budapest for people coming to the WOMEX 2015 conference. Would love to know which restaurants you would recommend:
http://klavado.com/k/best-restaurants-budapest
Barry, these pictures are more than beautiful of Budapest 🙂 I’m in love with them.
For those who are interested in more facts, things to do and to avoid in the Hungarian capital, I highly recommend this infographic 🙂 http://www.freetour.com/blog/infographic-backpackers-guide-to-budapest
Amazing photos! 🙂 If you are interested in an easy way to find everything you need in Budapest, I can recommend you a free and easy-to-use app called Huny (you can check it on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HUNY-152552281769703/timeline). Also have a navigation system. And the best: you can find what’s open in real time. It was really useful and helped me a lot.
We are going to Budapest end of September and your post was great for information and tips. Thanks for sharing!
http://www.karoliinakazi.com
I am visiting Budapest in October. I am excited to see it.
Hi Barry, Budapest looks amazing! Do you have any tips for cheap flights from Vancouver to Budapest?
Hi Ann,
Air Transat and Air Canada offer flights directly to Budapest from Toronto so you would have to connect there. Budapest is best done as a bigger trip, so you’re better off just finding a cheap flight to Europe and then using a discount carrier to get to Budapest. Budapest does have a budget airline called Wizz Air that flies to many European destinations.
Amazinggg Pictures! I was writing an article about Budapest, and we put similar areas 🙂 I have some stories pertaining to my experience in this beautiful place on my blog! Please check it out if interested
Outsideworkinghours,
Thanks for sharing your post! Budapest is so awesome, your pictures brought me back!
Budapest is indeed a beautiful city. I’m lucky enough to go there and I always find something new to photograph.
I really recommend going with the M4 line and discover Budapest from the underground, with its incredible hidden architecture
nice pictures
The food is the best part of Budapest! So many new quirky cafes and pop-up shops and cool little eateries with beer or wine. It really makes the beautiful city even more fun.
Budapest is a gorgeous city, but sadly I keep running into racism there. I’ve had taxi drivers and now even waiters use some pretty nasty racist terms at me for seemingly no reason. It only happens in Budapest, sadly.
I am going Christmas time. Thank you for the lovely pictures and all the information and links.
I like the pictures in this blog, it is very convincing that I should plan a trip to Budapest this or next year. I have seen many people concerns the travel security there, can you also comment on that? I also found several other itineraries about Budapest and they all suggest Hungarian National Museum, is this worth to spend hours? Thanks
Frank,
I haven’t read about any security concerns in Budapest so I’m not sure where you’re getting that info. The Hungarian National Museum is indeed worth it.
Glad you had a great time in Budapest! Next time do not forget to visit the Gellért Bath – Highly recommended! 😉 https://www.danubiushotels.com/en/our-hotels-budapest/danubius-hotel-gellert
Great summary about collecting all most famous places in Budapest. I could also recommend Gellért Hill- Citadella. Especially at night is beautiful!