Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is able to give tourists unforgettable experience. You can explore its many attractions for a long time. If you are driving along tourism program, you will be accompanied by an experienced guide. But if you are a free tourist, you will probably ask yourself: what to see in Budapest in 3 days on your own?
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First of all, from the airport you need to get to the city center. The most economical way is to use public transport. There is a stop near the exit from terminal 2B. From here you can take bus 200E to the metro. The station is called Kőbánya-Kispest. Bus operating hours are from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. The journey will take about half an hour. It's also easy to take a taxi right from the airport. The minimum cost is from 8 euros. It is better to order a car with a group of 3-4 people and split the trip fee among everyone. If you make an order in advance via the Internet, the taxi driver will be waiting for you right in the arrival hall with a sign. This is especially convenient for those arriving at night.
First day
Budapest consists of two parts, separated by the Danube River. The older part is called Buda, it lies on the hills. Sightseeing will allow you to get acquainted with the history of the country. Pest is located on a plain. There are more modern buildings, shops, here during the day - and in some places at night - life is in full swing at night. When planning excursions, you should start with Buda and end with Pest.
While in the capital of Hungary, you will hear several names of this place. Locals say: “Fortress Hill”, “Castle Hill”, “Buda Hill”. It would be worth going up here even if you were only in Budapest for 1 day. Here you can explore the city from a bird's eye view and get acquainted with its main attractions. The Chain Bridge spanning the Danube leads here. From the side of Pest, the bridge opens onto Roosevelt Square, and from the side of Buda - onto Adam Clark Square. Having climbed the Buda Hill, first of all, it is worth visiting the Holy Trinity Square. This area was formed back in the Middle Ages. The Plague Column also stands here - in Western European countries it was customary to erect monuments to victims of the plague. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Austria-Hungary experienced several severe epidemics, which significantly reduced the population.
Temple, Bastion and Royal Palace
Pay attention to the Matthias Temple. This is what the locals call it, referring to King Matthias Corvinus. In fact, the temple is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and it is about 700 years old. Many times over the years, the beautiful temple was destroyed and then rebuilt again, and at the same time slightly rebuilt. When the city was under the rule of the Turks, the main mosque of Budapest was here. Of course, during these years the temple lost its interior decoration. Only at the end of the 19th century, after liberation from the Turkish yoke, the church was restored again, and it regained its former Gothic appearance. Its high bell tower and roof, covered with multi-colored, carpet-like tiles, are visible from afar.
The Hungarians timed the restoration to coincide with the national holiday - the millennium of the discovery of the Motherland. Another nearby attraction is the Fisherman's Bastion. Until the beginning of the 20th century, there was a market here where they sold fish. Then a bastion was built from white stone - it became the backdrop for the temple of the Virgin Mary. It was the fishermen who had to defend it in case a war broke out. The bastion is topped with seven towers, symbolizing the 7 Hungarian tribes. Near the bastion there is a monument to St. Stephen, the first king of the Hungarians. He is depicted riding a horse.
And finally, the Royal Palace. Enter it through the Ornamental Gate and admire the beautiful design. Near the entrance to the palace you will see a column on which the Turul bird sits. According to legend, the mother of the first ruler of the country gave birth to a son from this bird. Since then, it has become a symbol of the ruling dynasty. Then the bird appeared in a dream to the leader of the Hungarian tribes and indicated to him that it was time to move to these lands. Therefore, the image of the mythical bird is still dear to the Hungarians.
Also at the entrance there is a monument to the legendary Eugene of Savoy, who liberated the Hungarian lands from the Turks. Savoysky became famous for the fact that, thanks to his intelligence and desperate courage, he went from an ordinary warrior to a generalissimo. His main historical merit is considered to be the liberation of Hungary. For this he received his high rank and Hungarian lands. The prince is sitting on a horse, while the defeated Turks are below. The monument dates back to 1900.
Where the palace is now located, back in the 13th century. the first royal residence appeared. In the 15th century, with the participation of the best architects and artists of Europe, the palace was erected. Later, Italian architects gave it Renaissance features. Everything here was arranged very richly - gilding and fine carving were used in the decoration. In the 16th century the palace was destroyed by the Turks; it was restored in the 19th century. But during the Second World War, as a result of bombing and artillery shelling, the palace again turned into ruins. It was restored in the 2nd half of the 20th century. If you have free time, you can explore the royal premises all day.
Let's stand at the King Matthias fountain
One of the real treasures of the palace is the fountain of King Matthias. This is an extraordinary exhibition, worth visiting if only to take wonderful photographs. The fountain seems to protrude from the wall. At the top stands the king himself, below are hunters and dogs, and on the right is a lovely girl with a fawn. As the legend says, the beautiful Ilonka fell in love with a young hunter, not suspecting that the king himself had come out to her from the forest thicket. Realizing the hopelessness of her feelings, the girl quietly faded away.
The figure of the chronicler who preserved this legend for posterity is located to the left of the main sculptures. In the warm season, streams of water gurgle here; it seems as if hunting dogs are drinking from a fountain. And if, leaving the palace, you take a walk along the fortress wall - usually there are few people here - you will see a wonderful panorama of Budapest, and the blue Danube will roll its waters below.
Tips: Pay attention to Adam Clark Square at the foot of Buda Hill. Here you can:
- explore the tunnel that runs under the hill, its length is about 350 m
- admire the “0 km” mark - all distances in Hungary are measured from here
- see Lotz's mosaic panel on the city wall - it is very beautiful and dates back to the Middle Ages
- and the most convenient way to go up is by cable car. It was opened at the end of the 19th century, and since then it has been regularly transporting tourists. The funicular will take you up to observation deck. Opening hours are from 7.30 to 22.00, carriages depart at intervals of 5-10 minutes, and the rise takes 1 minute.
Ticket price – 2 euros
Surely after sightseeing, you will want to have a snack. You can taste delicious fresh baked goods at one of the many kiosks. If you want to sit in a restaurant, we can recommend the “historical points” - the Ruszwurm coffee shop, the Alabbrdos and Gundel restaurants. Everything here seems to breathe the past centuries, and you will feel as if you have traveled back in time.
Second day
The second day is worth dedicating to exploring the center of Budapest.
Heroes Square
Here is one of the main squares of the city - Heroes' Square. This place has been of great importance to the Hungarians since time immemorial. Once upon a time there was a field where state councils met, and soldiers gathered here to go on the Crusade. And only at the end of the 19th century the square itself and the first sculptures on it appeared. The opening of the ensemble was timed to coincide with the 1000th anniversary of Hungarian statehood. The central column is crowned with the figure of the Archangel Gabriel.
According to legend, it was thanks to him that King Stephen adopted Christianity. Two semicircular colonnades, created at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, are dedicated to the heroes of the country. Between the columns there are monuments to the Hungarian princes. Next to the square is the Mucharnock Exhibition Centre. This art Gallery opened its doors in 1895
Right behind the square begins the Városliget Park - it is loved by both locals and tourists. But the most interesting object in the park there is Vajdahunyad Castle. It was built in 1908 and now houses the Agricultural Museum. The castle is so beautiful and so organically combines the best features of Hungarian architecture that tourists are sure to take pictures against its background. And then they tell people at home that Count Dracula lived in the same castle (or maybe in this one).
Also next to Heroes' Square are the Széchenyi Baths. Built at the beginning of the 20th century, they are still considered one of the largest bathing complexes in Europe. There are swimming pools here, you can visit a doctor and, on his recommendation, undergo balneological procedures. Tips: you can get to Heroes Square by metro - yellow line M1. By buses No. 105, 20 E, 30A, 230. By trolleybuses No. 72, 75, 79.
Andrássy Avenue
Városliget Park is connected to Ferenc Deák Square by Andrássy Avenue, which is called the “Hungarian Champs Elysees”. This beautiful alley is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The avenue received its name in honor of Count Andrássy, the Minister-President of the Hungarian government. Subsequently, it was renamed several times, but ultimately retained its original name. The avenue took 40 years to build. It may seem that it is surrounded by houses that come from ancient times, but in fact this is not the case, a pseudo-historical style was simply used.
There are shops, restaurants, cafes, and, of course, hotels. Walking along the avenue, you can feel the asphalt shaking slightly under your feet. It's not an earthquake - there's just a subway line running underground here. It is one of the oldest in Hungary and throughout Europe, and is laid shallow. Don't miss the opportunity to go down into the subway and explore it as a kind of landmark. Also on Andrássy Avenue is the Postal Museum, where over 20 thousand exhibits are exhibited. It works from Tuesday to Sunday, and admission ticket costs 600 forints.
Opera theatre
The Opera House, one of the main cultural centers of Budapest, also overlooks the avenue. It was built in 1884. Before this, in Hungary there was a single National Theater, where opera and drama performances alternated. The building was built in the neo-Renaissance style, and inside it is a real work of art. There are many sculptures and paintings, as well as wall paintings - tourists will be interested in seeing all this.
Famous singers and musicians performed on the stage of the State Opera House; Giacomo Puccini staged his operas here several times. Ballet troupes also perform here. The theater can accommodate over 1,200 spectators, and the acoustics here are second only to two theaters in the world - the Paris Opera House and the world famous La Scala (Milan). At the entrance to the building there are monuments to two Ferencs - Liszt and Erkel.
House of Terror
Another attraction on Andrássy Avenue is the House of Terror. It makes an unusual and strong impression on tourists. The letters "terror" are carved into the black metal cornice. Opposite the entrance is a curtain of dense iron chains. Nearby is a block of concrete that symbolizes the Berlin Wall. The House of Terror itself is a memory of two political regimes from which Hungary suffered a lot in the 20th century. The communist and Nazi regimes were leveled here, and a museum was created so that people would forever remember the losses that the country suffered.
The museum was opened in 2002, on the eve of the Day of Victims of the Communist Regime (February 25). During World War II, this house was the headquarters of the Nazi Arrow Cross Party. And then - the State Security Department, that is, the country’s KGB. Tickets are not cheap - 7 euros. But there are always enough visitors: here you can get very strong emotions. The exhibition includes a Soviet tank. These suppressed the popular uprising in Hungary in 1956.
The museum contains a lot of exhibits: photographs of those who were tortured by the Nazi and communist regimes, personal files. The investigators' offices are decorated in such a way that it seems that the interrogation is about to begin. Here the elevator slowly descends into the basement - at this time the tourists listen to the story about what kind of torture was used in these dungeons.
And then they see the cells where the prisoners were kept. Including those where the floor was filled with icy water, and those cages where you had to stand for 20-30 hours without being able to sit down. The lights are burning, symbolizing the souls of the innocently killed. There is also a room in the museum, the floor of which is made in the form of a map of the USSR - with notes: in which camps the Hungarians were imprisoned. The museum does not spare the feelings of visitors. “This should not happen again” - this thought is born after visiting each of its halls.
Tip: You can end the second day with a boat trip on the Danube. Locals use aquatic view transport along with bus and trolleybus. The most convenient way is to buy a daily pass - it costs about 6 euros. This way, you can get off at stops, sightsee or walk around the islands, and then get back on the first boat that comes along. They can be single-deck or double-deck, open or closed.
You can choose depending on whether you want to photograph the places you are passing by or want to hide from the rain. As a rule, there are buffets here and you can have a good snack. It is even more convenient to purchase a Budapest tourist card. It includes a pass that includes all types of transport, free visits to 7 major museums, excursions and discounts. The card can be purchased for 24, 48 and 72 hours.
The third day
So, you only have one day left in the capital of Hungary. It can be done in different ways. If you still want to go sightseeing and are wondering what you haven't seen yet? - let's name a few objects in Budapest that may interest you.
Hungarian Parliament building
This is a real architectural masterpiece and a calling card of the capital. The building stands on the right bank of the Danube. It was built in the neo-Gothic style, richly decorated with architectural delights, and its pointed towers exactly reach towards the sky. This is one of the main attractions of the capital.
St. Stephen's Basilica
This is the largest Catholic church in Budapest. But, of course, not only Catholics come here, but also just tourists. The height of the temple reaches almost 100 m. The huge structure was erected over several decades, and was consecrated only in 1905. Believers can venerate the relics of Saint King Stephen in the temple.
Great Synagogue
One of the largest in Europe. The synagogue is located in the Jewish quarters of modern Budapest. It truly makes a stunning impression and can accommodate almost 3 thousand people. The Jewish Museum is open in the courtyard of the synagogue. The synagogue was looted during World War II and restored by the end of the 20th century.
Shoes on the Danube embankment
One can only respect the Hungarians. Remembering the tragic events in the history of the country, they are doing everything to prevent this from happening again. During World War II, thousands of Hungarian Jews were shot or burned in gas ovens. There is a touching monument on the Danube embankment - there are many shoes here. Men's, women's, children's shoes - those that have lost their owners. The names of the victims are also immortalized here.
Mount Gelert
You can go to Mount Gelert. This is a hill named after St. Gelert, the patron saint of the city of Budapest. Of interest here are: the historical citadel of the 19th century, the huge Statue of Liberty (it doesn’t look at all like the American one), the “Philosopher’s Garden”. You will see here sculptures of Jesus Christ, Buddha, Akhenaten and many others.
The sculptural composition “Buda meets Pest”, depicting a king and a beautiful girl, an active church in a mountain cave. You cannot get to the top by public transport. But there are stops at the foot. You can get here by metro M4 (green line). Buses No. 7, 8E, 108E, 110, 112. Advice: be careful, there are a lot of local scammers here, such as domestic “thimblemakers”. Don't agree to their offers to play.
Brunswick Castle
You can take a taxi to Brunswick Castle, which is 30 km from Budapest. The castle itself and the park surrounding it are beautiful. But, most importantly, it is closely connected with the name of Beethoven, who often visited here. There is a memorial museum to the great composer in Brunswick.
Belvaros
But perhaps you will want to devote your last day in the capital of Hungary to relaxing and buying souvenirs for your loved ones. Then your best bet is Belváros, which means “city within a city.” Here is a kind of tourist Mecca - many souvenir shops, large and small restaurants serving National dishes. What is the best thing to bring from Hungary as gifts? Products include ground red pepper in beautifully decorated bags and a variety of wines - “Hungaria”, “Terley”, “Asu”, “Namorodni”. It also makes sense to purchase Hungarian smoked sausages.
An excellent purchase will be embroidery made by local craftswomen, woven items, and dishes - from ceramics to crystal and porcelain. And also - wooden dolls and figures of cartoon characters made of marzipan. But if you want to see the sights in Belvarosh, pay attention to the Church of St. Michael. The building was built in the Baroque style, the bell tower with a clock rises high above the surrounding houses. Classical music concerts regularly take place here.
Budapest is one of the popular tourist cities among tourists from all over the world. Most travelers fly to the capital of Hungary for 2-3 days, which is enough to see the main attractions of the city, visit 1-2 baths and go to several museums. We will tell you how to spend these days profitably, what to see, where to stay, where to go, where to eat, where to swim.
The cheapest and easiest way is air tickets from WizzAir. The cheapest tickets are sold only on the airline's official website. WizzAir flies to Budapest from Moscow and St. Petersburg. If you are flying from another city, we recommend searching for tickets through Aviasales. Search either directly to Budapest, or to Moscow\St. Petersburg, and separately on the WizzAir website to Budapest. Compare which is cheaper.
During sales periods, WizzAir offers the cheapest tickets from 20 euros one way. This price is for club members only. Annual membership to the club costs 30 euros per year and pays for itself on your first flight. If you are traveling together, you don’t need to buy one for everyone. Standard membership - you +1 travel companion, if you have a large family or many friends - group membership costs 60 euros per year - club member + 5 travel companions. There is no need to purchase a membership in advance. You can add when booking
Most cheap ticket WizzAir suggests: only hand luggage weighing up to 10 kg and measuring 55*40*23 (do not exceed these dimensions), seat selection - no, assigned by the system, mandatory electronic registration for the flight and printing your boarding pass in advance (registration at the airport costs extra money). Everything is like a regular low-cost airline.
To travel to Hungary, citizens of the Russian Federation need and.
By the way, our cozy editorial staff constantly uses it when traveling - gigabytes of the Internet are very cheap!
Where to stay in Budapest
The city is divided by the Danube into 2 parts - Buda and Pest. Pest is the part of the city where most of the attractions are located. The Hungarian Parliament building, Heroes' Square, St. Stephen's Basilica and others are located in Pest. Buda is Gellért Mountain, Buda Castle and Fisherman's Bastion. Most hotels, cafes, pubs and restaurants are located in Pest.
The best hotels in Budapest with amazing views
These are expensive hotels, 5* category. If you are used to choosing the best, focus on these hotels: Sofitel, Intercontinental, Marriott.
Cheap hotels with good location
You will find many inexpensive hotels, hostels and apartments in the Erzsebetváros (former Jewish Quarter) area. This good area both in terms of sightseeing - the main objects are 1-2 km on foot or can be reached by bus, tram, metro - only 1-2 stops, and evening entertainment - in this area there are most bars, cafes and restaurants for every taste. Here are the famous ruin bars and discos.
Or you can stay in the Terezváros area, which borders Erzsebetváros. The Opera, Andrássy Avenue, Oktogo, everything is here.
Well, naturally, the closer you are to the Danube, the more expensive the hotels will be. This is the Belvaros district. There are very expensive hotels here, but you can also find budget options, there are also many hostels located here. We recommend that you not limit yourself to hotels only, but also consider apartments. In most cases, tourists prefer to stay in private apartments in the city center.
The advantage of living in this area is that you most likely won’t need public transport. All attractions can be reached on foot.
We stayed several times at an inexpensive hotel in the very center - Silver Hotel Budapest. Large rooms, the renovation is of course not so-so, but everything is very clean, excellent location and most importantly, everything is nearby - both transport and walking can be reached.
We recently discovered a very good 4*, inexpensive hotel, also in the center and with a good location - Atrium Fashion Hotel. The rooms are large, comfortable, the renovation is relatively new, everything is as in the photo on Booking.com. Killer breakfast buffet. A stone's throw from a metro and bus stop. 20 minutes walk to all attractions. There are a lot of delicious restaurants and bars in the area.
Sights of Budapest
The main tourist sites in Budapest are located quite compactly. On the map you can see the main attractions.
- Heroes Square. Millennium Column
- Art Museum
- City Park. Szechenyi Bath. Transport Museum. Vajdahunyad Castle
- Andrássy Avenue. Museum of Terror. Octagon. Budapest metro
- Opera theatre. Franz Erkel and Franz Liszt
- Basilica of St. Istvan. Freedom Square
- Parliament of Hungary
- Lajos Kossuth Square. Monument to Imre Nagy
- Ethnographical museum
- Roosevelt Square. Hungarian Academy of Sciences
- Vörösmarty Square. Vaci street
- Szechenyi Bridge
- Buda Castle. Matthias Corvinus Fountain. Labyrinth
- Fisherman's Bastion. Museum of History
- St. Matthias Cathedral
- Church of St. Anne
- Margaret Island. Margaret and Arpad Bridges
- National Museum
- Mount Gellert. Citadel and baths
- Erzsebet Bridge
How to see Budapest on your own
Download the izi.travel smartphone app. In it you will find several audio guides in Russian with ready-made routes. For example, here is the most complete excursion - Hungarian Walk with Audio Guide. You will need to not only download izi.travel, but also add this excursion to “downloaded” in the application itself, then this excursion will be available offline, otherwise you will need a constant Internet connection.
The application is very convenient, we ourselves have been using it for a long time different countries. You arrive at the starting point of the route, launch the application, put headphones in your ear and just listen. You follow the route, as soon as you reach the next point, the application determines where you are and starts a description of the attraction nearby.
The excursion route given in the example is 11 km. For one day this is quite a lot and tiring, unless your goal is to gallop through everything without looking anywhere. Split this route into 2 days.
On the first day, leisurely explore Pest (points 1-11), go to the Museum visual arts on Heroes' Square, relax in St. Stephen's Cathedral. By the way, entrance to the Cathedral is free, the box at the entrance with the indicated amount is only a recommendation for donation, in fact, as much as you want, do not pay strictly attention to the man next to him and his possible lamentations about the amount, you don’t have to throw anything at all. Go to the market, try goulash in the cafe on the 2nd floor.
Closer to sunset, you can walk to the top of Mount Gellert to the Citadel. It offers one of the best views of Budapest. There is no public transport to the Citadel. You will need to climb uphill. You can climb from two sides - from the Erzsebet Bridge or from the Liberty Bridge. We recommend going up from the Erzsebet Bridge and going down to the Liberty Bridge.
Dedicate the second day to the Buda part. It’s better to start your inspection from the Fisherman’s Bastion. Getting there is very easy - bus 16, 16A, 116. You can go up to the Buda Castle by funicular. But the cost, in our opinion, is unreasonably high. For a trip of a few minutes you will pay 1200 forints (about 4 euros), and for a round trip 1800 forints. Therefore, take the bus to the Fisherman’s Bastion, then go to the fortress and walk down to the Chain Bridge. From the side of the Buda Castle they also open best views to Budapest.
Tourist bus in Budapest
You can see a large number of tourist buses in the city, operating on a hop-on-hop-off principle. In order to use it, you need to buy a ticket, which can be valid for 1 or 2 days. You will be given headphones on the bus, and there is an audio guide in Russian. The bus travels in circles to the main attractions. And you just sit and listen, like on a regular excursion.
The bus makes a stop near each object, you can get off, take a walk, return to the stop, wait for the next bus of the same company and continue the trip. You can leave, enter and continue the tour an unlimited number of times within 1 or 2 days (depending on which ticket you bought). There is Wi-Fi on the bus, you can immediately post photos to your favorite social network.
You can buy a ticket for such a bus immediately before boarding. Walking around the city you will 100% see these stops or boys and girls on Segways who invite tourists.
Tours of Budapest
If you prefer an individual tour of the city in the company of a guide, it is worth finding such a tour in advance. In Budapest, no one will come up to you on the streets with the offer “Hey, is the excursion expensive?” You will have to look for tourist offices offering excursion services in Russian, which will also take quite a lot of time. It is better to book excursions in advance, for example on or.
Where to eat in Budapest
All tourists eat on Vaci or Raday streets :) It just so happens that these are the best places when walking around the city. In the Buda part, near tourist sites, there are not very many cafes and restaurants.
You can have a snack with dener (aka gyros, aka shawarma if you are from Moscow or shawarma if you speak the St. Petersburg dialect). Cost about 600-700 forints. It's very filling and tasty.
Goulash soup, depending on the establishment, in the center, will cost you 1200-1800 forints. If you see in an advertisement that goulash costs 600 forints, most likely this is half a portion. But for some people this is enough. The second is about 2500-4500, this portion is enough for two.
There is a special menu of the day or a tourist menu - these are two courses plus dessert at a fixed price - from 2500 forints
Beer is available both local and from neighboring countries, for example Czech. The cost of a mug is from 600 forints. Wine is cheapest to buy in stores. Cost from 600 forints per bottle. Ice cream - one scoop 300 forints.
It is also worth noting that restaurants include 10-15% service by default! That is, tips are already included in the price. Don't puncture or leave any excess. Also remember that in small cafes it is better to take coffee with you, it will be cheaper, and you can drink it on the nearest bench.
99.9% of establishments accept cards for payment.
Ruin bars of Budapest
The Jewish Quarter of Erzsebetváros is one of the must-see places in the Hungarian capital. But this place is popular not because of the synagogue. Here, on several streets, there are three dozen ruin bars - fashionable establishments with cool eclectic interiors, hidden behind the facades of emergency buildings.
The Erzsebetváros region looked extremely deplorable 15 years ago. The former Jewish quarter with pompous buildings and many shops and cafes was turned into a ghetto during World War II, from where tens of thousands of Jews were deported. After the end of the war, the abandoned houses were occupied by gypsies. In the 90s, the gypsies left their houses, and they stood boarded up until the early 2000s, making them sad local residents and the municipality, which had no money for restoration and no ideas on what to do with several streets of abandoned buildings in the very center, led by Kazinczi Street.
The city's restaurant business was also experiencing a crisis. There were two types of establishments in Budapest: pompous, expensive restaurants that many could not afford, and Soviet canteens.
In 2002, several students took a fancy to the two-story house. They took down the old “garage” furniture there, put in a bathroom (after sawing it in the middle so that you could sit), dragged in a cabin from a Trabant - it turned out to be a table. Absolutely the entire exterior was collected from garbage dumps and old apartments from all over Budapest. And they began pouring beer for friends and local residents. No advertising, no website or social networks, no signs.
The place was called Szimpla. Szimpla from Hungarian means “simple”. The disrepair of the buildings turned trips to Simple into a real extreme experience, and if you didn’t like the concept, you could turn around and leave.
Szimpla was a pioneer of the area. Then several more similar “ruin bars” opened in the neighborhood. 5 years after the opening of the first such institution, the municipality acquired money and decided to demolish the ugly buildings that spoiled the appearance of the center. The Hungarians quickly formed the Protest organization and explained to the developer and the authorities that there was no need to touch the bars.
Now Simpla is included in the Top 10 most interesting bars in the world according to Lonely Planet.
The best time to visit Simpla is in the evening. On Google maps and in the Maps.me application (if you don’t have it yet, download, for free, offline maps of any country) Szimpla is called Szimpla Kert. Most tourists come here to drink beer and continue their tour of the bars in the area. Some people just come in to take a look and take pictures and leave. Do the same if you don't like the noisy atmosphere. Around you will find many pubs to suit every taste.
Gellert- this is the most pathetic and luxurious bathhouse in Budapest. There are much fewer pools here than in Section, but you will spend much more time here looking at the Art Nouveau interiors, wandering along the corridors and cursing the creators for such a layout.
The cost of a whole day on weekdays is €15, on weekends €16.
How to get there: Szent Gellért ter metro station, the baths are located right next to the entrance.
Opening hours: daily from 6 to 20
Rudas- the bathhouse was built in the 16th century by the Turks, in the 19th century it underwent significant changes - pools and saunas were added to it. The best thing about this bathhouse is the rooftop Jacuzzi pool, which offers views of Mount Gellert, the Danube and the Erzsebet Bridge.
A ticket costs €9.9 on a weekday, €10.1 on a weekend. The rooftop pool costs €5.8 separately. Combined ticket €12.2.
A trip to Budapest is a real gift for those who want to admire the beauty of an unfamiliar country, learn its history, explore the main interesting places, and also improve their health. In Hungary, not far from Budapest, there are unique baths with different types of water, and there are also ones filled with life-giving moisture thermal springs. Therefore, many tourists strive to get to Hungary precisely because of the opportunity to improve their health and strengthen their body. What can we say about the amazing nature of this region?
When is the best time to go on holiday to Budapest?
Budapest has a temperate continental climate. This means that winter in this city is relatively short and quite mild, and summer is long and hot. Despite this, there are practically no extreme temperatures in this place either in summer or winter. It's hottest here in July. The absolute maximum temperature recorded was plus 40.7 degrees Celsius and the absolute minimum was minus 22.2 degrees. The average temperature in summer ranges from 17 to 28 degrees with a plus mark, in winter – 22-17 degrees with a minus mark. From this we can conclude that the temperature in Budapest is comfortable for residents of Russia.
Therefore, when is the best time to go to the capital of Hungary is everyone’s business. It all depends on what goals are being pursued. If these are excursions, then the time of year does not matter if it is healing procedures, then it is better to come to Budapest for some of them in the summer, and for others in the winter. Hotels welcome tourists all year round.
Prices for tours to Budapest
Today there are many options for tours to Budapest. You can get there either by plane or by bus.
The cost of a bus tour is from 7.5 thousand rubles for 3-4 days. Of course, this is not very convenient. Therefore, if you value comfort, then it is better to choose an airplane flight. Especially if you are traveling to Europe with children. Although this, of course, will be more expensive. Price excursion tour by plane from Moscow to Budapest ranges from 25 thousand rubles per week (economy class) and above. The price of a medical tour differs and is about 30 thousand and above, depending on the chosen direction. There are also regular trains to Budapest.
Early booking is an excellent option for those who want to get into the city at a specific time, since there are many people interested and there may simply not be enough tickets for everyone on the desired day.
Types of recreation. What to do in Budapest?
Budapest is a wonderful place for those who want to take care of their health, rejuvenate, improve the body's protective properties and the functioning of the thyroid gland. Also, a lot of tourists come to this city in order to see architectural monuments and view the most important sights of Hungary. It is not surprising that this city is always full of travelers, because it is the heart of Europe.
Budapest - indeed unique place, which combines the beauty of nature, ancient architectural monuments, interesting places and healing springs. All this makes this city truly unique and inimitable.
Popular here Bus tours with excursions. This could be a boat trip along the Danube with dinner or a visit interesting places. Here is the most beautiful Parliament in the whole world, Main square capital of Hungary - Heroes' Square, and nearby is the fabulous Vajdahunyad Castle, St. Stephen's Basilica, a unique gothic cathedral Virgin Mary, as well as the terraces of the Fisherman's Bastion and the amazingly beautiful Royal Palace. Budapest is the perfect combination of nature and architecture, and there is a lot to admire.
Leisure
When you find yourself in Budapest, be sure to ride a tandem bike with your significant other. There are many points here where they rent this type of transport. And if you have children, it is better to take a bicycle with a special child seat and go to Margaret Island. Here you can play badminton, or just enjoy the beautiful view while slowly pedaling. Here on the island, you can rent a bringo jinto (a car with pedals) and ride along the embankment.
For thrill-seekers in Budapest, there is such a form of entertainment as go-karting. This is the longest karting track in Budapest, with a length of 420 meters. Asking your significant other or friend to take photos while you ride is a very positive thing.
Hospitals
After visiting Budapest, how can you not immerse yourself in the relaxation offered by the city’s numerous hospitals and baths? All of them are designed to be comfortable and pleasing to the eye. Some thermal springs boast temperatures of +77°C. And most importantly, here you can improve your health.
Sights of Budapest
As mentioned above, Budapest has a lot of attractions. Here are just a small part of them.
Buda Castle
This place is also called the Fortress District. Here you will find the Royal Palace, the Budapest History Museum, the Plague Column, the funicular and many other interesting buildings. Length Royal Palace is 300 meters. The building was damaged during World War II.
Andrássy Avenue
There are many buildings in the neo-Renaissance style on the avenue, in particular the Opera House. By the way, these objects are included in the list world heritage UNESCO.
Houses of Parliament
Perhaps this is the most beautiful and expensive building in the country. It occupies 18 thousand square meters. Thousands of people took part in the construction work, and 40 million bricks and 40 kilograms of gold were used.
I have a very hard time with flying, so when choosing another route to Montenegro, we decided to take the train. Since just driving is boring, it was decided to make several stops along the way and explore the capitals of Ukraine, Hungary, and Serbia. If it was more or less clear with Ukraine and Serbia - we had been to these countries more than once, then Hungary was almost a blank spot on the map. I didn’t know anything about the country, except that their language is Hungarian. As a result, it was decided that we would visit Budapest, and allocated 4 full days for this.
It seemed that 4 days was quite enough, but when I started looking for information about the city, I had to work hard to clearly allocate the time. We lived on the outskirts of Budapest, more precisely its Óbuda district. This made it possible to save significantly on accommodation, and the presence of nearby trains solved the issue of moving to the city - only 15 minutes. Based on the place of residence, a plan was drawn up:
Day 1 - exploring the Obuda area.
Day 2 - visit to the Buda area.
Day 3 - walks around Pest.
Day 4 - visit to the baths, trip to the Tropicarium.
Looking ahead, I will say that I managed to visit everything on the list, but the time spent visiting the museums had to be reduced. I’ll tell you briefly in order where we visited and what we tried.
Day 1. Obuda.
There are not many attractions here, but the area is ancient. I read that this is where the settlement began. What is worth visiting here is Aquincum. This is a Roman settlement, and in fact, a huge park with ruins. At Aquincum there is a small museum where things found during excavations are exhibited. Entrance to Aquincum cost 4 euros, which includes a visit to the museum. However, if you want to photograph the museum exhibits, you need to pay another 2 euros; in the park, you can take photographs for free. The ruins themselves are interesting; in many places only the foundation remains, in some places part of the walls and columns. In several places throughout the park there are special posts with “binoculars” (I don’t know what to call them correctly), where you can see a diorama of what it was like here during the Roman times and compare it with what remains.
Next to the museum (across the road and to the right) there is a small amphitheater. Now there is a walking area, but once the number of performances, mostly theatrical, tripled. There is also a large amphitheater in the same area, near Florian Square (Flórián tér), where more serious battles have already taken place. Visiting the amphitheaters is free.
In addition, in the Óbuda area it is worth checking out Fő tér Square, it is very cozy and beautiful. Although, honestly, there are many such cozy squares in Budapest. This one is notable for its sculpture of a Girl with Umbrellas and the beautiful architecture of the buildings on the square.
Day 2. Buda.
This is the “heart” of the city; if you are short on time and need to choose just one thing, I advise you to go here. The most beautiful sights of the city are located on Buda Hill, and those located in another part from here are clearly visible (for example, parliament, market, St. Stephen's Cathedral). Once inside the Buda Castle, you just need to have time to look around - everything is beautiful here: from small houses, funny shops, door handles to magnificent palaces, museums, temples. We started our walk from the Vienna Gate, and then admired the variety of shapes and colors. Pay attention to the roof of the Military History Museum - it is covered with the famous Zsolnai tiles. Then you will recognize her everywhere, she is so unique. There are only 7 buildings in Budapest covered with such tiles (we found them all). The ruins of the Church of Mary Magdalene are amazing; I can imagine how magnificent the cathedral was. You can wander around the Buda Castle for hours - it is small, but on every street, on every house there is something interesting.
One of the things I definitely recommend visiting is Matthias Church. It is magnificent on the outside, although it has been restored for several years, but on the inside it is simply amazing. The church is strikingly different from everything it has seen before. Admission, however, is paid, but the price is not comparable to the pleasure of visiting it (about 5 euros).
Nearby is the Fisherman's Bastion, interesting for its shape, and the Marzipan Museum. The museum is quite small, although it is surprising that it is possible to create such sculptures from nut paste. We went there out of curiosity (3 euros), although the second time will definitely not be interesting.
And one more place that did not leave me indifferent - the labyrinth (address: Úri u. 9). This is part underground caves, excursions and performances are organized here, but a regular visit is also possible (9 euros). We doubted for a long time whether it was worth going here. The history of Budapest (or Hungary) is briefly told here, but presented in such an unusual form that it will be remembered for a long time. If you have free time, visit - you won't regret it.
And of course, go to the Royal Palace, look at the Section Bridge, and admire the panorama of the city. We still had a little time left, and we reached the neighboring hill - Mount Gellert, but to be honest, we didn’t like it much here, except that beautiful views open, and the church in the rock is interesting.
Day 3. Pest.
This side of the city is somewhat different - it is still located on a flat surface. Here, first of all, we went to Parliament. We have already seen the parliament building itself; to describe it we would like to use words of praise in a superior form. He is truly incredibly handsome. Here there is a small difficulty: it took more than an hour to buy tickets. You should arrive much earlier than the ticket office opens. Groups are allowed to visit every half hour, but are divided by language, the cost is 14 euros, you can take photographs for free. There was only one Russian-speaking group and at some inconvenient time (either 16.30 or 15.00), it turned out that it was ruining our day, so we asked to join the English-speaking group. I will say right away that the excursion was difficult for me - it was difficult to concentrate on looking at the interior and listening to the guide, poorly understanding the language. But what we saw was quite enough for us.
There are many different beautiful temples in this part of the city, architectural monuments, unusual sculptures. I won’t list everything we went to, I’ll just tell you what was particularly impressive. 3 things are somewhat sad: boots on the embankment (right behind the parliament), a weeping willow (in the Jewish Museum at Dohány u. 2.) and the house of terror (Andrássy út 60). The first two are dedicated to the victims of the Holocaust, the last - to a comparison of totalitarian regimes.
Part of our walk went along Andrássy Avenue - we left it and then returned. It was on one of the side streets that we became acquainted with Hungarian cuisine: it is relatively inexpensive, but the aromas are stunning; lunch cost us 60 euros for two. Here I was surprised by the oldest metro line, going underground, you find yourself feeling like a hundred years ago - sweet, touching, amazing. The opera house was impressive; you can even go inside on a tour (about 10 euros).
And at the end of the avenue is the magnificent Freedom Square, behind which there is an amazing zoo (entrance 7 euros), as well as the Vajdahunyad Fortress (entrance free) - a collection of several buildings in various styles of Hungarian architecture. Having walked around enough, we returned to the Danube embankment, walked to the market, looked into the basilicas and churches along the way. The evening ended with a night tour of the Danube (departure at 21.00, price 18 euros, audio guide provided).
On this day we first went to the Tropicarium. It is located in the Campona shopping center, it’s almost an hour’s drive from the center. There is an amazing aquarium-tunnel here; walking through it you can see sharks, stingrays and other marine life. Actually, it was because of him that we went so far. In addition, there are rooms with various fish, frogs, crocodiles, chameleons and birds. Entrance 8 euros.
After returning from the Tropicarium, we headed to the Széchenyi Baths. There are 2 types of tickets for the whole day and half. Price 10 euros per day, 6.5 for half a day. It was great here: 3 outdoor swimming pools, many baths with different temperatures, saunas, baths, you can (for a fee) get a massage, relax in a cafe. We stayed here for 4 hours, tried everything we could and, to be honest, we were tired, so there was still some time left to walk around Pest.
Of course, we didn’t visit many museums, only had time to relax in one bathhouse, and didn’t walk through many parks, but we got a certain impression about the culture of the country. There are very friendly people here who tried to help us without knowing either Russian or English. There are magnificent, sometimes incomparable cathedrals and monuments here, there is a lot of greenery and flowers. We may not have had time to see everything, but we know for sure that we will definitely come here again.
