The Hungarian Parliament Building on the bank of the Danube in Budapest

Updated 2026

15 best things to do in Budapest

A Gothic parliament on the Danube, a castle hill and thermal baths.

Photo: Efrem Efre / Pexels · Pexels License

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These picks cover both banks: the Parliament and the Basilica in Pest, the Castle District in Buda, a thermal bath, the best viewpoints and a day trip. For each: honest cost, time needed, best time and when to skip it.

Things to do in Budapest: tap a number to open it in Google Maps. Out of town (not on the map): 15. Day trip: Szentendre.

Tickets & tours in Budapest: compare before you buy

Official sites are often cheapest for single museums; resellers are handy for skip-the-line combos, tours and free cancellation.

Tickets on Tiqets Tours on GetYourGuide Tours on Viator

Hungarian Parliament Building

Lipótváros (District V), Kossuth Lajos tér

The Gothic Revival parliament is 268 m long and its dome is 96 m high, a nod to the year 896. The 45-minute guided tour takes you to the Dome Hall, where the Hungarian Holy Crown is guarded day and night.

Cost: 7,000 Ft for EEA citizens, 14,000 Ft for others (from 1 January 2026; check parlament.hu)
Time needed: 1–1.5 hours
Best time: Book an early tour; see the outside again at night from the Buda bank

Insider tip: Buy tickets in advance on Jegymester.hu, the official sales site. The Visitor Centre only sells a limited number of same-day tickets.

Skip it if: You don’t like guided tours – the view of the building from the Buda riverbank is free and arguably better.

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Fisherman’s Bastion

Castle District, Buda

A fairy-tale lookout terrace built between 1895 and 1902 by Frigyes Schulek. Its seven towers stand for the seven Magyar chieftains, and it frames the best view of the Parliament across the Danube.

Cost: Lower terraces free 24/7; upper towers 1,700 Ft between 9:00 and 19:00 (21:00 in summer), free outside those hours (2026 prices)
Time needed: 30–45 min
Best time: Sunrise or after the ticket window closes

Insider tip: Come before 9:00: the upper towers are free and nearly empty. The ticket desk takes cards, not cash.

Skip it if: Never – but if it’s packed, the free lower terrace has almost the same view.

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Matthias Church

Szentháromság tér, Castle District

The Gothic church with the diamond-patterned roof tiles. In 1867 Franz Joseph and Elisabeth (Sisi) were crowned king and queen of Hungary here, to Liszt’s Coronation Mass. The plague column in front dates from 1713.

Cost: Paid entry (check the current price)
Time needed: 45 min
Best time: Weekday morning

Insider tip: Combine it with the Fisherman’s Bastion right behind it. It is a working church, so dress respectfully and check closures for services and weddings.

Skip it if: You’ve seen enough church interiors – the roof and square are free.

Tickets & tours

Buda Castle (Royal Palace)

Castle Hill, Buda

The huge former royal palace on Castle Hill, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. It houses the Hungarian National Gallery, the Budapest History Museum and the National Széchényi Library.

Cost: Courtyards and terraces free; museums paid (check)
Time needed: 1–3 hours
Best time: Morning, or late afternoon for the light

Insider tip: The Castle Hill Funicular (opened 1870) costs 4,500 Ft one way or 5,500 Ft return (2026). Bus 16 from Deák Ferenc tér is a cheap alternative, or walk up the stairs from Clark Ádám tér.

Skip it if: You’re not into museums – just walk the terraces and the Turul statue.

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Széchenyi Chain Bridge

Between Széchenyi tér (Pest) and Clark Ádám tér (Buda)

Opened in 1849, it was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Hungary. It was designed by the English engineer William Tierney Clark and built by the Scottish engineer Adam Clark – no relation.

Cost: Free
Time needed: 20–30 min
Best time: Blue hour, when the bridge and the castle light up

Insider tip: On the Buda side, find the Zero Kilometre Stone: road distances to Budapest are measured from here.

Skip it if: Never – it’s on the way between the two halves of the city.

St Stephen’s Basilica

Lipótváros (District V)

At 96 m, the Basilica is exactly as tall as the Parliament. It took 54 years to build (finished 1905) and keeps the mummified right hand of St Stephen, Hungary’s first king.

Cost: Paid entry; the dome viewing terrace is a separate ticket (check)
Time needed: 45–60 min
Best time: Late afternoon for the dome view

Insider tip: The square in front hosts one of the city’s Christmas markets in December. Organ concerts are held here regularly.

Skip it if: You only have one day and you’ve done the Castle District views.

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Széchenyi Thermal Bath

City Park (Városliget), District XIV

One of Europe’s biggest medicinal baths, opened in 1913 and fed by hot springs. After the 1927 expansion it has 3 outdoor and 15 indoor pools – the outdoor ones steam in winter.

Cost: Daily ticket with locker from 13,200 Ft Mon–Thu; prices vary by day (checked October 2026, szechenyibath.hu)
Time needed: 2–4 hours
Best time: Weekday morning, or an evening in winter

Insider tip: Bring flip-flops and a towel, and book online to skip the queue. Metro M1, the little yellow line, stops right outside.

Skip it if: You don’t like crowds – try the quieter Szent Lukács or Rudas baths.

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Gellért Hill & the Citadella

Buda, above Liberty Bridge

A 235 m hill with the classic panorama over the Danube and its bridges. The Citadella fortress on top reopened on 5 April 2026 after years of renovation, next to the 14 m Liberty Statue.

Cost: Free to walk up
Time needed: 1.5 hours
Best time: Sunset

Insider tip: Climb from the St Gellért statue near Elisabeth Bridge, then walk down to the Gellért Baths and Liberty Bridge.

Skip it if: Steep climbs are a problem – the Fisherman’s Bastion view is easier to reach.

Great Market Hall

Fővám tér, District IX

Budapest’s largest and oldest indoor market, opened in 1897, with a roof of colourful Zsolnay tiles. Paprika and salami downstairs, lángos and food stalls upstairs.

Cost: Free to enter
Time needed: 1 hour
Best time: Weekday morning

Insider tip: Sunday hours are shorter and fewer stalls are open; it is closed on public holidays. Check the hours before you go.

Skip it if: You hate crowds – the upstairs food court is busy at lunchtime.

#10

Heroes’ Square & City Park

End of Andrássy út, District XIV

The Millennium Monument, begun in 1896, with the seven Magyar chieftains and a 36 m column topped by the Archangel Gabriel. Behind it lies the City Park with Vajdahunyad Castle and the Széchenyi Bath.

Cost: Square and park free
Time needed: 1–2 hours
Best time: Morning, combined with the bath

Insider tip: Ride metro M1 under Andrássy út, one of the oldest underground lines in the world, and walk back past the Opera.

Skip it if: You’re short on time and not going to the bath.

Tickets & tours

#11

Dohány Street Synagogue

Jewish Quarter (District VII)

The largest synagogue in Europe, built in 1854–1859 in Moorish Revival style and seating 3,000. The complex includes the Hungarian Jewish Museum and a Holocaust memorial garden.

Cost: Paid; adult ticket with guided tour about 14,500 Ft (check the official site)
Time needed: 1.5 hours
Best time: Weekday morning

Insider tip: Closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays, with shorter hours on Fridays. Dress modestly; men are given a head covering.

Skip it if: You can only visit on a Saturday.

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#12

Shoes on the Danube Bank

Pest riverbank, south of the Parliament

Sixty pairs of iron shoes on the embankment, a memorial from 2005 to the people shot into the river by Arrow Cross militiamen in 1944–1945. Victims were made to take off their shoes first.

Cost: Free
Time needed: 15 min
Best time: Any time; quiet early in the morning

Insider tip: Please don’t pose for fun photos here. Some visitors leave a candle or a stone.

Skip it if: Never – it is a short, important stop next to the Parliament.

#13

Ruin bars & Szimpla Kert

Jewish Quarter (District VII)

Bars set up in run-down old buildings and courtyards. Szimpla Kert, opened in 2002, was the pioneer and is still the most famous.

Cost: Free to enter; you pay for drinks
Time needed: 1–2 hours
Best time: Early evening, before it gets crowded

Insider tip: Szimpla also hosts a Sunday farmers’ market. Keep an eye on your bag when it’s busy.

Skip it if: Busy bars aren’t your thing.

#14

Margaret Island

In the Danube between Margaret and Árpád bridges

A 2.5 km long green island with almost no cars, a running track, gardens and a musical fountain near Margaret Bridge.

Cost: Free
Time needed: 1–2 hours
Best time: Summer afternoon or evening

Insider tip: Take tram 4 or 6 to the middle of Margaret Bridge and walk on. Rent a bike or a pedal car to cover the whole island.

Skip it if: It’s cold and grey – it’s best on a warm day.

#15

Day trip: Szentendre

About 40 min by HÉV suburban train

A colourful riverside town north of Budapest with cobbled lanes, galleries and Serbian Orthodox churches, built by Serbs who settled here in 1690.

Cost: Budapest ticket to the city limit plus an extension ticket (check BKK)
Time needed: Half day
Best time: Weekday morning

Insider tip: Take the H5 HÉV from Batthyány tér. You need a valid Budapest ticket or pass plus an extension ticket for the section outside the city. Buy it before you board.

Skip it if: You only have 2 days in Budapest.

Szentendre trips Compare on Viator

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need in Budapest?

Two days covers the Parliament, the Chain Bridge and the Castle District. Three days lets you add a thermal bath, Gellért Hill and the Jewish Quarter at a relaxed pace.

Does Budapest use the euro?

No. The currency is the Hungarian forint (HUF, Ft). Cards work almost everywhere. If a card machine offers to charge you in euros, choose forints.

How do I get from Budapest airport to the city?

Take bus 100E Airport Express to Kálvin tér or Deák Ferenc tér. It runs 24/7 and needs its own 2,500 Ft ticket, which you can buy with a bank card on board. Regular tickets and travelcards are not valid on it. Price checked October 2026.

Is the Fisherman’s Bastion free?

The lower terraces are free at all times. The upper towers cost 1,700 Ft between 9:00 and 19:00 (until 21:00 from June to September) and are free outside those hours (2026).

Which thermal bath is best for a first visit?

Széchenyi in the City Park is the classic, with big outdoor pools that steam in winter. Go on a weekday morning, bring flip-flops and a towel, and book online.

Plan your next step

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