In November 2019, Wally and I spent a long weekend in Budapest, primarily to visit the Christmas markets. We had previously visited the Christmas markets in Prague (see our blog post here to read more about that trip), so decided to visit another city this time around. Given Budapest is well known for its thermal spas as well, we thought this would be a perfect city break.

We spent a fair amount of time just wandering around (Budapest is a very walkable city), exploring the architecture and the tourist sights, as well as the delicious Hungarian cuisine and the Christmas markets of course! In this post, we’ve listed some of our favourite places to visit and explore- as well as some recommendations of some Hungarian dishes to try and restaurants to check out.

Equestrian statue of Prince Eugene Of Savoy

In terms of where to stay- we stayed in the Pest side of the city, in an airbnb that was located near the ruin bars (between District V and VII). This area is around a 10-15 minute walk right into the city center and the river. From here it is easy to get around, explore the city, the architecture, the museum and all else that there is on offer.  Budapest also has a very good and reliable metro system- in case you don’t feel like walking everywhere!

The Brother-in-arms statue

Gifts at a Christmas market

Of all the markets we went to, we found the one around St Stephen’s Basilica to be perhaps the most beautiful and certainly one not to miss. Not only are there tons of stalls, but the decoration is impressive- there is even a stunning light display beamed onto the Basilica itself, accompanied by music. Overall, this makes for a very festive visit and certainly gets you in the Christmas mood!

The Christmas market at St Stephen’s Basilica

Just some of the many food stalls in the Christmas markets

St Stephen’s Basilica

This is a stunning Basilica, and is one of two tallest buildings in the city (the second being the Hungarian Parliament building). We bought some tickets for just the entry to the church- but you can also visit the Look-Out and Treasury. Taking around half a century to build, the Basilica was open at the start of the 20th century, named after the first king of Hungary. The Basilica is stunning and there are many statues and paintings throughout. As well as mass and services, the Basilica hosts various concerts- and the acoustics must be incredible! To find out more about visiting- click here.

St Stephen’s Basilica

Thermal Spa

During this trip, we went to the Rudas Thermal Spa, located on the banks of the Danube river. Whilst perhaps not as popular as the Széchenyi Thermal Bath in the city park, Rudas spa has a lot of history and character, with the main centerpiece dating back to the 16th century. Built during the Turkish occupation, the bath is stunning and certainly worth a visit. We just had spa access tickets, which allow entry to six pools of different temperatures, but you can also have massages, pedicures etc. See here for prices and more details.

To find out more about the other spas you could visit in Budapest- see here. I had previously visited Széchenyi Thermal Bath which was a great experience but a bit busy- so it does depend on your personal preferences and exactly what you are looking for.

Gellert Hill

Gellert Hill

For a stunning viewpoint, we would recommend the Gellert Hill, and in particular the Citadella. Named after a monk that died a martyr in the 11th century, Gellert Hill has a chapel, a garden and even arboretum. Located on the Buda side of the city (but close to the Danube), the hill makes for a 30 minuted climb up- depending on how often you stop! Otherwise you can get a taxi or a bus up. The top offers a panoramic view- perhaps best seen at sunset or sunrise. Click here to see more about what the Gellert Hill has to offer.

The Central Market Hall

A stall selling nuts, seeds etc.

A fruit stall at the Central Market Hall

The Fisherman’s Bastion

The Fisherman’s Bastion (Halászbástya) in Varhegy

Located near the Buda Castle, the Firsterman’s Bastion is a stunning monument, and very popular with tourists- and from the photos you can see exactly why. There is an incredible terrace that goes all the way around with look-out posts, offering incredible views of the city down below. There is also  an impressive entrance to the Bastion with fairy-tale like steps leading upwards. Dating back to the 20th century, the Bastion was built as one of several developments to celebrate the birthday of the state. It  reflects various historical aspects of the country: the 7 towers you can see in the Bastion represent the 7 Hungrarian chieftains who led their tribes to the city for settlement, and there is also a statue of St Stephen, the first king of the country. To find out more about the history, click here.

Visiting the Bastion is mostly free (apart from the turrets), and there are also options to do a walking tour or a tour which also includes the nearby Buda Castle (we didn’t visit this- but click here to read more).

Nearby you can also find the incredible Matthias Church (the full name is the Church of the Assumption of the Buda Castle)- we would highly recommend a visit here. The church is believed to have been built in 1015, and was restored substantially more recently in the19th century. Both the exterior and interior are stunning- from the Gothic style of the exterior to the beautiful murals and stained glass windows. You can also find a small museum inside which has various sacred relics, as well as some jewels. To find out more about the church and visiting, click here.

We would recommend spending some time walking around the wider Castle District– there are cobblestone streets and beautiful squares, as well as museums, cafes and restaurants. You can really feel the history of the city here, incredible architecture and buildings around and beautiful views of the Danube. It is very easy to spend a few hours here, as there is a lot to see and do, and the views over Budapest from some places are stunning!  

Inside Matthias Church

Views over Castle Garden Bazaar

Hungarian Parliament building

An incredibly striking and beautiful building, particularly at night, the Hungarian parliament building is located right on the river, and is the seat of the country’s National Assembly. Additionally, it is a popular tourist destination. We didn’t visit the building itself- but you can visit and see the Hungarian Holy Crown and the Dome Hall. What we did do is walk around the outside and take in the stunning architecture. The building was designed in neo-Gothic style, and you can see the influence that has been taken by the architect from Vienna.  

To find out more about visiting and buying tickets, see here.

Hungarian Parliament Building at night

Shoes on the Danube Bank

Located a short walk from the Hungarian Parliament building, the Shoes on the Danube Bank are a striking memorial for the 3,500 Jews who were killed by Fascists in Budapest during the Second World War.

Incredibly poignant and emotive, worth visiting to get a reminder of some of the darker times humanity has faced and hopefully something we will never see again.

Wine tasting cruise on the Danube

Views of Buda castle from the Danube

As for the cruise itself- this is several hours long, and allows you to take in the main sights of Budapest at night, making for some stunning views, as you can see from the photos. 

The cruise is also great to meet new people- you are seated on a table of around 8-10 people during the tastings, so get to meet people from all over the world (mostly other tourists)- and makes for a great experience. You can also go onto the upper deck to get a better view of the city- but be warned it may be windy and a bit cold. The views are certainly worthwhile though!

Heroes Square

Heroes square

One of several squares in the city, Heroes square is grand and impressive and is part of the UNESCO world heritage site. The main focal point is the millennium monument, with statues of the Seven chieftains of the Magyars, as well as other important Hungarian leaders and a commemorative stone for Heroes.

Located just behind Heroes square lies the city park, with the famous Széchenyi Thermal Bath, and the stunning Vajdahunyad Castle, which looks like it has just been picked out of a fairy tale. We didn’t visit either of these during this particular trip, but if you have sufficient time, do check them out. Around Heroes square you can also find a number of museums- the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Palace of Art. As we were a bit tight on time, we only visited the former.

Museum of Fine Arts

Museum of Fine Arts

Located just off Heroes square, the Museum of Fine Arts is a must visit for those with an interest in art. Built at the start of the 20th century, the museum now holds a number of exhibits- from Egyptian art to impressionists, and has collections from both Hungarian and international artists, with around 100,000 pieces in total. We spent a few hours walking around- and found both the collection and the building itself to be beautiful. Particularly impressive was the recently renovated and restored Romanesque Hall- as you can see from the photos this was incredible, and it is hard to believe that prior to the restoration this was simply a warehouse. The Renaissance hall was also stunning. To find out more about the exhibitions, and what else there is to see- click here.

Romanesque Hall

Places we would recommend for food and drinks

We managed to come across a number of really good places- below are just some of our favourites that we’d recommend any visitor to Budapest to try!

Suggested itineraries

Overall, Budapest has something for everyone- and is great for a relaxing spa break, visiting museums and everything else in between. Below are a few ideas. Do let us know if you have any suggestions or anything we’ve missed in the comments below!

A longer Trip

If you’re visiting Budapest for longer, you’ll have time to also check out the Central Market Hall, take in the views from Gellert Hill and visit a thermal spa- or two! We would also recommend a wine tasting trip on the Danube.