28 can’t-miss things to do in Budapest this year

What is it? Surrounded by the greenery of City Park, the Széchenyi Baths are an ornate oasis of relaxation in thermal waters. Pools piping hot, dauntingly cold and mercifully temperate await inside and out, complemented by steam and dry saunas, ice machines, relaxation areas, a lane pool, a whirlpool and a bar/restaurant with an expansive terrace. There’s enough to keep you healthily entertained all day – the hefty price of admission means you’ll want to get your money’s worth in any case. 

Why go? Practically all European capitals have galleries, museums and Michelin-starred restaurants – sitting outside in the Széchenyi Baths as the city sizzles or snowflakes flutter is a uniquely Budapest experience.

🤫 Insider tip: On Saturday nights, the Széchenyi transforms into Sparty, a mass pool party with DJs and light shows.

What is it? The short climb by funicular from Clark Ádám tér takes you to the former royal palace atop Castle Hill now housing the National Gallery, the Budapest History Museum and the Széchényi Library. Its green-coloured cupola, an addition during the lengthy post-war rebuild in the 60s, forms an integral part of Buda’s stunning cityscape.

Why go? A quick zip up Castle Hill by funicular is pretty much top of everyone’s bucket list their first time here – particularly if they’re a fan of Monet or Cezanne, on view at the National Gallery near the funicular terminal. Visitors may also access the panoramic terrace for outstanding views from the cupola.

🤫 Insider tip: Check Buda Castle’s events schedule before you go: throughout the year it hosts a wine festival, a sausage festival and more. 

What is it? The Danube defines and delineates Budapest into its twin components, Buda and Pest. Wide and graceful, the river is linked by a string of beautiful bridges, and traversed by cruise ships, barges, fire-red speedboats and waterborne lines on the city’s transport network.

Why go? Relaxing by day, romantic after dark when the bridges light up like pearl necklaces, the Danube plays to your inner Strauss, for hour-long sightseeing tours, all-day cruises and more. 

🤫 Insider tip: Celebrating something special? Why not indulge in a floating starlit dinner à deux. 

What is it? Synonymous with the cake of the same name, Gerbeaud is the non plus ultra of Budapest confectioners, no idle boast in a city built on sweet indulgence – and right on the main square of Vörösmarty tér, too.

Why go? What was the point of the Habsburgs if not to spoil us with creamy treats a century or so later? Their empire may have crumbled but their cakes are still devoured with delicate little forks on exquisite china in institutions such as Gerbeaud, inventor of the layered chocolate-and-apricot delight that carries its name and logo across Hungary.

🤫 Insider tip: Every day between 2pm and 6pm, Gerbeaud offers an afternoon tea feauturing Hungary’s most revered cakes, Dobos, Gerbeaud and the buttercream-rich Esterházy slice.

What is it? This is Budapest’s original ruin bar, the one that set the tone for so many others to follow, adorning a vast, dilapidated building, its open courtyard and labyrinth of rooms, with eclectic furniture, edgy artwork and fairy lights. A regular agenda of DJs and live acts is programmed, and it tends to be the spot for foreign partygoers. 

Why go? It’s still an essential Budapest experience (but perhaps not for Hungarians trying to avoid tourists). If you've never visited the city, the Szimpla will blow your mind – just be prepared to pay a little more for your drinks. 

🤫 Insider tip: Treat your hangover to a gentle Sunday morning at the Szimpla market, in which artisanal producers set up around the main courtyard amid bearable live jazz.

What is it? Effortlessly gliding up to Budapest’s highest point atop János Hill at 527 metres in 12 panoramic minutes, the Chairlift is an accessible, affordable and thrilling attraction in operation all year round.

Why go? Passengers sit in two-person gondolas as the Hungarian capital spreads out before them, romantic on summer evenings, off the scale on snowy winter mornings. Special starlit rides are also laid on in high season, the stuff that proposals are made of. And, with under-15s charged a couple of euros or so for a return ticket, it can be a family affair.

🤫 Insider tip: You may have reached the top of János Hill but higher still is the Elizabeth Lookout, a calf-crunching hike further up, offering wonderful views from a tower built in 1911.

What is it? Numerous firewalls around Pest, particularly in District VII, are decorated with murals, some related to Hungarian history or culture. These echo many aspects of the country’s past, its inventions and creativity such as Rubik’s Cube, its role in World War II and heroism in the 1956 Uprising, and its recent achievements, such as award-winning scientist Katalin Karikó, instrumental in the development of a coronavirus vaccine. 

Why go? For an alternative sightseeing tour, with special walks available, Budapest’s murals offer the visitor an insight into areas of Hungary’s heritage they might not have known about, and take them to streets they may not have walked down otherwise.

Don’t miss: The huge representation of the famous match between Hungary and England in 1953 at Wembley, overlooking a car park in Rumbach Sebestyén utca.

What is it? This former Ukrainian stone-carrying cargo ship has been transformed into one of Budapest’s most popular nightspots for live music, DJ parties and general after-hours fun. It has a restaurant, too, and a gallery with occasional exhibitions, but its varied concert agenda is the main draw, establishing the A38 as a mainstay of the city’s music scene for the best part of 20 years.

Why go? For a night out during your stay here, this is the best bet, whatever happens to be scheduled that particular evening. Even if a Bulgarian black metal band isn’t to your liking, you can always enjoy a drink on the top deck and watch the Danube go by. The A38 is also close to the all-night 4/6 tram route on Petőfi Bridge above, meaning you needn’t mess around with taxis afterwards.

🪩 Read more about Budapest's best nightlife spots. 

What is it? Perhaps the only revered hangover from the Communist era, the former Pioneers’ Railway (now named the Children's Railway) is a narrow-gauge train that snakes through the Buda hills. Its unique feature is the fact that it is almost entirely staffed by children – don’t worry, the driver is a grown-up – checking tickets and signalling from the platform.

Why go? Budapest’s most charming attraction allows you to take in the fresh air and greenery of panoramic Buda while enjoying a family-friendly day out.

What is it? Budapest’s most elegant coffeehouse of the 1890s, amid strong competition, has regained its status after being converted into a five-star hotel in the early 2000s. Now overseen by the high-end Thai group Anantara, the New York has got back its sheen, serving 24-carat gold cappuccino beneath crystal chandeliers, amid marble and mirrors. All of this comes at a price, of course, and having to factor in queueing time for a table to become free.

Why go? Because this was ne plus ultra of Budapest’s literary cafés in the golden era, where film directors found their starlets in the early days of Hungarian cinema – Mihály Kertész, later Michael Curtiz of Casablanca fame, was a regular. It also links to one of the city’s most enduring urban myths, dating back to the 1890s, when playwright Ferenc Molnár threatened to throw the key in the Danube so that the place wouldn’t close. Sculptor Mihály Kolodko (see below) riffed on this theme more recently when he created a little statuette near the main entrance.