Hi my lovely readers!

Back in 2018 I visited Budapest for an extended weekend. I must say I was very surprised how much I liked Budapest. For some reason I didn’t have high expectations, but boy was I wrong.

Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is one of those destinations that is totally underrated and doesn’t come up in many marketing tourism activities. You read and hear about it here and there, but you don’t know much about what you can do and see in the city.

Budapest is a cheap destination to visit compared to other European cities and there’s a ton to do to keep you busy. The local currency is the Hungarian Forint and not the Euro so don’t forget to exchange your money before you go.

Budapest is a very relaxed, easy going and vibrant city. Through the crumbling building facades you can make out it’s former glory as it used to be part of the Austrian-Hungarian empire before becoming independent after WWI. Hence, it’s architecture is heavily resembling that of Austria, which is in the baroque style.

Maybe that’s why I felt so at home as it reminded me of Germany. 🙂 Anyways, you most likely gathered already that I loved visiting Budapest.

Here are my 10 Top Things To Do in Budapest.

1. VISIT THE FISHERMAN’S BASTION

2. SAMPLE DELICIOUS HUGARIAN FOOD

Hungarian cuisine is very hearty and comforting. I sampled Goulash, different soups in bread bowls from the market, a spicy Hungarian sausage similar to the German Bratwurst from a kiosk as well as different Hungarian bakery goodies such as Beigli, a poppy seed roll – yummy!

The Fisherman’s Bastion is one of Budapest’s top attractions and should be on everyone’s list of things to do. It offers panoramic views of Budapest and is so pretty to look at due to it’s unique turrets and little towers. It;s simply a beautiful building.

3. VISIT THE PINBALL MUSEUM

Looking for something a bit different? Go and visit the pinball museum. It’s an active museum meaning all the machines are in use. It’s Europe’s largest interactive pinball museum with around 130 different machines to play on for as long as often as you like.

4. RELAX AND REJUVENATE IN THE THERMAL BATHS

Budapest is famous for it’s thermal baths and there’re a few to choose from. I personally visited one of the older once, Gellert Baths as I wanted to try one of the historic thermal baths because of its interior and decoration.

5. WALK UP THE CITADEL AND TAKE IN THE VIEWS OF BUDAPEST

The Citadel is located on top of Gellert Hill. Constructed by the Hapsburgs in 1854, it’s original purpose was to suppress the people of Budapest and stop uprisings as a fortress. Today, it’s open to the public and offers excellent views of the city.

6. ADMIRE BUDAPEST’S ARCHITECTURE

As I mentioned already Budapest’s city centre is actually very old and historic and luckily many of the baroque buildings have more or less survived. The buildings have fallen into a bit of disrepair, but you can definitely imagine what it must have been liked when the city was at it’s best. It was overwhelmed by the architecture I must say.

7. TAKE A STROLL ALONG THE DANUBE

Taking a stroll along the Danube is the perfect way to explore Budapest by foot as many sights are located by the riverbank such as the Hungarian Parliament Building, the Chain Bridge, the Shoes by the Danube and many more. Plus you get to see all the river cruise boats, if you’re like me and into that sort of thing. 🙂

8. END YOUR DAY WITH A DRINK IN A RUIN BAR

Ruin bars are another one of those famous sort of attractions and a great way to end the day. The atmosphere is very laied back and relaxed. It’s a mix of different people going to the ruin bars and perfect for people watching if you like that sort of thing.

9. TAKE THE FUNICULAR RAILWAY UP TO CASTLE HILL

The funicular is a great way to get to all the sights located on top of Castle Hill. It connects the district where many famous sights are located, such as the Fisherman’s Bastion, with the river level. It’s a short, but enjoyable ride and your feet will thank you for not having to walk all the way up the hill.

10. VISIT ONE OF THE MANY CULTURAL SIGHTS IN BUDA CASTLE

Buda Castle sitting on top of Castle Hill and overlooking the city is a big building complex that today houses many different cultural and historic institutions such as the National Gallery and History Museum where you can learn more about the history of the country and city. It also serves as a venue and backdrop for different festivals during the warmer months and is pretty impressive building to look at in itself as it used to be the Royal Palace or Castle.

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Is Budapest on your list of places to visit or have you been?

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