Budapest

Understand

History

Antiquity The first settlement on the territory of Budapest is accounted to Celtic tribes. During the first century CE, the Roman fortification on the territory of present-day Óbuda (now part of Budapest) gradually developed into the town of Aquincum which became the capital city of the province of Lower Pannonia in 106CE. The Romans founded a fortress known as Contra Aquincum on the other side of the river which is assumed to have developed into the later town of Pest. This was part of the Limes, marking the eastern border of the empire, and was gradually given up by Rome during the early fourth century, becoming part of the Hun empire for a few decades. The Huns were a confederation of various nomadic nations and tribes inhabiting the Eurasian steppe, and not Magyars, but Attila, the King of the Huns, is considered a national hero and Attila is a common given name in Hungary.

Early Middle Ages Once the horse-riding Magyar (Hungarian) tribes arrived in the Carpathian Basin in 896CE, Óbuda served as the seat of the Magyar high-chieftain (or prince) Árpád. After a century marked by frequent raids on Christian western Europe, the erstwhile Hungarian prince Géza realised that converting to Christianity was the key to survival in Europe. The Christian Kingdom of Hungary was founded by the crowning of his son, Szt. István (Saint Stephen) on 1 January 1001 (or possibly Christmas Day of 1000). As visitors will quickly realise, Saint Stephen became an omnipresent national symbol, as did the artefact known as Saint Stephen's Crown (the Holy Crown of Hungary) which was regarded as a legal entity that was by law equivalent to the country itself during medieval times. It is still unclear whether the millennium-old crown used in this function for many centuries and shown in the Parliament today, was used by Saint Stephen. In the following centuries, Buda emerged as the most important royal seat. In 1241/42 the Mongol Empire conquered the territory along with large parts of Europe - this short but devastating conquest of the country is still remembered as Tatárjárás - the name reflecting the erroneous confusion of Mongols and Tatars at the time. Medieval Hungary reached its zenith under King Matthias (Matthias Corvinus), the vividly remembered Renaissance ruler whose patronage of arts and sciences made Hungary, a notable power at the time, the first European country to adopt the Renaissance from Italy. However, after residing in Buda for decades, he moved his seat to Vienna in 1485 for the last five years of his life after defeating the Hapsburg Holy R

Getting there

By plane Budapest has direct flights to most major European cities. Many of these are operated by the budget carrier WizzAir, which is based here and is now in effect Hungary's national airline. Other budget operators include Easyjet, Ryanair, Jet2, Norwegian and Vueling. This competition holds down prices on the traditional airlines such as KLM and Lufthansa. Direct destinations around the fringes of Europe include Reykjavik, St Petersburg, Moscow, Kyiv, Kutaisi, Baku, Astana, Tel Aviv and Agadir. Gulf carriers connect via Doha and Dubai to the Far East, Australasia and Africa. There are no direct flights between Budapest and North America: connect via London, Amsterdam or Paris. 1 Budapest Franz Liszt International Airport (BUD IATA Budapest Liszt Ferenc Nemzetközi Repülőtér pronounced "list-ferents", often still called by its old name Ferihegy) (It's located about 16 km (9.9 mi) south-east of the city centre), ☏ +36 1 296-7000 (call centre). Hungary's chief airport. All flights use Terminals 2A and 2B. Terminal 1 was closed in 2011. There's no practical distinction between Terminals 2A and 2B, and they're freely connected landside by corridors and airside by "SkyCourt" food & retail area. (Originally 2A served Schengen Area destinations, and 2B the rest of the world, but this has been dropped.) Check-in and bag-drop desks 1-30 are in Hall 2A and desks 31-60 in Hall 2B, but do not correspond to the gates. This means that if 2A has a long line for security, you can get airside through 2B (and vice versa), as both lead into the SkyCourt.There are several small cafes in Skycourt and in 2A & 2B near the gates. Duty-free stores are operated by Heinemann. They are seldom a bargain - by all means blow away your last local currency here. But if you're looking for something in particular (eg Tokay wine), check prices in advance on their website and compare with downtown supermarket prices. You can usually only buy duty-free if you're taking a direct flight: if you're transiting another European airport, security there will confiscate liquids.Central information: ☏ +36 1 296-9696Luggage services: ☏ +36 1 296-5965

Getting between airport and city: the main options are bus, bus & metro, bus & train, and taxi / transfer.

Bus line 100E Airport Express This runs from city centre to Airport Terminal 2 every 10 minutes during the day, every 20 minutes early morning and late night, taking 30-40 minutes. The city centre bus stop is by Deák tér at Károly krt in front of Városháza Park; look for a blue articulated bus with an airplane sign. The only stop on the way i

Getting around

Orientation

Orientation is not a big problem in Budapest. The river Danube splits the city into two areas: Buda and Pest. Aside from the very centre, the city's structure is quite logical. Landmarks in Buda as the Royal Castle or Citadella Castle also help you to find your way. Besides the Danube, the best reference points for orienting yourself are the bridges crossing the river. From north to south, they are:

5 Megyeri Bridge (Megyeri híd) (At northern city border). The newest one. A cable-stayed bridge. Built in 2008. There are 4 lanes and 2 hard shoulders. Part of the M0 motorway. 6 Árpád Bridge (Árpád híd). A modern bridge linking to Northern Margaret Island. The longest bridge in Budapest at 973 m. Also the busiest bridge in Budapest. 7 Margaret Bridge (Margit híd). Easily identified thanks to its distinctive shape: it makes an approximately 35 degree turn half-way across, at the southern tip of Margaret Island. Trams 4 and 6 cross the Danube here. Close to its on the Buda side is the northernmost destination of the Muslim pilgrims: the Tomb of Gül baba. 8 Chain Bridge (Széchenyi lánchíd). Completed in 1849, this is the oldest permanent bridge over the Danube. It’s also the least busy bridge in Budapest, since it’s not connected to any main roads arguably most beautiful and certainly the most photographed of Budapest's bridges, floodlit at night. (updated May 2026) 9 Elisabeth Bridge (Erzsébet híd). Completed in 1903. Its original chain structure was destroyed in World War II, and was substituted by a modern cable bridge which opened in 1964. The narrowest facade's building of Budapest is 6.2 wide. It is on the Buda side of the Elizabeth Bridge and can easily be spotted while crossing the Danube from Pest. 10 Liberty Bridge (Szabadság híd). Elegant and complex, opened in 1896; it connects the Gellért Baths (Gellért fürdő) in Buda with the Central Market Hall (Nagy Vásárcsarnok) in Pest. 11 Petőfi Bridge (Petőfi híd). For a long time the southernmost bridge, it links the inner ring road (Nagykörút) of Pest with Buda. 12 Rákóczi Bridge (Rákóczi híd). The second newest bridge in Budapest, with modern architecture and a spectacular lighting system where mirrors reflect the beam of the upward facing floodlights. Built very next to a railway bridge on its southern side. It was called Lágymányosi híd before 2011.

On foot Many of Budapest's highlights are easy to approach walking, and in the centre you find more pedestrian zones from year to year. Car drivers tend to respect pedestrians and often give advantage on a cross-walk even if there i

See

Individual listings can be found in Budapest's district articles

The Danube. This is what's unique about Budapest, the urban river landscape. This feature can be admired in several ways: from panoramic points, such as Fisherman's Bastion or Gellért Hill's Citadella in South Buda, promenading along the river banks, or from the river's perspective, from a boat. For romantic views of the city, go at night. There is a number of bridges (see Orientation above) that arch over the river and define Budapest. Most famous is the Chain Bridge (Széchenyi Lánchíd), owing its name to the suspension structure: the bridge is made of chains whose links are huge dog-bone shaped metal bars linked by pins at their ends. And there is also the magnificent Elisabeth bridge (Erzsébet híd) and the Liberty bridge (Szabadság híd). To get away from all the hustle of the city visit Margaret Island (Margitsziget), reachable from the Margaret bridge. Its large parks (see Buda) are a very pleasant place to relax and wander, perfect for a sunny afternoon.

Most of Budapest's famous sights are concentrated on Castle Hill on the Buda side, in downtown so called Belváros and along the riverside walkways. On Budavár the main highlight is the Royal Palace (Királyi palota), which is the most popular attraction on the hill. It is home to the National Gallery and the Historical Museum of Budapest, with exhibits about medieval Budapest and history of the Royal Palace. To the north you can find the funicular on a big square southestern corner, while in the eastern part there are some medieval excavations and castle ruins from 14-17th century. Towards the north, by the Dísz tér corner, is the Golden Eagle Pharmacy Museum (Arany Sas Patikamúzeum), with a collection of pharmaceutical objects from the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Near there is the Café Ruszwurm, or 'the Heaven for coffein and sweets addicts'. A hundred meters east is a local pride, the Matthias Church (Mátyás Templom), which is a Neo-Gothic church crowning Budapest's cityscape, and the 'Fisherman's bastion', (Halászbástya), a lookout terrace with impressive views across the Danube to Pest. In the next building is the Marzipan Museum, which is a children's favourite. On the castle northwest corner is the Military Museum if you interested for uniforms, weapons, maps and other Hungary-related military objects from 11th century until nowadays. If not, you must to go there because the view from there is worth a short detour. Almost all of west Buda hill is visible from here. Central (Belváros) of Pest is the administrative and business

Do

The simplest, and perhaps best of all: get a map, circle the things you want to see, divide up your time and stroll around in the city. Spend time in charming cafés or restaurants, preferably not right at the main tourist sites, look at the market stands, walk on a bridge in the evening. The lively atmosphere of this jewel of a city both by day and by night cannot be experienced via guided tours, locked into a tourist bus/boat. Locals are usually happy to help, also to tell you what they think is best to see, what is better to stay away from or for a little chat just to keep up their English or German. Don't hesitate to ask questions. Hungaria Koncert, ☏ +36 1 317-1377, [email protected]. Operates cruises with lunch or dinner daily at 14:00, 19:00 and 20:00. This service is 90 minutes with hot buffet lunch or dinner. During the cruise, the Parliament, Chain Bridge, Royal Castle, Palace of Arts, etc. can be seen. Rent a bike. Rents are around Ft1,800 for half a day. Szentendre is a 2 hours ride from the centre and you get to see nice places, much of the way is at the Danube. If you prefer more organised ways, a guided bike tour gets you some exercise and introduces you to the local geography. For example, staff at Buda Bike [underground garage at the plaza in front of St Stephan's Basilica] are very friendly. They also rent bikes. Bike map on the Net Walk in the City park (Városliget) with your children. Walk around the lake and feed the ducks. See the statue of Anonymus at the Vajdahunyad Castle, a fairy-tale-like building. Széchenyi Spa, right next to the lake, is also enjoyable for children (see also the Baths section). In the winter, the same lake is transformed into the large ice-skating rink with an astonishing view during winter. It is a popular place for children and teenagers. The nearby Circus (Fövárosi Nagycirkusz - Great Circus of the Capital) offers performances with international artists. Next to it, the Budapest Zoo - one of the oldest in the world - offers more than 800 animals to be seen in a historic atmosphere. Experience an opera at Budapest's beautiful State Opera House or a performance of folklore or classical music at any of Budapest's many concert halls (details under Performing arts). Budapest River Cruise is an option to discover the city with Danube boat which takes 75 minutes and you can visit the most popular places with it.

Events Budapest Spring Festival. In March, a dazzling variety of cultural events mainly revolving around classical music and performing arts - including folklore. Grand Prix or Formula One mot

Buy

When receiving change from a taxi journey, make sure that the money is actually Hungarian. Some taxi drivers have been known to give unsuspecting passengers obsolete Romanian banknotes (lei).

Many reliable exchange bureaux can be found in the city centre near Deák Ferenc tér metro station. For example, there are two shops next to the tourist information. These shops as well as other shops in the area offer a better rate than other banks at tourist spots such as international bus stations and the castle hill. The rate might be even better than getting cash from ATMs. There is also no extra charge. If you're looking for money exchange in the Keleti station, be sure to check exchange rates at all the three money exchange shops along the platforms; they offer differential prices. See Hungary#Money for information on currency and exchange rates.

Most of the visitors from far away end up shopping in Pest in the middle of the city: Váci utca and nearby. It is historically the most expensive part of the city. You'll find Hungarian linens and lace, pottery, and other items, in souvenir shops. You definitely want to visit the Great Market Hall (Nagy Vásárcsarnok) at Fővám tér, the renovated market hall with essential atmosphere (it's at the south end of Vaci). Prices for the same items vary a lot between sellers and aren't set in stone so be sure to compare and bargain.

Non-speciality shopping Also, chain stores can be found along the Váci utca (C&A, H&M, Clinique, Estee Lauder, New Yorker, etc.) The shopping malls locally known as "Plazas" are usually good for buying clothes, but prices may vary wildly even in shops next to each other. For electronics, the cheap supermarkets like Electro World and Media Markt are good targets, but the quality is on par with the prices. Due to the low cost of labour, a tradition in repairing mobile phones and other appliances exists, and buying second hand electronics is normal. This service is usually offered in smaller private shops. Absinthe is available for purchase at common liquor stores, a must-have purchase for the European traveller. Many brands available in the Market Hall and liquor stores are of poor quality (or not even "real" Absinthe).

Eat

Individual listings can be found in Budapest's district articles Hungarian food deserves to be (and often is) mentioned among the country's main sites. As in other cultures, the Hungarian approach to food combines pride in their own traditions with a readiness to accept outside influences. The result is a vibrant restaurant scene where an Asian-Hungarian fusion restaurant may well be of genuine interest. Luckily, prices are significantly below western Europe's with around €4 for a budget lunch, and around €8-14 for a nice evening meal in a mid-range restaurant, depending on place and appetite. Above €20 per person is definitely considered expensive, but there are enough lavish places above this price range for those looking for something special. Local specialities often revolve around meat (pork, beef, veal, or poultry), often involve liberal use of paprika, however not necessary of the hot kind. Due to a historical translation error, "goulash soup" is indeed a soup, not the "goulash" that visitors may be familiar with from home which is known as "pörkölt".

Major specialities include:

gulyás (leves) usually translated as 'goulash soup' - a filling meat soup (usually beef) with potatoes and paprika, among other ingredients. Served as main dish or as a (heavy) starter. The name refers to the Hungarian version of a cowboy taking care of a 'gulya' (cattleherd). paprikás veal or chicken cooked in delicious creamy paprika sauce (not spicy) pörkölt a beef stew with sautéed onions and paprika. Similar to what is served as 'goulash' abroad. halászlé - fishermen's soup served differently depending on region töltött káposzta - stuffed cabbage, the cooked cabbage leaves are filled with meat and in a paprika sauce, served with sour cream (similar to crème fraîche or crème acidulée) Balaton pike-perch (fogas) gyümölcsleves - fruit soup - cold, creamy and sweet, consumed as a starter. From the desserts, you may not want to miss

Somlói galuska, a poem on biscuit dough, cream and chocolate sauce, invented by Károly Gollerits at Gundel Gundel palacsinta - Gundel pancake (crepe) - with a filling prepared with rum, raisin, walnuts, and lemon zest, served with a chocolate sauce, and the careful reader may guess its birthplace. Kürtőskalács, (chimney cake) a delicious sweet dough pastry which is cooked on a chimney shaped spit and coated in butter and sugar to form a crispy crust. After the cakes are cooked they can be rolled in a variety of toppings such as cinnamon sugar or chocolate. There is also a great variety of wonderful pastries/cakes (Torta), some of which you

Drink & nightlife

Individual listings can be found in Budapest's district articles Budapest offers plenty of places to drink, from cool and ultra-hip to rowdy and down-market. If you are in the mood for a particularly Hungarian experience, visit a so-called borozó (wine pub). These offer cheap yet tasty Hungarian wine on tap at outright hilariously low prices if you manage to find one outside the tourist circuit. Budapest is known for its so-called "ruin bars", found mainly in Budapest’s Jewish Quarter. They are former abandoned buildings transformed into popular nightlife spots. The trend began in the early 2000s. These bars offer a relaxed, bohemian vibe with quirky decor, serving as places for drinks, food, dancing, live music, and community events. Today, they’re a major draw for both locals and tourists. Hungary is famous for its wines produced at Balaton area and Eger. Among red wines the best are Kékfrankos, Egri Bikavér "Bulls Blood” and white wines the Szürkebarát and Chardonnay are popular. One of the most favorite is the Tokaji, a sweet white wine. You should try not to miss out on the Hungarian spirit, pálinka, made from fruits such as plum, apricot, cherry or Williams pears. Unique Hungarian soft drinks to try are Traubi Szoda (a white grape soda) and Márka (a sour cherry soda).

Sleep

Individual listings can be found in Budapest's district articles Budapest offers a wide range of accommodation in all price classes from the hostels which start at €7 per night, to small cheap pension, to the luxurious 5-star hotels, although the costs of staying here are notably higher than elsewhere in Hungary. Arriving trains are often met by touts offering free rides to hostels, as well as little old grannies offering their apartments for rent. Try to figure out exactly where you're going before you choose - or, better yet, visit a travel agency to browse options in a more comfortable environment. The most expensive are on or near Castle Hill, dozens of reliable backpacker hostels are mostly across the river in Pest. However, Buda has better air quality due to the closeness of the hills and the forests lying to the west from the city. Apartments may be a cheap alternative for those making extended stays.

Go next

Day tours 37 Apaj (50 km from Budapest). Take a tour in the Upper Kiskunság Plain which is part of the Kiskunság National Park, the closest Puszta. (updated Sep 2021)

38 Arboretum of Alcsút (Alcsúti Arborétum), Fejér County, Alcsútdoboz (West 40 km - take M1 highway turn south after Bicske or By bus line 1253 to Felcsút from Népliget bus station and walk ~2 km (daily 3-5 times)), ☏ +36 22 353219, [email protected]. W-Su 10:00-18:00. This Nature reserve is part of the Danube-Ipoly National Park. Sights: Habsburg castle remains, Castle Chapel, Palm House ruins, House of Research, Dollhouse, Bear's House, Gloriette, Grotta, The Lion Fountain, Crowned Bridge, giant plane tree, giant thuja. Ft700, guided tours 2-hr-long Ft7000 per group. Budakeszi (take city bus #22 from M2:Széll Kálmán square) Located in a green area. The north gate of the Hegyvidék is a good excursion place. There is a significant German minority with own church and museum. Also famous for the Wildlife Park. 39 Érd, Pest county (the first train stop from Budapest/South Buda). - a suburb of Budapest, the biggest village in all Europe 40 Esztergom (50 km north - intercity buses from M3 'Árpád híd'/'Újpest-Városkapu' or train from Nyugati Railway Station (1 hour, ~Ft1500)). Site of the biggest basilica (church) in Central Europe include the world's largest altarpiece which painted for a single canvas, the richest collection of Hungarian ecclesiastical treasures, the only Renaissance memory, of Hungary, the red marble Bakócz chapel. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. 41 Fót, Pest county (17 km north of the edge of Budapest). Visit the Reformed church, a beautiful example of the Hungarian Romantic architecture painted boarded ceilings, sculptures of its made Carrara 's marble. The other main sight is the Károlyi Palace (1850)

42 Gödöllő, Pest county (by MÁV suburban rail – Keleti pályaudvar or HÉV ("local/suburban trains" supported by BKV) from M2: 'Örs vezér tere' to Gödöllő (to Csömör is wrong direction, be aware of the splitting of HÉV lines H8 and H9).30 km east). A town full of parks, and home to Grassalkovich-kastély (Grassalkovich Palace), formerly a Royal Palace also here is an Arboretum. This palace was the occasional residence of Sisi, Habsburg Empress Elizabeth. Visit the European rarity, a working, 200-year-old Baroque Theatre in the Palace. The great royal park became special with its old trees which could see Sisi in the 19th century. Take a walk in the Gödöllő Landscape Protection Area with lot of historical and cultural memories such Sarmatian, Scyt