Budapest in 3 Days: tips, what to see, and much more
If you have three full days to enjoy Budapest, congratulations! That's enough time to see the highlights of the city, and here's how to do it.
Lukács Spa | ©Victor Malyushev
Considered in the top 10 of the most beautiful cities to visit in Europe, Budapest is a destination that will leave you in awe. But surely your first question is what to see and do in Budapest during your three-day trip. Here I'll tell you how to organise your travel itinerary to make the most of every second and fully enjoy everything this beautiful enclave has to offer. Let's get started!
Please note that the itinerary below is for three full days starting the morning after your arrival.
Day 1: Explore the BUDA side of Budapest
The first day will be dedicated to getting to know the oldest and most historic part of the city: Buda. If you are really interested in its history and curiosities, I recommend you to take a guided tour of Budapest with a tour guide.
Also, on this first day I recommend you to get the Budapest Card, which you can use throughout your stay in the city and which includes discounts of up to 50% in tourist attractions, free entrance to the Lukács Spa and unlimited public transport.
Explore Buda Castle
One of the quintessential symbols of the city is theRoyal Palaceor Buda Castle. It was for centuries the official residence of the royal family in Hungary and today is a majestic complex used to house the History Museum, the Hungarian National Gallery and the National Library. You can spend the morning walking around, and if you like art, take a tour of at least one of the museums.
The castle is located on what is known as Castle Hill, a limestone plateau that rises some 2.3 kilometres above the city.
The hike up to the castle will take about 30 minutes on foot, but you also have the option of the Buda Castle funicular. This wonderful means of transport travels 95 metres up in a few minutes in a vehicle that offers a panoramic view of the city. The stop is located right next to the Chain Bridge.
- Opening hours: The interior of the Castle is open to the public from 10am to 6pm.
- Admission fee: exploring the gardens and areas around the Budapest Castle complex is free of charge, if you want to see any of the interiors the price to pay is approximately €9 per person per stay.
- Duration of visit: If you are touring the museum, gallery and library, set aside at least 1 hour to see the highlights of each.
Take a lunch break
Leaving the Buda Castle complex behind you, don't take the Funicular back, but spend the rest of the day exploring Budapest' s historic Castle Quarter and finding a good place for lunch. In this area you will find many alternatives, here are some recommendations right near the Castle:
Get to know the labyrinth of Budapest Castle
Around the Buda Castle you will find several areas of historical interest; spend the afternoon exploring them to get the best of Budapest's Castle Quarter.
A small attraction located below the Castle Hill and made a tourist attraction by the locals is the labyrinth. The passages were once used for various purposes, but today it is an intriguing and terrifying tour.
- Opening hours: from 10 am to 7 pm. The last tour at 6.30pm is done with gas lamp in hand.
- Entrance fee: approximately 3€.
- Duration of the visit: 30 minutes is enough.
Visit the Matthias Church of Our Lady
In the Castle District is the most famous and one of the most beautiful Catholic churches in Budapest; its beautifully ornamented Gothic façade adorned with colourful ceilings is only a reflection of what you can find inside. This temple was for centuries the seat of royal coronations in Budapest.
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm; Saturday mornings only and Sunday evenings only.
- Admission fee: approximately €3.5 per adult ticket.
- Duration of the visit: 30-40 minutes is enough.
Go up to Fisherman's Bastion to watch the sunset
Next to St. Matthias Church is the most important viewpoint in the city: the Fisherman 's Bastion. It is the best place to get a full panoramicview of Budapest. Be sure to go up before sunset and be prepared to take beautiful pictures of the city.
- Opening hours: Open all day and all hours, even on public holidays.
- Admission fee: Access to the observation deck is free, you will have to pay if you want to access the towers.
Take an evening cruise on the Danube.
This is one of the best things to do during your stay in the city as it allows you to see the beautiful monuments from a different perspective, even illuminated if you opt for the night tour. During the relaxing walk you can rest and recharge your batteries for the next day.
Here is a list of all the different cruises you can find in the city:
- Simple Danube Cruise: this is the most basic option and includes a 70-minute cruise on the Danube with audio guide and drinks.
- Night cruise on the Danube: in this case it is the same experience as the previous one, but by moonlight, which as we have already said has the special touch that you can see the monuments of Budapest illuminated.
- Cruise with dinner and live music: if, in addition to enjoying Budapest at night and its illuminated monuments, you want to enjoy a dinner and a musical atmosphere, this is your best option, a little more special than the previous ones.
- Cruise with pizza and open bar: if the previous one was a great option to enjoy as a couple, this can be the ideal one to do with friends. You can choose whether you prefer to start at 16:00, 18:00 or 20:00, you decide.
Day 2: Explore the PEST area of Budapest
On the second day you will get to know the area known as Pest, located on the west bank of the Danube. Compared to the east bank, whose ancient buildings date back to the Middle Ages, Pest is more modern and at the same time full of fabulous architecture, historical monuments and heritage treasures.
Visit Margaret Island
In the middle of the Danube in Budapest lies a beautiful island used as a park and is one of the most beautiful green areas to visit in the city. On the morning of your second day, try to wake up early and get ready to explore Margaret Island.
There are several options: you can explore it on foot, on the tourist train which costs about €2, in an electric car for about €13 per hour or by bicycle which costs €3 for 2 hours.
Take a tour of the Parliament building
Leave Margaret Island behind and head to one of the most beautiful buildings in the Hungarian capital. The majestic Parliament building, located about 12 minutes' walk from the Margaret Island Bridge, and its impressive exterior façade is a masterpiece of neo-Gothic architecture. The best way to get to know the building is definitely through a guided tour of the Budapest Parliament.
- Opening hours: from 10 am to 4 pm.
- Price of the visit: from 52€.
- Duration of the visit: approximately 4 hours.
Budapest's Shoe Monument
A few minutes away from the Parliament building and on the banks of the Danube you will find a small historical monument known as the Shoe Monument, which honours the Jewish victims who between 1944 and 1945 were murdered by the Nazis on the banks of the Danube and their bodies thrown into the water.
Take a lunch break
In the area around the Parliament you will find the most varied gastronomic offer in Budapest. Here is a selection of a few places of interest:
- Salaam Bombay: Indian restaurant with beautiful wooden tables and dim lighting.
- Élelem Étterem: international and very healthy food with gluten-free options on the menu.
- Budapest Bistro: rated as one of the best Hungarian restaurants in the area. Its garden and terrace are really beautiful.
- Szamos Café: offers the most fabulous views of the Parliament you could hope for.
Admire St. Stephen's Basilica
Continue your exploration of Pest by heading a little further away from the banks of the Danube to see the best of the Jewish Quarter and a little more of the south of the city.
The largest religious building in the city and the country is a 10-minute walk from the Shoe Monument on the banks of the Danube. You can get up close and look at the splendid neoclassical façade or marvel at the 96-metre-high interior dome. St. Stephen's, together with the Parliament, are the largest buildings in the centre of Budapest.
Admission is free although donations can be made, but access to the tower costs approximately €1.5. And if you want to enjoy the Basilica in all its splendour, I recommend attending an organ concert, a unique experience especially if you like classical music.
Walk along Vaci Utca
From the St. Stephen's exit, a walking tour of less than 10 minutes will take you to Vaci Utca, the most important shopping street in the whole city. It's time to stroll along the street, admire the beautiful architecture of the centre and the luxurious shops in the area.
Visit the Budapest Jewish Synagogue
The second largest synagogue in the world can be found in Budapest's Jewish Quarter. From Vaci Utca, another 10 minutes' walk takes you right to the entrance of the temple and right into the Jewish quarter. It is a Moorish-style architectural building with Gothic influences.
To get to know all its history and curiosities, I really enjoyed taking a guided tour of the Jewish Synagogue of Budapest, I was able to enjoy the tour much more and I learned a lot. It is really worth it.
- Synagogue opening hours: from 10 am to 7.30 pm; closed on Saturdays.
- Entrance fee: approximately €8.5 (included in the guided tour).
- Duration of the guided tour: 2 hours and 20 minutes.
In the evening, get to know the best Ruin Bars in Budapest.
The best way to end your second day of exploring Budapest is, without a doubt, to visit its famous Ruin Bars.
Almost two decades ago, merchants and visionaries set about the task of rescuing old buildings or abandoned factories in the centre. Over the years they have reinvented themselves with a fresh and fun nightlife concept. A guided tour will take you through Budapest's best.
Day 3: Explore Andrássy and enjoy the Spas
Continue your exciting tour of Budapest by exploring the rest of the western part of the Danube. This is the day to visit the spas and the locals' favourite markets.
Head to the Central Market at dawn
On the morning of your last day in Budapest, get up bright and early to explore the city's Central Market, which opens daily at 6 a.m. Famous as one of the locals' favourite entertainment areas, the market's busiest day is Saturday, when many people head out to do their important shopping.
During your visit you can buy your travel souvenirs and, if you didn't have time for breakfast, there is a food court on the first floor.
- Opening hours: from 6am to 6pm, except Mondays when they close at 5pm and Saturdays at 3pm.
- Admission fee: free.
- Duration of visit: as long as you wish.
Walk along Andrássy Avenue
Andrássy Avenue is considered the most beautiful street in Budapest and the most historically charged. A stroll through the shop windows at Christmas time in Budapest is a tourist attraction in itself.
To get there from Budapest Market Hall, take Tram 49 from Central Market Hall station. Get off at Deák Ferenc tér M and you are only a 3-minute walk from the Andrássy- Bajcsy-Zsilinszky intersection. Follow the course of the avenue in a north-westerly direction to find one of the most beautiful spots in the city.
Walk to Heroes' Square
Walking along the avenue from the vicinity of St. Stephen's Basilica to Heroes' Square will take you about 30 minutes on foot. It is one of the most important historical points and the most emblematic square in the city.
In the square you will find one of the *best museums in the city: the Museum of Fine Arts. Its neoclassical façade complements the Plaza magnificently and the night-time views of the entire complex illuminated at night are not to be missed.
Take a lunch break
in the vicinity of the Plaza
Before continuing your adventure, take a lunch break at one of the many eateries around the Plaza. Below is a list of some of the most interesting ones, but feel free to explore the area and decide for yourself.
- Paprika Vendéglő: among the best Hungarian food restaurants you can try in this area of the city.
- Városliget Café: specialists in local food, the restaurant is located inside the Városliget park with wonderful views of the Castles and the lake.
- Robinson Étterem: located inside the park with beautiful views of the lake, it is a Mediterranean restaurant.
- Café Kara: if you feel like having something else to drink, Café Kara is the option for you. It is located on Andrássy Avenue with wonderful views of Heroes' Square.
After lunch, visit the Széchenyi Spa
No matter what time of year you visit the capital, a visit to the Széchenyi Spa is a unique tourist attraction that should not be missed under any circumstances. Spend the afternoon of your last day in the city relaxing in the waters as a way to experience one of the most wonderful parts of Budapest has to offer.
The enclave is located just off Heroes' Square in Városliget Park. Inside you will find 15 pools: 3 of them are large open-air pools ideal for enjoying a summer in Budapest and the rest are smaller pools that during the winter are transformed into heated pools. The experience is complemented by sauna rooms and massage areas.
- Opening hours: from 06:00 am to 10:00 pm.
- Entrance fee: from 37€ per person.
- Duration of the visit: as long as you wish.
Tour Városliget at sunset
On your way out of the Spa take a moment to wander through Városliget, Budapest's city park. Wander along its paths to find other landmarks of the area such as the local zoo and the beautiful Vajdahunyad Castle. Leaving the park at dusk, don't forget to take beautiful pictures of Heroes' Square illuminated by artificial light.