29 Must-See Attractions in Budapest for an Unforgettable Trip

Budapest is nicknamed the “City of Spas” for good reason. More than 118 natural thermal springs deliver 70 million litres (15.3 million gallons) of therapeutic waters to the city each day. Housed within the world-famous Gellért Hotel, the Gellért Baths is just one of a dozen spas where you can take advantage of spa water’s healing qualities. The sumptuous spa offers a steam room, sauna, sun terrace, thermal baths and massage rooms, all housed in a spectacular Art Nouveau-style building. Head there early in the morning to avoid the crowds, or book a guided tour to skip the queues.

For a fresh perspective on the Hungarian capital, see it from the waters of the River Danube. Upon its banks, the Neo-Gothic Hungarian parliament building stands opposite the ornate Buda Castle and Fisherman’s Bastion, while river cruises also provide views of the Liberty Statue, Chain Bridge and Margaret Island. To avoid the hassle of looking for the best river cruise during precious holiday time, guided tours can be booked online in advance.

The Budapest Pinball Museum might sound like an attraction that caters only to die-hard gamers, but this quirky museum offers a fascinating journey back in time with its collection of over 130 pinball machines. Positioned close to Margaret Island in the heart of the city, the Flippermúzeum houses Europe’s largest ongoing interactive pinball exhibition and includes the Mesovonat – the only Hungarian-made pinball machine. Book tickets online to ensure a stress-free experience.

Hungary has a rich tradition of folk dancing – Budapest even has its own college dedicated to the study of these historical dances. The art of Hungarian folk dance offers a fascinating insight into the music, costumes and dance heritage of Hungary through the years. To experience a real-life Hungarian folk show first-hand, grab tickets for a 1.5 hour performance at the Danube Palace (Duna Palota) theatre by one of Hungary’s foremost folk ensembles – either the Danube Folk Ensemble, Hungarian State Folk Ensemble or Rajkó Folk Ensemble.

To satisfy those with a sweet tooth, the Chocolate Museum on the outskirts of Budapest provides guests with a rich history of Hungarian chocolate. Taking a leaf out of Willy Wonka’s book, the museum is a unique place where visitors are taken on a culinary journey through the history of chocolate, complete with tasting sessions. Guests can dip marzipan balls into a chocolate fountain, make their own handmade chocolates, and explore the museum’s collection of historic Hungarian paintings. Visitors are advised to book tickets in advance to secure a slot.

Many class St Stephen’s Basilica as the jewel in Budapest’s crown. Taking pride of place in the centre of the city, the world-famous Roman Catholic Basilica is named after Stephen, the first King of Hungary who ruled between 975 and 1038CE. Completed in 1905 after 54 years of construction, the Neo-Classical building remains to this day the most important church in the country. Housing a stunning interior with intricate paintings adorning the walls and ceiling, this architectural masterpiece is best appreciated while enjoying an enchanting organ recital within its walls.

The Dohány Street Synagogue is undoubtedly a key highlight of the up-and-coming seventh district. Built between 1854 and 1859 in the Moorish Revival architectural style and with a capacity of over 3,000 people, it is the largest synagogue in Europe. The synagogue complex houses the Great Synagogue, the Heroes’ Temple, the graveyard, the Memorial and the Jewish Museum. To learn more about the rich history of the synagogue complex and its relationship to the Holocaust, guided tours can be booked in advance.

Situated in the heart of Budapest City Park, the Széchenyi Baths is one of Europe’s largest thermal bath complexes. Built in 1913, the spa houses three large outdoor pools, 10 inside plunge pools, massage rooms, saunas, steam rooms and even a beer bath. Open all year round and popular not least due to its opulent Neo-Baroque style, Széchenyi is best experienced with a full-day skip-the-line ticket, which can be booked in advance.

The Hungarian Parliament Building is among Budapest’s leading attractions, drawing nearly 700,000 visitors each year. Situated on the UNESCO-listed banks of the River Danube, the building is one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival and Renaissance Revival architecture in the world. The House of Parliament is still very much a functioning law-making body today, but it is open to the public at certain designated times. Long queues often form outside, so book online to avoid the crowds.

The iconic Buda Castle District houses the historical castle and palace complex. The awe-inspiring Baroque-style palace was completed in 1769, but the complex was first constructed as far back as 1265. Part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the former Royal Palace is now home to the Budapest History Museum and the Hungarian National Gallery. Castle Hill, which comprises the entire upper quadrant of the Várnegyed (Castle Quarter), houses an array of museums, shops, restaurants, cafes and hotels. Although visiting the site does not require advanced booking, it’s strongly advised that you sign up for a guided tour to learn more about the history of the castle and the palace complex.

Budapest’s ruin bars – unconventional hangout spots and nightclubs set up in abandoned buildings – have become the highlights of Budapest nightlife. As the first ruin bar established in Budapest, Szimpla Kert should be a first port of call when exploring ruin bar culture. Moving around a few times before settling into its current home in the Jewish Quarter in 2004, Szimpla Kert now hosts a farmers’ market and flea market during the day and live music and film screenings at night. Here, you can expect eclectic music and unique furniture, including an old Trabant car that has been repurposed as a quirky centrepiece in the outside courtyard. One of the most popular ruin bars in Budapest, Szimpla Kert can be explored as part of a wider ruin bar tour.

The Hungarian State Opera House is renowned as one of the finest examples of Neo-Renaissance architecture in existence today. Completed in 1884, it boasts a grand chandelier that weighs a whopping three tonnes (3.3 tons), and almost three kilogrammes (6.6 pounds) of gold were used to gild the cherubs and nymphs of its lavishly ornate interior.

The Neo-Romanesque lookout towers housed within the Fisherman’s Bastion provide some of the best views across Budapest. Built between 1895 and 1902, its seven towers symbolise the Seven Chieftains of the Magyars who founded the Hungarian nation in 895CE. Today’s structure stands where thick walls once protected Buda Castle from enemy attack – legend has it that the building was protected by the guild of fishermen, giving the Bastion its name. To appreciate the beauty and history of Fisherman’s Bastion, consider booking a tour online.

Built in 1896 as part of the Millennium Exhibition to commemorate 1,000 years since the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin, Vajdahunyad Castle sits majestically within Budapest City Park. First built out of wood and cardboard, the site became so popular that it was rebuilt from stone and brick in 1908. Surrounded by a boating lake in the summer that turns into an ice rink in winter, the castle houses the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture, the largest agricultural museum in Europe.

The Széchenyi Chain Bridge is an impressive example of 19th-century engineering spanning the River Danube, linking Buda to Pest. Designed by English engineer William Tierney Clark and built by (unrelated) Scottish engineer Adam Clark, the cast-iron structure opened in 1849 and was the first permanent bridge constructed across the river. Connecting Széchenyi Square in front of Gresham Palace to Adam Clark Square below the Castle Hill Funicular, the Széchenyi Chain Bridge is a symbol of bringing people together: from all walks of life, from the east and west of the city. Walking tours afford an ideal opportunity to learn more about the Széchenyi Chain Bridge.

Sitting between the Margaret and Árpád Bridges on the River Danube, the leafy 2.5-kilometre-long (1.55-mile-long) Margaret Island (Margitsziget) hosts open-air swimming pools, running trails, bars, luxury hotels, a wildlife park and even the ruins of a 13th-century Dominican convent. The pièce de résistance, however, is the dancing musical fountain – one of the largest and most dramatic in Europe – which pairs dancing water jets with a diverse playlist of music.

Built in 1896, Heroes’ Square takes pride of place at the tip of Andrássy Avenue, Budapest’s Champs-Élysées-esque boulevard replete with upmarket stores, cafes and restaurants. Heroes’ Square features the colossal Seven Chieftains of the Magyars statue complex and the Memorial Stone of Heroes, which stands in tribute to those who have died defending Hungary. The Museum of Fine Arts and the Palace of Arts are also positioned around the outside edges of the square, which make an informative cultural addition to any guided tour of the area.

The Hospital in the Rock was built into a 10km-long (6mi-long) underground cave system situated directly beneath the Buda Castle District. Built as a secret military and hospital bunker during the 1930s in preparation for World War II, the hospital was used to full capacity during the siege of Budapest in 1944-45, with both civilians and soldiers treated there. Although the hospital was closed in July 1945, it was still used by the Vaccine-Producing Institute to develop medicines to tackle typhus for many years afterwards. English guided tours depart every hour on the hour from 10am to 7pm, with tickets available to purchase on-site or online in advance.

Ever abuzz with activity, Budapest’s Central Market Hall (also known as the Great Market Hall) promises an adventure in culture and retail therapy, offering up traditional Hungarian clothing and local delicacies such as beech wood-smoked gyulai kolbasz sausage. Built in 1897, this magnificent venue holds more than 100 stalls over three floors, housed in a Neo-Gothic-style listed building. Taking advantage of a guided tour will not only give you an in-depth history of the building, but will also give you the opportunity to try authentic Hungarian food and enjoy wine tasting en route.

The Kőbánya cellar system is a vast network of subterranean tunnels underneath Budapest’s tenth district. During World War II, the tunnels were used to assemble aircraft engines and as a bomb shelter for civilians. Also referred to as the “Dreher Cellars” by virtue of the Dreher Breweries that once resided there, the former quarry is now extremely popular with cave divers and beer enthusiasts.

Officially named the Church of the Assumption of the Buda Castle, Matthias Church sits in front of the Fisherman’s Bastion in the centre of Buda’s Castle District. The church’s first iteration (then dedicated to Mary) was built in 1015 under the first king of Hungary, Saint Stephen. The current building is remarkable for its late Gothic style, first constructed in the second half of the 14th century, and restored in the late 19th century. The name of the contemporary church refers not to Saint Matthias but to King Matthias Corvinus the Fair, who remodelled the building in the 15th century with the addition of the church’s southern tower, the appropriately named Matthias bell tower.

Looking for the best panoramic views of Budapest? Look no further than Gellért Hill. This 235m-high (443ft-high) hill, made up of dolomite rock, stands majestic on the Buda side of the Danube river and is named after Saint Gellért, Hungary’s first missionary, who was thrown to his death from there by pagans. Atop the hill you will find the Citadella, a fortress built in 1851 by Julius Jacob von Haynau, a commander of the Austrian Empire. In addition to the fortress itself and the unparalleled views of the Hungarian capital, visitors can also marvel at an open-air display of Red Army weaponry, most of them from World War II.

Since opening in 2002, Budapest’s House of Terror Museum has become one of the Hungarian capital’s most popular attractions. The museum, dedicated to exploring the Fascist and Communist regimes of 20th-century Hungary and commemorating the victims of these regimes, is set within the former headquarters of the Hungarian Nazi Party.

Located about a 30-minute drive from the centre of Budapest in one the city’s southern suburbs, Memento Park is home to 42 Communist-era monuments that were pulled down after the fall of the Communist regime in Hungary in 1989. The monuments date from between 1945 and 1989, with the park particularly dominated by huge statues of Lenin, Marx and Engels.

Budapest’s most famous street, Andrássy Avenue is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lined with Neo-Renaissance mansions, Andrássy Avenue is heaven for shopaholics, thanks to the plethora of high-end fashion brands that find their home there. Those more interested in arts and culture will be fascinated by the elegant Hungarian State Opera House and the stretch nicknamed the “Broadway of Budapest” (at the intersection of Nagymező Street).

The principal repository of Budapest’s public library system, the Ervin Szabó Library is located in the converted palatial mansion of a 19th-century Hungarian aristocrat (Count Frigyes Wenckheim). The property was purchased by the City Council in 1931, and is now open to the public – visitors can either visit the ground-floor café or register at reception (don’t forget your photo ID) to gain access to more of the building. The mansion’s Dining Room has been converted to a beautiful reading room, and the Smoking Room, with a sweeping spiral staircase, features dark mahogany bookshelves and a hanging chandelier. Recommended by Gretchen Kessler.

Budapest’s Line 2 tram route is picturesque, even by Budapest standards – it’s frequently called the most scenic tram journey in the world. Some sights along the way include the Palace of Arts, Buda Castle, the Chain Bridge, the Margit Bridge and the stunning Neo-Gothic Parliament Building. The tram itself is a piece of Budapest history, a retro yellow vehicle dating back to Hungary’s Communist era. Recommended by Gretchen Kessler.

Hungary has a wine-making history dating back to Roman times, if not even earlier. Today, wine regions are strictly regulated by the government, with the most famous and prestigious one is Tokaj, notable for dessert wines known as Aszú. Very little wine is produced in Budapest but it’s an ideal starting point in discovering the country’s viticulture. There are wine bars offering large selections of local wines, like Faust Wine Cellar, and wine-tasting tours like the 3.5-hour-long Budapest Wine Tasting Tourin the labyrinthine wine cellar underneath Buda. Recommended by Valentine Baldassari.

Even though most of the trendy ruin bars are in the seventh district, the eighth, also known as Józsefváros, is quickly becoming one of the most exciting areas in Budapest. Once a neighborhood locals and tourists knew to avoid, it has changed reputation little by little, with hip cafés and creative spaces testifying to the birth of a bohemian scene. This is particularly true along Krúdy Gyula street and Mikszáth Kálmán square. Recommended by Valentine Baldassari.