1-2 Day Budapest Itinerary

I could easily spend hours, days even, just admiring these structures. The gorgeously colored tiles on the roof of the Matthias Church are mesmerizing.

For just 5 USD for the two of us, we were able to go up on the Fisherman’s Bastion to get an even better view of this roof. We won’t usually pay for something like this, but for such a reasonable price it was totally worth it!

At least while we were there, the vast majority of people stayed on the ground level, where you can walk around for free. Getting onto the Bastion provided a fantastic view of the city with the added bonus of serenity. 

Buda Castle

The grounds of Buda Castle are normally open to the public to walk around and explore. A few examples of things to do here are visit the Széchényi National Library, the Hungarian National Gallery, and the Budapest History Museum.

During our visit, construction/renovation work closed off much of the castle, hindering us from fully appreciating everything it had to offer. Hopefully, you will have better luck here during your visit! If nothing else, the castle grounds are fun to walk around to admire the buildings and the views.

Gellért Hill

Gellért Hill holds so many opportunities for your itinerary.

Do you want a nice hike with the reward of remarkable views? Géllert Hill is your place.

Do you want to see a variety of fascinating sculptures and statues? You can find that here.

Do you want to visit one of Budapest’s famous bathhouses? This is where you can find the beautiful Géllert Thermal Bath.

If you wanted to, you could probably spend a whole day just exploring this area. And it definitely wouldn’t be the worst way to spend your time! Just don’t be like us. We walked to the St. Gerard Sagredo Statue and didn’t have a clue what the rest of this area offered!

If all you want to do is walk to that statue, there’s nothing wrong with that! But the saying “ignorance is bliss” feels very bittersweet here.

We were so happy with enjoying the view from this spot! From the top, you can overlook the Elisabeth Bridge, the Parliament building, and much of the city center. And on the bright side of missing out on some of the other activities offered on Gellért Hill, we were able to spend more of our packed day at some of the other stops mentioned in this article. But we probably would’ve spent a lot more time here had we known what else we could’ve seen. 

Rudas Baths

If you read our Southern Iceland itinerary, you know we’re suckers for a nice thermal bath… If you are too, Budapest will be heaven for you! There seem to be endless baths for you to choose from in Budapest (and they cost a fraction of those mentioned in the Iceland article!).

We decided to add Rudas here because it was our favorite of the three we visited. It also just fits well into this route 🙂

There is so much variety in the bath options at Rudas.

On one side of the building, there are three sections. One room is a lap pool. The next room has a handful of baths with varied temperatures. Lastly, you can head upstairs to find a restaurant, bar, and outdoor panoramic bath that overlooks the city.

The other side of the building was our favorite. It is a dark, indoor section that features several different baths, multiple saunas to get nice and toasty, and ice buckets to cool you back down. The ice buckets are definitely needed if you venture into the deepest sauna as it was too hot for us to even sit down on the wood.

This section was our favorite because of the atmosphere that made you feel like you were experiencing this place how it might’ve been a hundred years ago. The dark design of this room truly transports you to the past. 

If you plan to visit any baths on your trip, make sure to check their schedules. Many of them specify which days of the week are men-only, women-only, or co-ed. 

Pest Side

Central Market Hall

Once you’re ready for some food, the Central Market Hall has enough options to make just about anyone happy.

When you first enter the hall, you will be greeted with a farmers market. Be prepared for your senses to get bombarded with all of the different sounds and smells that rush at you once you get inside. If you are looking to do some cooking of your own, this is a great spot to gather up some meat, fruits, spices, and so much more.

If cooking on vacation isn’t your thing, head on up to the second floor. Here, you can take your pick between several restaurants to grab some delicious Hungarian food.

We decided to go with a mixture of meatballs, dumplings, Hungarian ratatouille, and beef stew – a little bit of a heavy meal for the hot day! We did not regret it, though. This remains one of our favorite food stops of the entire trip because we’re both suckers for comfort food. 

St. Stephen’s Basilica

I won’t say too much on this since we didn’t actually visit the basilica during our trip (purely because we ran out of energy by that point in our day). I still wanted to mention it though because it is a very popular point in almost every Budapest itinerary.

Every single picture I have seen of St. Stephen’s Basilica looks unbelievably beautiful, so we will have to get back to mark this off of our list! And after doing some more research on it for this article, I’m really disappointed we weren’t able to fit this into our schedule!

I mean how could we have missed the largest church AND largest bell in all of Hungary?! Also, one of our bucket list items is to visit the Christmas markets in Europe and apparently, this is home to an amazing one!

I guess this is one of the fortunate (or unfortunate depending on how you think about it) truths about traveling: there’s never enough time to fully appreciate a location no matter how big or small. And Budapest is a pretty big stop! This means there will always be a reason to return.

Shoes on the Danube Bank

Here you have the opportunity to learn about a part of the city’s tragic history that occurred during World War II.

On the river bank lay shoe statues that represent people who were executed into the river after being forced to leave their belongings on the bank. It is heartbreaking to stand in this space and think about the horrible events that occurred right there, and it helps you understand some of the pain the people of this country have gone through.

Hungarian Parliament Building

Here we have yet another architectural marvel in the city. Along with holding great amounts of history, the Parliament building is an absolute jaw-dropper.

While circling the building, notice the immense amount of detail that goes into every inch of the structure, from each turret to the unique expressions on each stone guard’s face.

We got to this stop early in the morning (~6 AM) and it was amazing. There were no crowds or construction noises, just us and the guards! The serenity of the surrounding garden and incredible architecture were the perfect start to the day.

We were there too early to go inside, but if you get the chance, I would highly recommend doing it as the inside seems like it looks just as incredible as the outside (based on pictures I’ve seen).

Heroes’ Square

You can find this popular square right on the edge of Budapest City Park.

The most significant focal point of the square is the towering Millenium Monument which stands in the middle of the square. This is easily one of the most interesting sites in Budapest. It has witnessed numerous events and undergone remarkable transformations throughout the years.

Situated at the end of Andrássy Avenue, Heroes’ Square contains an arc of statues and commemorative plaques and the Archangel Gabriel who stands in the center of it all.

The current iteration was erected in the late 1800s as a monument to the 1,000th anniversary of the Hungarian Conquest of 896. Previously, the square housed another sculpture now relocated to Széchenyi Hill. It’s always crazy coming from the US and knowing the history in Europe goes back so far!

More recently, nearing the collapse of the Soviet Union, many citizens gathered to commemorate the failed revolution of 1956 which led to the deaths of many including some important political figures. Some of these martyrs were reburied during this gathering and it remains a central moment in the fall of the Soviet regime.

Standing in the same place as those brave people is a surreal experience, especially considering how recent it was. This is a common theme when traveling throughout central and eastern Europe. It’s so incredible to be able to experience these sites that were so recently inaccessible to the outside world. 

Széchenyi Thermal Baths

If you are up for another bath or just don’t want to go to the one mentioned above, Széchenyi is another great option. It also may be the most popular bathhouse in Budapest.

Unlike Rudas, Széchenyi has a ton of outdoor space. There is a warm pool on one side of the courtyard, a lap pool in the middle, and a cold pool on the other side. 

No matter which pool you choose to relax in, you will be surrounded by stunning yellow walls and intricate statues that will make you feel like you are living in luxury.

Ruin bar

When in Budapest, ruin bars are a must!

This is a great way to experience nightlife in Budapest since they are unique to this city. Ruin bars are built in abandoned buildings and can often look very unassuming from the outside.

With countless options, you’ll likely find a style that suits you best. Whether you are looking for a high-energy spot with DJs or a more relaxed environment, there is an option for you.

Szimpla Kert is the classic bar to visit. It is the original ruin bar that started this trend. Instant-Fogas is excellent if you are looking for a place with a ton of energy. But, Csendes may be more your speed if you are looking for a calmer atmosphere.

Conclusion

Budapest is one of those cities where we left feeling like we had barely scratched the surface.

I mean we didn’t even make it to all the main tourist spots, let alone any lesser-known gems! Given this, I can’t recommend enough coming to Budapest.

Stay longer to experience beyond the 2-day itinerary and make the most of your time.

When traveling, we tend to venture towards activities like visiting thermal baths or going on hikes. Is this your style as well? Or would you rather prioritize other things like museums or famous food spots? Let us know in the comments!