Attractions of Budapest: what to see in 3 days?

What is the capital of Hungary so famous for, and will 3 days be enough to visit the main attractions in Budapest?

Now there will be a text from a person - me - who really liked Budapest!

I liked it for its architecture with a motley patina, courtyards, wells, the noise of the big city and coffee culture. Yes, and I liked the low prices, what can we say without saying 🙂
I will tell you what to see in Budapest in 3 days - the standard term of a tourist, and we spent just that many days.

For "seed" I will hint at the upcoming discoveries: the address of Dracula's castle; where in the vicinity of Budapest to find lavender fields, as in Provence; Where to go for specialty coffees and Hungarian goulash?

How we went to Budapest

Our trip to Budapest happened in late autumn, last November. The glorious low-cost airline Wizz Air launched a direct route from Kazan, and the very first round-trip flight cost us only 8,000 rubles per person.
And as much as we were impressed by the price of the tickets, the city itself pleased us as much, it is wonderful!

We flew to Budapest with WizzAir from Kazan / And we took a little Hungarian forints right at the airport

It's not so difficult to explore Budapest on your own, but if a tourist wants to be told and shown everything, then here's where to book excursions in Russian:

• Tripster
• Sputnik8

You can take both the usual group on the bus, and individual - so that only for you and your family / company. Read the reviews, choose the best one for your goals and expectations!

A short introductory course.
The Hungarian capital is divided by the Danube River, two banks have their own names Buda and Pest. In the Middle Ages, these were two separate settlements that have become the current city.

Basilica of St. Stephen

Basilica of St. Stephen / Now we go up there

What it is?
The Basilica of St. Stephen (or St. Stephen) is the main metropolitan church, the second tallest historical building in Budapest after the Parliament.

That's how indifferent I am to religious buildings, but this basilica bewitched! It is very beautiful on the outside (Google suggests that the style is neoclassical), and it also allows you to walk along the observation deck around its dome. Above, you can see most of the city - its buildings, courtyards, wells, famous buildings.
As for me, the best places in Budapest begin with the basilica.

One of the most beautiful views in Budapest, spent 30 minutes here 🙂

How much is?
Entrance inside with donations. A ticket to the observation deck is 1000 forints (230 rubles), you can take an elevator or walk up a spiral staircase, which is not very difficult.

Parliament of Budapest

Parliament is difficult to photograph in full, so catch 2 photos

What it is?
The Hungarian Parliament Building is probably the most impressive government office in the world. I am convinced that the title “Royal Palace” is much more suitable for him than the residence of kings 🙂 The building is so self-sufficient that it is included in the UNESCO list.

Walking to the parliament and looking closely at all its neo-Gothic elements - oh-by-by-tel-but. Otherwise, you have not been to Budapest!
By the way, the buildings opposite the parliament are also worthy of attention and photos - for example, the Ethnographic Museum.

How much is?
External inspection of the complex is, of course, free. And to get inside, you need to take an escorted group tour - you can book on the spot (if there are "windows" left) or on the parlament.hu website.

• An excursion to the Parliament of Budapest with a Russian guide is held daily at 12:30 and 15:30.
• It costs 6,700 forints (1,525 rubles) for an adult and 3,500 forints (800 rubles) for children and students under 24 years old.

Danube embankment shoes

What it is?
Memorial in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. The story goes: during the war, mass executions of Jews took place on the Danube embankment. People were tied with a chain and put in a line, after taking off their shoes. Bodies fell into the river, and the shoes were later sold on the black market.

Szechenyi chain bridge

We walked along a chain bridge towards the Castle Hill

What it is?
One of the eight (!) Bridges in Budapest, connecting Buda and Pest - and the most luxurious. More beautiful than Szechenyi during the day can only be the view of it at night. Walk along it as you explore the two banks of the Danube. Don't forget to check if lions have languages

In general, local bridges are a separate list of what to see in Budapest. All eight will take a lot of time, and therefore the legs of most tourists pass through Szechenyi and neighboring Gellert and Erzhebet - as along the most central ones.

Interesting note: on the side of Buda, after the end of the Chain Bridge, there is a sculpture in the form of a large number zero. This is the zero kilometer - from this (and to this) point are the distances between Budapest and other cities in Hungary.

Castle hill

View from the observation deck on the mountain

What it is? (on Googlemaps it is designated as Castle Hill or Castle District)
This is an area on a hill on the side of Buda with castles, towers, bastions - all the rulers of Hungary from the 13th century until the end of World War II were crowned and sat here. Well, since there are no kings in today's Hungary, museums are now “registered” in historical buildings on Castle Hill.

The Castle Hill is conditionally divided into 2 parts:

- The Buda Fortress, which includes the Royal Palace with the National Gallery and the Historical Museum inside - this part seemed boring to me ... Besides, the palace is relatively "new building", it is only 108 years old.

- Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion. The church is not inferior in beauty to the basilica, but it is clearly superior in age - it has been standing since the 13th century (of course, it was not done without reconstruction). And the bastion is simply an architectural solution that complements the church, completed a little over a hundred years ago; there were no significant battles and defenses under him.

Royal Palace and Matthias Church / Fisherman's Bastion - we visited all these attractions at the same time

How to get there?

• The most tourist way to climb the Castle Hill is by funicular. If you are not sorry for 2,000 forints (460 rubles) per adult for a round trip (we felt sorry), and for children - 1100 forints (250 rubles), then the world's oldest funicular is at your service.
• If you are a budget traveler, you can watch the funicular for free and climb the stairs 🙂
• The Budapest Castle Bus golf cards also work (tickets are sold near the lower cable car station), although the reviews about them are bad. For 2,400 forints (550 rubles) or 1,200 forints (275 rubles), an adult and a child will be transported all over the Castle Hill - you can get off and climb at 4 stops. They always walk full, and like this it is impossible to jump somewhere between, you have to walk on foot.

House of Terror and Andrássy Avenue

Along Andrassy Avenue in the morning we walked through the House of Terror, drank delicious coffee and got to Heroes' Square

What it is?
Andrassy Avenue (accent on the first letter) - it is like the Champs Elysees of Budapest. With luxury shops, wide and main. Like many things in the city, it also belongs to the World Heritage List.

In addition to boutiques, this street offers cultural entertainment for the evening. You can choose from: Franz Liszt Museum, Budapest Puppet Theater, Hungarian State Opera House, Budapest Operetta Theater, House of Terror.

This is what the House of Terror looks like from the outside.

What it is?
The House of Terror is a museum dedicated to two periods in the history of Hungary - German and further Soviet occupation. Particularly patriotic tourists leave an angry review, because, in fact, both periods are equally attributed here to the darkest times in the country.
We limited ourselves to viewing from the side, the building itself also inspires a certain amount of "terror".

How much is?
Ticket - 3000 forints (685 rubles).

Mode of operation.
Tuesday-Sunday - from 10:00 to 18:00; Monday is a day off.

The non-trivial way to get around Budapest is the electric scooter! Download the Lime app, register, take the nearest scooter and ... roll where you need to :) On average, a trip of 3 kilometers costs ≈ 950-1000 forints (215-230 rubles).

Heroes Square and Varoshliget Park

The heroes' area is quite large, it is also difficult to place it in one frame.

What it is?
Andrássy Avenue goes straight to Heroes Square. It looks like Victory Park in any Russian city. A lot of space and a tall monument, only in Budapest on Heroes' Square is a monument to the Millennium of Hungary.

The square itself is part of the huge Varoshliget park, which accounts for as many as 5 attractions:

During our visit to the skating rink and the lake, we did not see, as apparently the day before the lake was drained, preparing the place for the skating rink

• Lakewhere boat rental works in summer, and in winter - a skating rink, which is already 150 years old.
  The cost of admission to the skating rink: from Monday to Friday noon - 1,500 forints (345 rubles), from Friday to Sunday lunch - 2,000 forints (455 rubles). Skate rental - 2500 forints (570 rubles) + 2000 forints as a deposit.
• Vaidahunyad Castle - the name and great-molded appearance inspired me to think about how princes and princesses lived here, well, or at least counts and countesses, but ... here is a description in short: no one lived here, initially it was a wooden pavilion , erected in honor of the millennium of Hungary in the 1900s - and now it is stone. This fact, however, does not detract from the splendor of the castle! Inside is an agricultural museum.
  Here's another interesting thing: Vaidahunyad is also called Dracula's castle, because the author borrowed many elements from the castle of the same name in Transylvania, where Vlad Tepes (the prototype of Count Dracula) spent several years (as if) in captivity.
  Entrance fee to the museum: 1,600 forints (365 rubles), this includes the entrance to the tower. Separately climbing the towers - from 400 to 600 forints (90-135 rubles).
  Free days: March 15, August 20, October 23.
• Zoo and circus - interesting places for children.
  Entrance to the zoo: 3300 forints (755 rubles) for an adult, 2200 forints (500 rubles) for children under 18 years old.
• Széchenyi Bath - I tell you more ↓

Szechenyi Baths

The Szechenyi Baths look bombastic, but inside, in my opinion, are ordinary baths 🙂

What it is?
In modern terms, the Szechenyi Baths are a large spa complex, thermal (hot) springs in the open air. There are several of them in the city, but Széchenyi is the most popular.

There are several outdoor pools with different water temperatures. There are also indoor pools. More than 10 saunas, there is even a Russian steam room, from where all people run away after two minutes.

After seeing the main sights in Budapest in 2 days, on the third you can relax in the bath. But! Only if you have not been in a similar place before (maybe you looked into the sulfur baths in Georgia?). Public bathrooms are a hobbyist's hobby.

How much is?
5900 forints (1350 rubles) - shared locker room, things in the locker.
6400 forints (1460 rubles) - own booth.

Well, if Széchenyi - as crowded and crowded - do not attract, then there is such an option:

Jewish quarter

The Great Synagogue is the largest in Europe 🙂

What it is?
District in the center of Budapest. It is interesting not only for the decorous and noble Jewish buildings - like the Great Synagogue and the museum (very beautiful).

There are also unusual places here, they are designated by two words - ruin bars or ruin bars. This is when a bar / pub / night club settles in an unnecessary, abandoned building, drags in a vintage and all the most authentic and creates a cool atmosphere wildly hipster conceptual place.
This is how you can immediately call Szimpla Kert and Csendes.

Central market

Of course, we went to the central market, did not buy anything, took a photo outside and inside

What it is?
A beautiful neo-gothic building. It is a pity that there is a typical tourist market inside ... Two floors, inflated prices, food - on the first, souvenir - on the second.

From the second floor, there is such a mini-panoramic view of the first, but cunning merchants do not let you take photos 🙁 And toilets are paid here. Still worth a visit.

Gellert Hill

But sightseeing and interesting excursions are our topic. We went up to Gellert for about 20 minutes

What it is?
Gellert Hill rises across the Freedom Bridge from the Central Market - the same as the Castle Hill, but with a walking and observation slope. There are no historical buildings, there are several monuments and dozens of paths up to the final point in the form of a tall sculpture.

At the foot of the hill stands the Gellert hotel and the baths of the same name (baths like Széchenyi). Yes, yes, the pavilion for the hotel from the movie "The Grand Budapest Hotel" was made on the basis of photographs of the Gellert Hotel. And the baths are remarkable for their architecture and, in addition to the usual thermal baths, there is a thermal bath with waves located on the street. Issue price: 6300 forints (1440 rubles) with a locker, 6700 forints (1530 rubles) with a personal booth.

This is what the climb to the observation deck looks like

On Gellert Hill:

• Catholic Church in the Rock (Cave Church)
• Fortress
• The Statue of Liberty is a monument to the victims of the struggle for independence.
• Cool views of Budapest.
• Philosophical Garden - famous philosophers are already waiting for you here, from Buddha to Jesus, in bronze guise.

I will not say that these are the top places in Budapest. If you have 1 day left, then it is better to choose the sights of Pest and the Castle Hill.

And of course the view of Budapest. For me, I must definitely visit the observation deck both here and in the Basilica

Váci utca street

What it is?
At the end of the day, your feet should touch Vatsi Street - the local Arbat. Easily recognizable by the number of people and the crowded café terraces. This pedestrianized street is considered the heart of the city and a favorite spot for shopaholics. If you need to buy something at discounts - here is your option. The rest is a little expensive. See magnets on the neighboring streets.

Take a closer look at the walls of the houses, there is a lot of unusual street art that looks oh-oh-very stylish.

What to see in Budapest in 3 days?

Street in front of St. Stephen's Basilica

Everything that I have listed above - all 15 places - fit well into the leisurely program for tourists "what to see in Budapest in 3 days" (however, it is better to choose one bathhouse). I'll tell you how we scattered the locations by day.

Our route - what we saw in 1 day:

• Basilica
• Parliament
• Embankment
• Gresham's house - so, along the way
• Chain bridge
• Castle hill
• Unusual Reformed Church (Szilágyi Dezsö Square)

On the second day:

• Andrássy Avenue
• House of Terror
• Heroes square
• Vaidahunyad Castle
• Szechenyi Baths
• Jewish quarter
• Central market
• Gellert Hill
• Vaci street

On the third day ... We went further to Europe, to Vienna, and returned on the same day 🙂 Because - why not, if it takes only 2 and a half hours to get there by train, and tickets cost only 50 euros for two round trip ( in low season)? An article about where to go in Vienna will appear on our website soon!

More interesting routes in Budapest:

The smallest metro we have ever traveled / And on the right is the same yellow tram number 2

— Metro, line M1 - the very first metro line in Europe, these yellow doll cars seem to transport passengers in time 120 years ago! I highly recommend taking a ride, for example, from the Szechenyi Baths to the Jewish Quarter!
— Yellow tram number 2 - included in the top 10 most beautiful routes in the world. It starts from the stop "Marie's Nursery Square", do not forget to buy a ticket for 350 forints (80 rubles) and validate it.
- Bloom in Hungary in June lavender fieldsand - oh, good luck! - one picturesque is located not far from Budapest. Search on the google map Mountain Meadow Lavender proud.

Budapest sightseeing map

Museums in Budapest

Hungarian National Museum / We had a photo from the inside, but there are so many of them in the article, we will postpone for a separate text about museums

There are plenty of museums in Budapest. Fifteen pieces - completely different directions - will definitely be typed.

I will list the most popular museums:

• Hungarian National Gallery - probably the main museum of all Hungary. Not only because it is located in the Royal Palace, but also because it collected all the best that Hungarian talents created.Paintings and sculptures ranging from the 14th to the 20th century are recommended for all art-sensitive tourists.
  Cost: 3200 huf (730 rubles).
  Free days: March 15, August 20, October 23.
• Hospital in the rock Is a very interesting place. This is a real hospital that nursed the wounded during World War II, and then converted into a nuclear bunker. Accordingly, it tells (and shows) the life and horrors of those times.
  Price: 4000 huf (910 rubles), admitted in groups of 10 people (recruited on the spot).
  Children under 6 years old are not admitted.
• Hungarian National Museum - contains everything that can demonstrate the history of Hungary from its first mention to the present day.
  Cost: 2600 huf (600 rubles).
  Free days: March 15, August 20, October 23.
• Art Museum - is also full of paintings and sculptures, but, unlike the national gallery, the local heritage is exclusively of foreign authorship. Of the permanent exhibitions, the Egyptian is noted, with its real (or not?) Mummy. But there are more reviews of temporary visiting exhibitions - although they are not included in the price of the main ticket.
  Cost: 3200 huf (730 rubles). The ticket price for a temporary exhibition is from 3400 to 4000 huf.

If you need the word of a knowledgeable person, and an audio guide is boring, dry and sometimes in English, take the hand of a local expert compatriot and go to the halls of museums:

Best excursions in Budapest and prices

And these are photos from our one-day excursion to Vienna - I advise you, by all means! 🙂

Of course, in Budapest there is no uncle or aunt on the corner, in Russian, luring into the bus, which is about to leave for a city tour. Abroad, to search for excursions in Russian, you need to make an effort a little earlier than directly on the spot.

Excursions in Budapest are presented by the following services - they are ours, Russian, and work all over the world: they are looking for Russian-speaking guides or simply enthusiasts of their cities and bring them with us, tourists. We have used both - in Montenegro, Dubai and Barcelona:

• Tripster
• Sputnik8

What excursions are popular?

- Pedestrian sightseeing in a large group, or individual by car - which is your option?
Duration from 2.5 to 4 hours, cost - from € 18 per person to € 150 for a group of up to seven people
- Excursion to the cozy historical towns of Hungary, but if there are four of you, then this one (also individual) is more profitable.
Duration from 4 to 9 hours, cost - from € 55 per person to € 160 for a group of 4 people
- Travel to Vienna by bus - with a walk and on foot, and on four wheels to the main attractions!
Duration 12 hours, cost - € 60
- Would you like something unusual? You can also be taken to those quarters that tourists are not told about 😉 Who else to study the Budapest ghetto with if not with a local resident?
Duration 3 hours, cost - € 69
- Fans of architecture, have you heard about such a direction as secession? This excursion with Russian-speaking Budapest is for you!

Cafes and restaurants in Budapest - where to eat?

One of the most delicious cafes in Budapest - STIKA

Budapest gets good reviews from us not only for the sights, but also for the cuisine: for the developed culture of coffee and food - from traditional Hungarian to "modern" avocado toasts!

I marked some establishments on the map in advance, marked MANDATORY TO GO, others I discovered by accident (and this makes them even more valuable).

In short, where did we taste it in Budapest?

• Stika Gastropub - we were at breakfast, and, according to my subjective (but extensive) experience, here is the BEST BENEDICT (500-650 rubles). But pancakes (500 rubles) are so-so, do not be tempted. There is little space inside, but there is a large terrace.
• Hummus bar - hummus network in Budapest, not bad! You can have a hearty meal for two for 500 rubles (falafel - 225 rubles, shawarma - 250 rubles). But only if you respect Israeli cuisine :)

And this is what the food in the Hummus bar looks like - falafel and shawarma

• Karaván - open-air food market - from 11:30 to zero, shops with a variety of food are lined up in a row. We tried the burger with Hungarian langos tortillas and sheep cheese at Langos Burger, unusual (in the best way).
• Gourmet House of Samosh - you can eat here, but we dropped in for marzipan sweets by weight - and they turned out to be the most memorable souvenir from Budapest :)
• Bors Gasztrobár - cool street food, where you have to take sous-o-oops in a glass (155 rubles)! If you come across a handsome man with salted caramel and cream (soup, yes), then you are lucky. But you can limit yourself to the traditional one - with chicken and curry. The combinations change frequently. Beware, it can become uncomfortable: a small room, Star Wars fanaticism "screams" from all cracks, the menu is in Hungarian.
• Drum Café - Hungarian cuisine at an adequate price tag and with always busy tables. We take: goulash soup (225 rubles), classic langos (250 rubles) and something from the main one. Or just a three-course set menu for 500 rubles.

I don't recommend Szimply. Yes, it is fashionable, author's, but we waited for ordering a cha-a-ace in the cold, and in the end it came out average in taste, small portions and expensive - avocado toast and omelet for 1400 rubles.

What about coffee? Where is the normal cappuccino? Can you hope for a funnel or at least a filter?

Coffee with desserts at Mantra / And another delicious coffee at GoaMama

— Goamama - take a large cappuccino for 950 forints (215 rubles) and go explore Budapest. Or stay inside to work with the laptop / chat, the environment is very pleasant.
— Flow - a specialty coffee shop and vegan restaurant on Andrassy Avenue, they make at least an excellent filter and cappuccino (850-950 forints - 195-215 rubles).
— Mantra - the most comfortable place, especially on a cloudy day. You can get drunk on a 0.5 latte (225 rubles) and throw in a delicious dessert.

From the classic street food, the streets of Budapest were filled with shops with:

• shawarma - an average price tag of 800 forints (180 rubles)
• pizza in pieces - 450-550 forints (100-125 rubles), terribly help out at night
• and kurtyushkalach - local sweet pastries

Small bonus

Traveling to Budapest? I envy it kindly! :)
And I propose a mutually beneficial exchange: leave a comment on this article, and I will send you by mail the name and address of the place in the center where they cook the best and most delicious kurtyushkalach (Hungarian sweet pastry that is worth trying). And they sell not for 800-1000 forints, as in tourist shops, but for only 350!

Quick FAQ on Budapest

Bus number 100E from the airport / And this is our patio in the house where we stopped through Airbnb

1. How much does a one-time metro ride cost?
Metro fare - 300 forints (70 rubles). Open from 4:30 am to 11 pm.

2. What is the best way to get from / to the airport?
Bus 100e is the cheapest way, operating around the clock. 900 forints (205 rubles) per person, three or four stops - and you are in the center.
But we still went back in Uber, in 25 minutes we paid 7500 forints (1700 rubles) !!

3. What currency? Where to film it?
In Hungary - forints. 1 forint (huf) = 0.2 rubles, 100 forints = 22 rubles. You can withdraw at any ATM, including at the airport. Cash in Budapest is vital. Not everywhere, but you can pay in euros.

4. Where to stay in the city?
In the center or nearby :) We lived on Podmaniczky Street and - with the strength and energy - walked around all the places from the article.
We rented an apartment on Airbnb for 3000 rubles a day. If you are more familiar with hotels or hostels, then search on RoomGuru.

No, after all, this is too long a question to answer in four sentences. Check out our next article in the Budapest series:

5. When is the most beautiful place in Budapest?
Like any city, Budapest unfolds in spring, summer and winter (at Christmas time). But, you know, we were here in November - the saddest time - and did not lose anything!
And the coolest thing is undoubtedly to catch a popular concert in Budapest in the summer - the seven-day Sziget festival.

6. Where to buy city tours?
Take a look at Tripster and Sputnik8.

7. How to get to Budapest?
The plane will be more convenient :) Check out the cost of air tickets on Aviasales - as a rule, WizzAir airlines fly to Budapest, because this is a low-cost airline with fabulous prices:

• air tickets from Moscow - 6000 rubles per person round trip
• it is also possible from Europe (suddenly you are in a eurotrip) - from Prague, for example, they will take you to Budapest for 1,700-2,000 rubles one way

8. What are the prices in Budapest?
Acceptable! For example, here's a shopping for breakfast at the Spar store:

• bread - 300 huf (68 rubles),
• 2 avocados - 1100 huf (250 rubles),
• eggs - 300 huf (68 rubles),
• curd cheese - 450 huf (100 rubles).

In total, we had breakfast for 3 days in the amount of 140 rubles per person.
Wine costs from 800 forints (180 rubles) per bottle. A bottle of water 1.5 - 180-200 forints (40-45 rubles). So the prices for food are stale, you spend without noticing, and your wallet does not empty quickly.
Well, if you focus on what to see in Budapest on your own and for free, then it's generally budgetary.

9. I want to rent a car - how, where, for how much?
Book a car on international aggregators - for example, RentalCars. A liter of gasoline in Budapest costs 375-500 forints (85-115 rubles).

10. Do you need a visa?
Sure. You will need a Schengen visa, any valid one (if any), or you will have to apply for a Hungarian visa in advance.