Here’s the best two days itinerary in Budapest to enjoy every corner of the Hungarian capital.
I suggest staying in Budapest for at least two or three days because there’s a lot of things to see. If you are lucky enough to have a nice weather, you can’t miss visiting the Szechenyi thermal baths as well.
Budapest is Hungary’s largest city and capital. Located in the north-central part of the country, the city is divided into two parts by the Danube.
I’ll list here all the things to do when spending a few days in Budapest.
- Day One : Central Market Hall, Gellert baths and mount, Buda castle, Fisherman’s bastion, Parliament, Szimpla Kert
- Day Two : Hungarian National Museum, Dohani Street Synagogue, St Stephen’s Basilica, Hungarian State Opera, Heroes’ square, Szechenyi thermal bath
Day One
Start your morning at the Central Market Hall. It is the largest and oldest indoor market in Budapest. You will find a lot of fish produce and groceries (spices mostly, and all the paprika-derived products) on the ground floor, and traditional souvenirs on the first floor :
Make sure you go on the upper floor to get a nice view of those neo-gothic halls.
From the Central Market Hall, cross the Liberty Bridge (or Szabadság híd) and you’ll arrive directly in front of the Gellert Thermal baths.
Those Art Nouveau baths were founded in 1918 and are part of the Gellert hotel. The building itself is worth the detour, but here are some details if you plan on spending a few hours at the baths :
- There are ten pools at various temperatures, but also a sauna and you can even book massages.
- Make sure to bring a swimsuit, towel and slippers (mandatory).
Entrance fee : The price is 27€ on weekdays and 30€ on weekends if you pay at the cashier and only ask for a locker (or if you want a cabin it is 33€ on weekends, 29€ during the week). If you want to book in advance however and receive a QR code so you don’t have to wait in line when you arrive, it’s 42€ with a locker and 44€ with a cabin.
Opening hours : Open everyday from 9am to 7pm (8pm on weekends).
Right next to the thermal baths is the Mount Gellert. This is the place where you’ll find the best panoramic views of the Danube and both sides of the city : Buda and Pest.
There’s the Citadella at the top, which is a fortification dating back from 1851, and you’ll also see the Statue of Liberty on your way. This 14 meters high feminine figure was erected in 1947 and symbolizes Hungary’s liberation from Nazi domination at the end of WW2.
After the uphill stroll to Mount Gellert, walk along the Buda side of the Danube to reach Budavar Castle in 30 minutes. It is also known as the Royal Palace, as it was once the residence of the Hungarian kings.
This construction of the palace began in the 13th century but has been renovated and rebuilt since. Today, Buda Castle houses the Széchenyi Library, the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum.
Strolling around the castle and its gardens is free of charge, entrance fees to museums are charged separately.
A short walk from the Buda Castle takes you to the Fisherman’s bastion.
The Fisherman’s Bastion was built between 1895 and 1902. This neo-Romanesque historical monument was built as a viewing terrace with lookout towers. For the story, the seven towers pay tribute to the seven tribes that founded Hungary.
Many of its balconies and towers are free to enter and will offer the best views of the Parliament and the Danube.
The upper towers or turrets have a small entrance fee of 3€, however you’ll have a free entry in the mornings before 9.00 am (and way less people!).
While you are there, you will discover Matthias Church. The first construction dates back to 1255, it twas then rebuilt several times and was even transformed into a mosque under Ottoman occupation. This is also where Empress Sissi was crowned Queen of Hungary.
To end you visit here, you can wander in the narrow streets of the old quarter to admire the pretty Baroque houses.
The Parliament is definitely the most impressive monument in Budapest. Its construction began in 1885 and the building was inaugurated in 1896 to mark Hungary’s millennium. It is now the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, since 1902.
Around a thousand people worked on the project, which involved 40 million bricks, half a million semi-precious stones and 40 kg of gold.
With its symmetrical neo-Gothic façade and 268m long, it has 10 courtyards, 29 staircases and 691 rooms (including over 200 offices)!
Entrance fee : Tickets are 15€ is you are from the EEA (European Economic Area), 30€ if not, and 7,5€ if you’re a EEA student. For more info, check out the official website.
Opening hours : Open everyday from 8am to 4pm (and until 6pm from 1st of April to 31st of October).
If you come for the sunset (around 4pm in winter), it will give a beautiful golden tone to the monument :
Right behind the Parliament is the courthouse, a beautiful monument built between 1893-1896 and well worth the detour :
If you want to experience the Hungarian nightlife, head to Szimpla Kert. This ruin bar (artistic squat transformed into bar, characteristic of Central Europe, particularly Hungary) inaugurated in 2002 is considered Budapest’s first ruins bar.
The completely eclectic decor makes this a fascinating and captivating space, you could spend hours looking at every piece of eccentric decor and furniture.
Day Two
Start this second day at the Hungarian National Museum. It collects and presents historical relics, art, and archaeology of Hungary and surrounding areas such as Transylvania.
Entrance fee : 9€, or 4,5€ if you are under 26 years old. You can find more info on their website.
Opening hours : Open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10am to 6pm (but cash office closes at 5pm).
The interior itself is worth the visit :
Less than a 10 minutes walk from the museum is the Dohani Street Synagogue. It is the largest in Europe and the second-largest in the world, after Jerusalem. Inaugurated in 1859, it is 53 meters long and can seat up to 3000 people.
Entrance fee : 27€ for adults and 22€ for students. We didn’t visit the interior as the prices seemed too expensive for us for what it had to offer.
Opening hours : Open for visits Sunday through Thursday from 10am to 6pm (8pm from 1st of May to end of September), and closes at 4pm every Friday.
After 15 minutes, you’ll reach St Stephen’s Basilica, the largest Catholic church in Budapest. The construction began in 1851 and was completed in 1905, after 54 years of work.
Entrance fee : Almost 6€ for adults and 4€ for students. If you want access to the panoramic terrace and treasury then it’s 11€ for adults, almost 9€for students. You can find more information on their website here.
Opening hours : From 9am to 5:45pm Monday to Saturday, and 1pm to 5:45pm on Sunday.
Tip : to get a view of the basilica from above, head to the High Note SkyBar rooftop (see 3rd picture above).
10 minutes from the basilica is the Hungarian State Opera. This neo-Renaissance opera house was built between 1875 and 1884.
If you are interested to visit the inside of the Opera, there are two options : either you book a ticket for a concert or you can join a guided tour for 22€. See more details here.
On your way to the final stop of the day (Széchenyi thermal baths), you’ll arrive to the Heroes’ Square (or Hősök tere). This architectural complex is located at the end of Andrássy Avenue – Budapest’s most important avenue. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, it is famous for its Millennium Monument, with 7 surrounding statues erected in honor of the chiefs of Hungary’s 7 founding tribes.
The square is prettiest at night so make sure to stop by on your way back from Széchenyi thermal baths before leaving.
Final stop and well deserved break at the Széchenyi Thermal Baths. With 15 indoor baths and 3 large outdoor pools, many saunas and steam rooms, it is Budapest’s largest spa complex, which was inaugurated in 1913.
Entrance fee : 26€ on weekdays and 30€ on weekends. They also have higher entrance fees for holiday periods, so if you want to check the exact prices, head over to this page on the official website.
Opening hours : Make sure to check their website before coming because there are some days were the baths are closed due to maintenance. Otherwise the regular opening hours are from 7am to 8pm on weekdays, and from 8am to 8pm on weekends (cash desks open until 7 pm).
Do not forget to bring your swimsuit and towel, but more importantly slippers, otherwise you’ll have to buy some at the cash desk.
The place will most likely be packed with locals and tourist at any time, so if I had to choose I’d come very early, or as we did, for the last hours of the day. There was too many people as expected but we were able to see the place at daylight, for sunset and at night :
That’s it for my weekend itinerary in Budapest ! If you need more information about what to know before visiting Budapest, you can check out this article.
I have also made a post about restaurant and food recommendations, click here to check it out !
If you need a custom itinerary, you can fill this form and I’ll make your own personalised itinerary.
