My housemate and I were looking through some holiday destinations and found some really cheap flights from London to Budapest for the end of May 2019, so we went ahead and bought them. She had been once before and was keen to go back and I had never been so was happy to visit someplace new.
Budapest is one of the most underrated places I have ever been to: the food is cheap, drinks are cheaper, there is so much culture and history and the fact that it’s actually divided in two parts, Buda and Pest, connected through bridge makes it quite unique.
Heading to Budapest for the first time? Here is what you shouldn’t miss.
Day 1
The first day usually means you have been travelling for a couple of hours and might need more of a chill day, so why not explore the area around your accommodation.
We were staying in Pest’s district 7, which is well known for ruin bars and clubs, but also has some wonderful places to eat and is close to the main road and all the shops. We ended up having lunch at Karavan, this very unique outdoor food court, that gives home to numerous food trucks and booths serving mouth-watering delicacies which you can consume standing up, or sitting on one of the benches at the back. You can try something typical or go for something more exotic, either way the food is great and it’s great quality for money.
When we went the weather wasn’t at its best, we knew that we were only going to have a few sunny days and one of them was the day we arrived. So, we decided to head to the SzĂ©chenyi thermal baths a few hours after setting foot in the country.
The SzĂ©chenyi thermal baths are probably the most known and the most visited thermal baths in Budapest. It consists of 15 indoor baths and 3 grand outdoor heated pools. It’s on the pricier side compared to other things in the city, however it is one of the best and largest spa baths in Europe and you can spend all day there if you wish to.
If you want to go for a drink in the evening every site will direct you to the ruin bars, an extremely typical feature of Budapest that consists of buildings looking like they could be demolished soon from the outside and complete surprises on the inside.
The most famous is Szimpla Kert and although I suggest going there for a drink and saying that you have done it, I personally preferred a couple of other ruin bars more for mainly two reasons: Szimpla Kert is well know so it’s always full and it’s difficult to find a table and because it’s so well know prices are higher (they are still cheap but more expensive than other places). My two favourite ruin bars were UdvarRom, which is home to a hostel upstairs so you can always find young people from all over the world and also has a great games room, and EXTRA, another great place, very aesthetically pleasing. They are both minutes away walking distance from Szimpla Kurt.
Day 2
Yesterday you relaxed, so now it’s time to go and do something more cultural. Why not walk the Chain Bridge to the other side of the city.
When my friend told me about the bridge, she told me that when she had crossed it it was so full of people that it was actually quite scary, especially cause she is afraid of heights. Bear in mind she did go in peak season, end of July, and the bridge is close to Buda Castle which is one of the main tourist attractions. However, we found the bridge completely deserted when we went together, which meant we could stop and take pictures and take our time crossing it.
Next, you should go visit Buda Castle, home to the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum. You can get to the castle by either walking the stairs for free, taking the uphill train, the public bus or a small tour bus that takes you to all the main attractions on the hill.
Might you learn from our mistakes, don’t go on a Monday, we went there without checking online only to find out that all the buildings were closed on Mondays. We still had a great day though, the view from the top of the hill is incredible, we took a hundred photos at the Fisherman’s Bastions, which you have to pay for if you want to access a small part, we didn’t feel like paying and we still took some great pictures, so it’s really up to you.
Out of the two museums we chose to go to the Hungarian National Gallery, where there was a temporary exhibition about photographs from the past, which was very interesting. I absolutely recommend it.
Unfortunately there wasn’t time for us to visit the Budapest History Museum, because they closed quite early when we returned on a Thursday (the weather was horrible on this day, and the wind literally broke my umbrella in two, it’s funny now, but definitely wasn’t at the time).
If you are looking to have a meal at a great restaurant close to Buda Castle, my personal suggestion is Pavilion de Paris (not very Hungarian I know!), we found this place while roaming the street looking for somewhere to eat and it was incredible. The food was great quality and for the same price of a decent burger in the UK, I had the salmon and my friend had chicken, totally worth it.
Day 3
You are on day 3 and now is the time to explore something new and exciting, so in my opinion you should go to Margaret Island. Margaret Island is a small island in the middle of the Danube connected to Buda and Pest through two bridges. It’s mostly pedestrian, there are very few cars and a bus that connects Buda, Margaret Island and Pest.
Margaret Island is the perfect place for a relaxing day, there are some beautiful gardens, perfect for a picnic on a nice day: like the rose garden and the Japanese garden (perfect places to take some cool pictures too).
Bring your swimsuit too though, because a great asset Margaret Island has are the Palatinus Thermal Baths, with its eleven pools, including an iconic wave pool. A great thing about these thermal baths is the price, you can get a three hour ticket, instead of the usual day ticket, and spend much less for a few hours of complete bliss. Massages are quite cheap here, but I cannot really rate them as they told us there was no availability when my friend and I asked for one.
Day 4
You are all nice and relaxed by day 3, so now is the time for a lovely stroll through the Gozsdu Courtyards. Recent renovations converted the old passageway of the courtyards into a modern residential and entertainment complex with some great restaurants and pubs. In addition, there’s Gozsdu Bazaar (GOUBA), a popular, open-air Sunday market held here from March to October.
You can find some great and unique gifts for family and friends, that aren’t the usual gift shop items.
If you are looking for a great lunch or dinner place, I recommend Vintage Garden. It’s this very aesthetically pleasing restaurant, filled with roses and pink decorations. The food is exceptional and the cocktails looked really inviting (even though we didn’t have one at the time).
Another landmark you cannot miss out on is Heroes Square, the largest square in Budapest, If you have the time, it’s worthwhile to visit Heroes’ Square at least twice: both during the day and at night. Combine it with a stroll along Andrassy Avenue or a visit to City Park.
Now that you are here, you should stroll down City Park, an incredible park with a lovely little lake and Castle to explore. On Sundays a lovely food market opens, giving tourists the opportunity to taste traditional food or have a strawberry lemonade as they walk around. It’s a great place for children as well as there are quite a few numbers of games and activities for both the little ones and the grown ups.
Your final stop, as your holiday comes to an end, is New York Cafe. With its magnificent architecture its a not to miss place. Honestly the food wasn’t that great when my friend and I went there, however the atmosphere is totally worth it. So maybe just pop in for a drink and listen to the live music while surrounded by what could easily be a castle ball room.
Travelling Blonde 