How to spend 24-48 hours in Budapest, Hungary

Budapest is the capital of Hungary and the river Danube flows through it. Previously the river separated two cities – the hilly city of “Buda” to the left of the river and the flat city of “Pest” on the right side. In 1873, the two cities were joined to become one and the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It’s a city with a complex past as was also the center of the Hungarian Revolution in 1848, the Battle of Budapest in 1945 and the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.

This former communist capital is now a thriving modern city and is the ninth largest city in the European Union. 

The Hungarian Forint (HUF) is the currency in Hungary. The most frequently used, of these colourful notes, are in denominations of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000. To simplify, I calculated the exchange rate as 1,000 HUG = €2.50 and 10,000 as €25.00 during my visit. 

The Euro is accepted in some establishments and sometimes I saw both currencies on receipts. However, I suggest you withdraw some cash or have Forints on a multi-currency debit card, if possible. I saw exchange rates calculated at 330 HUF to 1 and often higher. 

15% service charge was charged in every cafe and restaurant I went to. It often appeared multiple times on the receipt, if I placed my order per course, or ordered another drink. 

This post is about the things I saw and did, excluding the Buda Castle area. I will write a dedicated post on the Buda Castle area, as I think you can easily spend a day there. The activities below, could be condensed into one day or enjoyed in a more leisurely two days ! 

The Bridges

As the Danube flows right through the city, the bridges are one of the most important features of Budapest. I have now seen the Danube in several cities and have yet to see it “Blue”!

• Szechenyi Bridge, also known as the Chain-Link Bridge

This 380 meter long bridge is the most distinctive bridge in Budapest. It took 10 years to construct and was completed in 1849. It was considered a technical achievement at that time due to its suspension. 

It has two large concrete arches which are guarded by large lions. The lions appear not to have tongues but they are actually hidden. Legend has it that when it was originally thought they did not have tongues an argument ensued and the creator (Janos Marschalko) jumped into the Danube. 

You can walk across both sides of the bridge and I highly recommend you do so to appreciate the city views. It is also worth seeing this at nighttime as well as during the day. 

The bridge has appeared in numerous films, music videos and now features on the 200 forint coin. 

• Elisabeth-Bridge

My namesake bridge is actually the second one to be constructed across this part of the Danube. The original one, which was destroyed during WW2, was more ornate than the current austere cable bridge. This one takes you to the area where the Statue of St. Gellert and the Statue of Liberty are. I also suggest you cross both sides of this bridge. The Elisabeth bridge was constructed between 1961-1963 and is named after Elisabeth of Bavaria (Queen of Hungary 1854-1898).

• The Freedom Bridge 

This iron green bridge was constructed between 1894-1899. It has had several names over the years and was named “The Freedom Bridge” in 1946. Its distinctive coat of arms has been restored and is very visible. Several “Turuls”, mythical Falcons in Hungarian legend, appear at the top. I didn’t walk across this one but got a great look at it on a river cruise. 

Cruise on the Danube

I love taking river cruises when I visit cities, where the river is the centrepiece. As Budapest is such a popular tourist destination – you have lots of options for tours. You can take them during the day, evening and night. They are available for various durations and several serve meals and drinks. Some have guides on the boat and others provide audio tours in various languages. 

After walking along the river a few times, I decided to purchase a ticket on a smaller older style boat. I reserved a ticket online about an hour before the tour commenced. This cost €19.00, which included a 40% discount, due to the late booking. It was for one hour and a beverage was included in the price (water, juice or sparkling wine). The website only quoted the price in Euro. The company is called Dana Cruise. 

A sign explained that you needed your own headphones and should access the guide via your phone (accessible via a QR code). I didn’t have headphones with me but the guide was easy to use without the audio feature. The cruise started promptly and I liked the fact we didn’t have to queue too long to get on or off due to the number of people.

I really enjoyed the tour and its a great way to see the majestic buildings which are along the river. The parliament building, in particular, looks huge as you pass it and you get a fabulous view from the water.

I also loved seeing the bridges up close and the underside of them, particularly the Freedom Bridge (2nd photograph above). 

There are people selling tours all along the Danube and this is an activity I suggest you don’t pre-book. You can just walk along the Danube and select one that appeals to you, either to start immediately or at a later time. You can pay for some directly or book them on-line. I overheard several sellers offering discounts to tourists for ones about to start so you could also get yourself a bargain !

St Stephen’s Basilica 

This is the largest church in Budapest with seating for 8,500. It’s an imposing building, with its large dome and two towers. It overlooks a busy square, beside a street with lots of restaurants and cafes. 

The original construction started in 1851 but some structural issues were identified and part of the walls had to be collapsed. It was finally finished in 1906. The facade faces the Danube and the diameter of the dome is 22 meters. The bell tower contains the largest bell in Hungary and it weighs over 8,000kg (9 tons).

Behind the altar, there is a sculpture for St. Stephen, the patron saint of the church. On the 900th anniversary of his death, the church was upgraded to a Basilica. It also contains a mummified hand of Stephen, which is located in the small chapel, behind the altar.

I purchased my entrance ticket in the ticket office on the small street to the right of the Basilica. You have several options on tickets and I bought one for the Basilica, the Tower and the Treasury. It cost 6,000 HUF (€15.25).

I went into the main Basilica first and it’s spectacular. The dome is huge and contains lots of marble and gold. The altar is framed by beautiful letters of St. Stephen. The piped organ is huge and there are several statues of important Hungarian religious figures including Elisabeth of Hungary (not the same Elisabeth as the bridge is named after).

You access the tower to the back of the Basilica. An attendant checking tickets explained you could take the lift or the stairs. I decided to climb the stairs (158, 9 and then 133 steps in all). It was narrow in places so you had to stand awkwardly to let people coming down pass. It was well worth the climb as the panoramic views across the city are breathtaking. I didn’t appreciate how hilly the city is, until I saw it from here. You get a great view of the Danube and of course the amazing buildings and rooftops. I spotted one very ornate looking building and plotted out where it was to walk to next !

I then took the four person lift down and walked down 21 steps to the Treasury. This small museum is well worth visiting. It contains some amazing vestments, chalices and artwork in the two small rooms. It also has some great photos of famous visitors to St. Stephen’s Basilica including Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Pope Benedict and Pope Paul, who visited on the millennium of St. Stephen’s birth in 1972. 

If you have the time and the interest, I would purchase a ticket to visit all three areas as this is one of the most beautiful churches I have visited recently.  

Post Office Savings Bank

I spotted this building’s unique coloured rooftop from the tower of the Basilica. Unfortunately it now houses offices and the receptionist seemed bored when I asked if it was a museum. I doubt I was the first to ask that day ! When I came outside there were two other tourists waiting to go in and they were as disappointed as I was, when I told them it’s an office and there is nothing to see inside. 

I am glad they have retained the ornate green and gold china slated roof top. The exterior contains motifs of honeybees, representing the former post office workers. The towers contain beehives, representing the post office savings !  

Ferris Wheel

You will see the Ferris Wheel from various areas in the city. It is situated in a park that I passed by regularly walking from my hotel. To the side of it, is a tree, which is a memorial to Michael Jackson and has lots of photos of him. I don’t know what his significance to the city is.

It cost 4,320 HUF (€11) and there was no queue, when I went, so I got into a carriage immediately. I was told you would get a minimum of two to three turns and I got four. It did stay on the top for a few minutes. I was in a carriage alone, so I was able to look around and take lots of photos easily. I was in it for about eight minutes in full. I regretted not going at nighttime as I think this might be a good way to see the city lights. 

The ferris wheel is beautiful itself when lit up during the evening. If you are budgeting or stuck for time, this is an attraction I would omit from your day though. If you want to see the city from above I would climb to the top of St. Stephen’s Basilica instead.

The Hungarian State Opera House

I had purchased a ticket online to attend the opera, before travelling. I paid 49,700 HUF (€126) for a front row seat to see “Aida”. I know this is quite a lot but I don’t get to go to the theatre or see live music much so I was treating myself ! 

The Opera House is situated in a small street called “Andrassy Avenue”. It’s a short walk from the Danube, through well lit small streets with several cafes and restaurants. The theatre is absolutely beautiful and it was a real treat to attend an opera. As soon as you walk in, you see all the opulence of the traditional theatres and opera houses. It first opened in September 1884 and it’s obvious you are walking into a little bit of history. The capacity is 1,200 and there are several statues and paintings in the u-shaped auditorium. 

It specified on the website that there is no dress code, but people were smartly dressed. Some ladies were in cocktail dresses and men were in dress suits.  

While this was sold out, everything was very efficient and there were lots of ushers to show you the way to your seat. There is a large bar where it was easy to get a drink during the intermission and there were lots of toilet facilities.

The performance was amazing. I had seen Aida in Los Angeles a few years ago so I was looking forward to seeing it again. Every performer was excellent – from the orchestra to the chorus and of course the leads. The set was beautiful and the atmosphere in the theatre was great. I could hear conversations in several languages so I wasn’t the only visitor attending.

This was a great treat and it was lovely to get dressed up and have a night out like this in Budapest.

If you don’t attend a show, you can also go on a guided tour. They are available in multiple languages, last an hour and English ones start at 13.30, 15.00 and 16.30. A tour costs 9,000 HUF (€23). Their website has all the information, is translated into English and it’s easy to book tickets or tours here (opera.hu). 

Statue of St. Gellert

This statue sits on the Buda side of the Daube across from the Elisabeth Bridge. It was constructed in 1904 to commemorate Bishop Gellert, an 11th century martyr. A semi-circle portico is situated behind it. 

An artificial waterfall, which gets its water from a nearby fountain, is situated below at street level. You can approach the statue from the left or the right of the waterfall. It takes about 5 minutes to walk up the various steps and stone pathways. It is quite steep in places but it is well worth the climb to see a different view of the Danube, the city and the Elisabeth Bridge. 

Statue of Liberty

I hadn’t seen the Statue of Liberty clearly from the cruise on the Danube, so I decided to walk over to see it on my last morning. You cross the Elisabeth Bridge and take the same path as you do for the Statue of St. Gellert. You turn to the left just after you pass it.

There is a reason why I didn’t see it, as it was being restored. As soon as I got close to it, I saw the large barriers and realised I couldn’t even get a glimpse of it ! I really should have looked closer when on the river.

The statue is of a women holding a frond and it’s 14 meters high. It was erected in 1947 to commemorate the liberation of the country. There are two poems below the statue to “represent progress and the fight against evil”.

However, despite the fact it was very warm in the morning at 7.00am, I enjoyed the walk through the mountain path. I met several joggers and people walking with children and dogs so this must be a popular walking trail. 

My Final Thoughts !

I really enjoyed my time in Budapest. However, the city is a lot more modern than I expected. It’s very tourist friendly, with lots to see and do. You can get information on attractions easily (maps and ticket stalls) and there is no shortage of restaurants and cafes. I was always greeted warmly in restaurants and cafes and shown to a table. Sometimes I have been turned away, as I am alone, when visiting busy cities but this wasn’t the case in Budapest. English is widely spoken and while I found waiting staff reserved initially, several talked openly and were interested in where I was from and my travels, as the meal progressed. 

While it’s quite a large city, if you like to walk around and explore areas like I do, this is the perfect city to do this in. There are lots of parks, monuments and statues everywhere to admire.

However, I do think its an expensive city to visit. But I had just been to Pristina, Kosovo and that was extremely cheap so I may not have been ready for the prices in Budapest. 

This is the first of three posts I intend to write about my trip so I hope you will read the others when available also !