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Entertainment for children
Children of all ages (with the exception of very young children) will find holidays in Budapest exciting, eventful and impressive. After all, the Hungarian capital offers a lot of entertainment for both children and teenagers.
Szechenyi Hill Children's Railway
The eleven-kilometer children's railway on the Buda Mountains runs between picturesque hills with stops in the most interesting places. It is noteworthy that almost all the employees of this railway are children from 10 to 17 years old, with good marks in the diary and have undergone special training. You can get to the railway using the Széchenyi Hill Funicular. The funicular operates daily from 5 am to 11 pm, the railway operates every day in the summer from 9 am to 5 pm, the rest of the year is a day off on Mondays. The one-way fare for an adult is 2.5 euros, for a child - a little more than one euro. A family ticket for the whole day costs about 10 euros.
Budapest Zoo
The main zoo in Hungary provides children and adults with an excellent opportunity not only to look at animals and birds from all over the planet, but also (unlike most zoos in the world) to feed them. Animals are fed under the supervision of zoo staff and with special food. There is also a tactile zoo - younger children will find it interesting to play with domestic animals such as goats, sheep, and rabbits. There is also an interesting palm pavilion with the fauna and flora of the Australian desert, African forests and the Amazon jungle. The zoo is located at Allatkerti krt. 6-12, entrance fee from 6 euros, surcharge for the palm pavilion - 2 euros.
Great Circus of Budapest
Not far from the zoo, on Állatkerti krt. 12/a, in the city park of Városliget, there is a stationary circus of Budapest. Every day, except Monday and Tuesday, there are bright, colorful performances with the participation of clowns, acrobats and animals. In the summer, if you're lucky, you can get to the International Circus Festival, a kind of world championship of circus art. Performances begin on weekdays at 15:00, on Saturdays at 11:00 and 19:00 and on Sundays at 11:00. Ticket price for adults is from 5 euros, for children – from 2.5 euros.
Aquaworld Budapest water park
Located in the very north of the city, in Pest, the Budapest water park is designed in the style of Cambodian temples, with numerous turrets and hanging bridges, as well as a copy of the Angkor Wat temple. For children there is a heated swimming pool with a playground and a variety of slides. Aquaworld is located on Íves utca 16, open from 6 am to 10 pm, entrance ticket costs 10 euros.
Entertainment for young people
Bahnhof Music Club
One of the best and most popular clubs in Budapest is Bahnhof. On weekends the place is crowded, and there are frequent performances by European DJs. The club is located at the very beginning of the Vaci shopping street, not far from the Nyugati pu metro station. The club is open from Wednesday to Saturday from 9 pm to 4 am.
A38 Ship
The unique nightclub A 38 is located near the Petőfi Bridge on the Buda side. It is unique in that it is a converted barge, on the upper deck of which you can dine or sit on the open terrace, and dance in the hold.
Fat Mo's Music Club
Fat Mo's also impresses with its interior, reminiscent of American bars during Prohibition. Every day there are concerts, festivals, DJ performances and other events. The most popular place among foreigners in Budapest. Located at V. Nuary pal, 11.
Jazz Club
Located near the Western Station metro station, the two-story Jazz Club attracts visitors with nightly jazz and blues performances, a romantic atmosphere, and its wine list. The club is open from Friday to Sunday from 6 pm to 3 am, on other days from 6 pm to midnight.
Las Vegas Casino
Fans of gambling will love the largest casino in Budapest - Las Vegas. There are more than 60 slot machines plus 2 with automatic roulette and about 30 tables with various types of gambling. The minimum bet on slot machines is 50 euro cents, at the table from 2 euros.
Fun for everyone
Baths of Budapest
There are 27 baths in Budapest, 13 of which are therapeutic. The most famous baths are Széchenyi and Gelert. The Széchenyi Baths have 3 outdoor pools, 15 (all with different temperatures) indoor pools, as well as a drinking spring and 10 saunas and steam rooms. The pools open at 6 am and are open partly until 19.00, partly until 22.00. Entrance ticket costs from 13 euros. The baths are located near the Városliget city park.
Gelert's baths are located in a very beautiful building, built in the Art Nouveau style, with multi-colored glass and columns inside. The bathhouse has 13 different pools, such as a thermal pool, a bubble bath, a children's pool and a wave pool. The baths are located on Gelerta Hill, open from 6 am to 8 pm, cost from 16 euros.
Buda Castle, funicular, labyrinth
The grandiose Buda Castle, with its magnificent views of the Danube, houses two of Hungary's main museums - the History Museum and the National Gallery. And under the fortress there is a unique Buda labyrinth of natural origin with an exhibition of cave art. You can get to the labyrinth by bus departing from Moscow Square. The labyrinth is open around the clock with breaks from 8 to 9.30 in the morning and from 7.30 to 8.30 in the evening. The entrance ticket costs 7 euros.
You can climb Buda Hill using a cable car about a kilometer long. The climb starts from Clark Adam Square and lasts about one minute. The funicular operates from 8 am to 8 pm, the cost of one trip is just over one and a half euros.
House of Hungarian Wines
The Hungarian Wine Museum, dedicated to local winemaking, is also located in Buda Castle. The excursion, which costs just under two euros, is accompanied by a tasting of over 70 varieties of wine, although you will have to pay extra for some of them.
Hungarian State Folk Ensemble
A vibrant show with the participation of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble will allow you to see national Magyar dances, as well as get to know the culture of Hungary better. The ensemble performs in the Buda Concert Hall from May to November, tickets cost from 20 euros.
Ride the RiverRide bus.
A unique trip on an amphibious bus will not leave anyone indifferent - after a sightseeing tour of the city, the bus drives down to the Danube and floats. The tour begins and ends at István Széchenyi Square. Departures are at 10.00, 12.00, 15.00, 17.00 from April to the end of October and at 11.00, 13.00, 15.00 from November to the end of March. The cost of the excursion is 30 euros for an adult and 20 euros for a child.
Boat lake and outdoor skating rink in the city park
The Boat Lake in Városliget Park offers boat rides in summer and an open-air skating rink with music in winter. Both boats and skates can be rented at the pier. Boat rides are available from May to September from 10 am to 7 pm, while the skating rink is open from December to March from 7 am to 10 pm.
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The famous Szechenyi Baths are located in Budapest and are considered one of the largest treatment centers in all of Europe. The Hungarians themselves affectionately call the bathhouse “Szechnyi”, but sometimes they also come across the name “Szechenyi Baths”. Locals are proud that the model of this bathhouse represents Hungary in the famous Mini-Europe miniature park located in Brussels.
The water in the bathhouse is supplied directly from a thermal spring, which was discovered back in 1879, and reaches the surface from a depth of 1246 meters at a temperature of +74 degrees. In the bathhouse itself there is a day balneotherapy clinic and various types of therapy are available. Access to the Szechenyi Baths is open from six in the morning until ten in the evening.
Construction of the main building of the bathhouse began back in 1909 and the author of the architectural project was Professor Dieuze Ziegler, who led it until his death. Well, his deputy continued his work. The bathhouse opened in 1913, but at first it was very unprofitable. Although there were many visitors there, without the hydropathic clinic there was not much income. 
All shortcomings were eliminated, a mud bath and a pavilion with drinking water were built by 1939. And since 1960, the bathhouse began to operate year-round. Today, the bathhouse has twenty-one pools, seven of them indoors, and some of them you can swim in even at night. Also, for the convenience of guests, various types of massage are provided, there is a gym, and there is the opportunity to do water aerobics and water gymnastics.
The building of the baths in architectural terms looks incredibly pompous - the main part of the elements of this complex is made in the neo-Renaissance style, only in the southeastern wing is the influence of the classical style noticeable. Both inside and outside the building there are many decorative elements with a marine theme - sea monsters, fish, mermaids, dolphins and so on. Well, the external pools of this complex are decorated with flower beds, fountains and statues. All the mosaics, stained glass windows and sculptures in the hall under the main dome of this bath are considered outstanding examples of fine art.
The Danube, which divides the city into two parts, is in itself an interesting tourist attraction, and cruises along the great river, which regularly depart from dozens of marinas, are undoubtedly popular among city guests. There are a great many organizers of such tours, but they all have their own specialization. Budapest River Cruise(www.budapestrivercruise.com) offers full-fledged cruises with cocktails, dinner, live bands and landings at the most interesting places, Legenda(www.legenda.hu) more often offers more affordable one-hour boat excursions, and Budapest Danube Cruise(www.budapestdanubecruise.com) will offer various combined types of recreation - there are countless options. Moreover, you can walk directly along the river to many of the most interesting sites in the vicinity of Budapest and combine recreation on the water with a tour of such unique monuments as the historical cities (Szentendre) and (Visegrád) or the protected lands of the Danube-Ipoly Nemzeti Park.
An interesting addition to such tours are tram excursions- routes No. 19 and 41 start from Batthány Square in Buda, and route No. 2 starts from Jászai Mari Square in Pest. In 40 minutes they will travel through the most picturesque places of the city and along the banks of the Danube, for a small price allowing you to explore many of the sights of the Hungarian capital in a calm atmosphere. The Budapest Cycling Club also offers many interesting cycling excursions, as Velo-Touring (www.velo-touring.hu) and Yellow Zebra Bikes (www.yellowzebrabudapest.com) both rent bikes and provide guidance from both local volunteers and professional guides.
Cultural life in Budapest
Budapest has a rich musical history, being one of the recognized European centers for the development of operetta and other genres. The city has forty theaters, seven concert halls, an excellent Operetta theater(www.operettszinhaz.hu) and Opera House(www.opera.hu). There is even a special house of tradition Budai Vigadó(www.hagyomanyokhaza.hu), created to preserve and protect the folklore heritage of the Carpathian Basin - the troupe of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble working here is considered the best in the country. Its competition is, perhaps, excellent National Dance Theater(www.dancetheatre.hu) on Castle Hill, whose repertoire includes works by Hungarian masters in various genres, from folklore to classical ballet and modern dance. And in the summer, a huge number of outdoor stages and venues open - the most prestigious are on the island of Margaret Sziget and in the Városmajor park in the west of Óbuda. By the way, just a couple of blocks north of the latter is the former industrial zone of the Millenáris metallurgical plant (Lövőház utca, 39), which, after renovation, turned into one of the most popular cultural centers of the Hungarian capital.
House of Contemporary Arts Trafo"(Trafó Kortárs Művészetek Háza, www.trafo.hu), located in a former power plant building opposite the pretty Tűzliliom Park in the south-east of the city, is Hungary's first cultural site that simultaneously exhibits dance, theater, visual arts, literature and music. Well, famous Franz Liszt Academy on the square of the same name (Liszt Ferenc tér, 8, www.lfze.hu) is not only a recognized European center for training musicians and artists, but also a famous concert venue, as well as a unique architectural object - its complex built in 1907 is considered the most outstanding and richly decorated an example of the Art Nouveau style in Budapest.
Festivals in Budapest
Accordingly, the cultural calendar of the Hungarian capital is extremely rich and varied. The most significant events include the multicultural The Budapest Fringe Festival And Budapest Spring Festival(www.btf.hu, end of March - beginning of April), Titanic Film Festival(www.titanicfilmfest.hu), Wagner days(June) and Mahler music festival(September) at the Palace of Arts, one of the largest outdoor music festivals in Europe - Sziget Festival(August), Budapest Jewish Summer Festival(usually at the end of August) - also one of the largest in Europe, an annual gastronomic and cultural festival SzeptEmber Feszt(www.szeptemberfeszt.hu), Budapest Autumn Festival(October), Budapest Fashion Week(twice a year - in spring and autumn), as well as those who have already become famous Budapest palinka festival(may and Budapest Wine Festival(September). Every year on the last Saturday of the carnival (usually the end of February) a large-scale Opera ball, which brings together the cream of local society.
Sports fans will appreciate the popular Budapest International Half Marathon(September) and annual marathon(www.budapestmarathon.com), as well as many other competitions held in the Hungarian capital. Well, the year traditionally ends with the very first in the countries of Eastern Europe Christmas market, opening on Vorosmarty Square on November 15 and continuing until the New Year.
Tickets for exhibitions, concerts and other cultural events are traditionally best purchased at TEX Ticket Express ticket offices located throughout the city, or online at www.tex.hu.
Nightlife in Budapest
The nightlife of the Hungarian capital is also very diverse - there are a great many clubs, live music venues or simply good restaurants with an original music program. The best of them are concentrated in the VII district around the Liszt Ferenc ter square and in the IX district along Raday utca street. The most famous include such establishments as the club Cafe del Rio(www.rio.hu), specializing in electronic music Corvinteto(www.corvinteto.hu) in a former department store, democratic Godor Club(www.godorklub.hu) in the heart of the city, club and gallery A38(www.a38.hu) - one of the most fashionable establishments in the city (the name is given in honor of the Ukrainian barge for transporting stone "Artemovsk 38", which was rebuilt for the needs of the club and laid up near the Petőfi híd bridge), Old Man's Pub(www.oldmans.hu) and others.
Bars, pubs, restaurants
However, in fact, in Budapest you can always choose an establishment to suit your taste, and without really focusing on any ratings. In addition to the usual bars and cafes, you can also find many small borozo cellars with inexpensive local wine (you will rarely see a woman here unaccompanied), as well as traditional söröző beer halls, which serve the locals' favorite dark wines (barna ) and light (vilagos) beers, very high quality and inexpensive snacks.
Budapest from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Budapest.
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Once upon a time, in immemorial legendary times, on the banks of the majestic Danube, carrying its green waters across half of Europe, two settlements appeared, each of which was located on the opposite bank from each other. One of the banks was higher, and a village called Buda arose there, and cozy Pest was located on the gently sloping bank. After some time, both cities merged into one - called Budapest. To say that Budapest is the real “pearl” of Europe and its most beautiful capital means to say absolutely nothing. Ancient baroque quarters, luxurious theaters and palaces, which preserved the spirit of the empire in their bronze, green domes, the ancient fortifications of Buda, monuments to the great Hungarian kings and holy enlighteners of the Magyar land, of course, the majestic parliament building, beautiful at any time of the day or night.
This is not all that the Hungarian capital is rich in. It is impossible to deny yourself the pleasure of not sitting down at the table of a cozy restaurant in the middle of the day or on a quiet evening and tasting wonderful goulash and drinking a glass or two of Tokaji. You cannot ignore the famous baths for which Budapest is famous throughout Europe. It is difficult to list all the attractions of this city, so it is better to come and see everything with your own eyes. We can say with confidence about Budapest that this point on the map is a must-see.
How to get to Budapest
As is the case with many other destinations, Moscow offers the most options for traveling to Budapest from Russia: the flight is cheaper (the Hungarian low-cost airline flies from here to Budapest), there is a direct train. And, although the bus service cannot be called well-functioning, you can get behind the wheel yourself. From Moscow to Budapest there are less than 2 thousand km, and the route through the territory of Belarus, Poland and Slovakia takes 20-22 hours - including crossing the Belarusian-Polish border, but excluding mandatory stops.
It is more difficult for those traveling from St. Petersburg to save on air tickets; the bus runs more frequently, which will be little consolation for most. By car? The distance will increase by only 250-300 km; it is more convenient to travel through the Baltic states, Poland and the Czech Republic.
Read about which way to get to the Hungarian capital is right for you on the page “How to get to Budapest”.
Search for flights to Budapest
Districts of Budapest
The main thing is that everyone who arrives immediately learns about the geography of the Hungarian capital - the Danube divides it into two parts. On the western bank remains the hilly Buda, on the eastern shore, without the need for hills, stands Pest. The city is divided into 23 districts. Buda includes districts I, II, III, XI, XII, XXII. Almost the entire region III is the territory of Óbuda (“Old Buda”). At the end of the 19th century, three cities, Buda, Óbuda and Pest, were united into one Budapest.
Buda: reliably hides antiquity in the shade of trees and the splendor of restorations
District I (Castle District) is the smallest in Buda, but this is where the Buda Castle is located. Everything indicates that we will see some kind of medieval castle and... no. Castles, of course, were built more than once, because Buda was built since the 14th century, but little remains of them: the fortress walls were rebuilt, Matthias Cathedral changed its appearance over the course of 700 years, and the Royal Palace (never was a royal residence) from a small palace the mid-18th century turned into a grandiose building at the beginning of the 20th.
Along the Danube, under the fortress and to the north, stretches the Vizivaros district (districts I, II and III). Fountains in the Art Nouveau style (early 20th century), medieval baths “Kiraj” and “Lukacs”, interesting architectural solutions, including cathedrals, founded in the Middle Ages. The stalagmite cave Pal-Völdi, the most visited of all the underground labyrinths of Budapest, is also located here.
Mount Gellert, located south of the castle hill, competes with the much more distant Mount János for the title of the best vantage point in the city. At its foot, since 1918, the hotel of the same name in the Art Nouveau style has been welcoming guests; his Gellert baths are famous far beyond the borders of Hungary.
District III (Obuda). This is a calm area where attractions coexist perfectly with residential areas and panel houses. The most remote of all tourist centers in Budapest; considered the most ancient. If only because here we will find the ruins of Aquincum, a city that was part of one of the outlying provinces of the Roman Empire. Two amphitheaters have survived. Other places are already related to the history of Óbuda: Szentlélek tér and the Zichy family palace, Fő tér square with the city hall building and sculptures of the Hungarian Imre Varga.
According to locals, the whole of Buda can be explored on foot. A walk from Buda Hill to the central squares in Óbuda will take 2-2.5 hours.
Pest: grandiose buildings and geometry of avenues
One of the reasons for disputes between Buda and Pest is where is it better to start getting acquainted with the city - from Buda Hill or from old Pest? Let this be a rhetorical question.
So, across the river from the castle complex lies the Belvaros district, the core of the old city, the first surviving buildings in which date back to the 12th century (such as the parish church). Right on the square in front of the church, the ruins of a small fort from the time of the Roman Empire are preserved. The embankment has been rebuilt for walking - from here it is customary to admire Buda.
In Belvaros, as well as throughout central Pest, there are many monuments to outstanding Hungarians - this is a kind of national showcase of the formation of statehood. From here, from Vörösmarty Square, the Váci pedestrian street begins (may the flow of tourists on it never dry up, day or night). And the majestic buildings of the city council and the university library are not so far from the no less majestic Central Market.
Belvaros smoothly flows into Liptovaros (the first district that once began to be built outside the fortress walls of Pest). Here the sovereign scope is felt more strongly. Just look at the Hungarian Parliament building, so huge, 268 m long and 96 m high, that tourists prefer to photograph it from the west bank. The square in front of Parliament is again full of monuments, and on public holidays it attracts parades. Hardly inferior in size to it is, perhaps, the main Hungarian temple - St. Stephen's Basilica (not a museum, so admission is free). Both buildings were built at the beginning of the 20th century.
Liptovaros is famous for its bridges: the Chain Bridge (named after Szechenyi) became the first permanent crossing between the two banks in the mid-19th century, and the Princess Margaret Bridge, built after it, broke the record for the number of rebuildings and reconstructions.
Both Belvaros and Liptovaros are in administrative district V, the smallest district of Pest, which gives an idea of the actual size of this part of the city. The territories of the districts grow as they approach the outskirts.
The main street of the VI district (Terezváros) is the straight and wide Andrássy Avenue. The hackneyed comparison with the Champs Elysees sounds stupid, but this is one of the most popular streets in Budapest, lined with palaces and mansions of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The avenue ends in district XIV, where Heroes' Square and the City Park are located (the largest in Europe and the most popular among tourists, the Szechenyi Baths, as well as an eclectic complex of buildings in different architectural styles, which are found throughout the country - popularly known as Vajdahunyadvar). The neighboring district VII is notable not only for its proximity to the old center and its Art Nouveau buildings, but also for the Jewish quarter of Erzsebetváros (built at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries). The Great Synagogue on Dohany Street, accommodating up to 3 thousand people, is still one of the largest in Europe.
Józsefváros (district VIII), delineated from the north by Rákóczi Avenue, is interesting for the oldest cemetery, “Kerepesi”, opened in 1847. In the same area and in the same year, the National Museum opened, the first museum in Hungarian history. The Baroque building of the St. Roch Hospital appeared 6 years earlier. Two blocks away you can stroll along the narrow Pushkin Street.
The territory of the city consists of 7 more islands on the Danube, including, in fact, the Palotai Peninsula. Margaret Island, in the center of the capital, is part of district XIII and is entirely turned into a recreation park (mostly active), has several thermal springs. You cannot drive here by private car. The largest island, Csepel, stretches 48 km in length and belongs to Budapest only at its northern tip.
Tourist safety in Budapest
The crime situation in Budapest is by no means worse than in other large European cities. Most often, guests of the capital become victims of scammers, pickpockets and car burglars.
Transport
Public transport in Budapest includes the metro, trams, trolleybuses and buses, as well as taxis. Tickets can be purchased at the entrance to the metro, at newsstands and orange ticket machines located on the street near transport stops. A single ticket costs 350 HUF, a single ticket with the possibility of transfers costs 530 HUF, a 24-hour pass costs 1,650 HUF, and a 72-hour pass costs 4,150 HUF. Buying a single ticket already in transport will cost 100 HUF more.
Three metro lines intersect in the city center at Deak ter Square. Trains run every 2-15 minutes, depending on the time of day. Opening hours are from 4:30 to 23:00; after 23:00 you can get to the hotel by night buses, which are marked in the schedule with the letter “E”. In total, there are about 200 bus routes in Budapest, there are even express buses - buses with red numbers, which (you should be careful!) do not stop everywhere. To get off the bus, you need to press a special button above the door.
In addition, there are more than 30 tram routes in the capital, which run every 5-10 minutes.
An important point: all Budapest metro stations have separate platforms for trains traveling in different directions, with separate entrances, usually located on different sides of the street. It is impossible to go from one side of the station to the other in the metro itself: you have to go up, cross the road, go down and pay the fare again.
We read about types of transportation that are unexpected for many cities in the world, but not for the Hungarian capital, on the page “Public transport in Budapest”.
Taxi
Cars have a TAXI sign and a yellow license plate; rates are posted on the door glass or on the dashboard. Landing - 300 HUF during the day, 420 HUF - at night; 1 km of travel - 240 HUF during the day, 336 HUF at night; minute of waiting - 60-84 HUF, respectively. At the client's request, the driver is required to provide an invoice. Prices on the page are for October 2018.
Rent a Car
At first glance, being “astride” a car in Budapest is not a very good idea. Parking in the city center is paid, traffic is dense, there are many pedestrian areas. However, any motorist will object to you that for the sake of freedom of movement (it is easy to get to Obuda, the suburbs, to see local attractions, and not just those concentrated in the old center) “he will survive this trouble.”
The further away your hotel is from the old town, the more likely it is to have free public or private parking. Hotels in the center usually have paid parking even for clients. It’s cheaper to find a city parking somewhere nearby and leave your car there for the day, saving up to 50%.
The city has a network of municipal parking lots P + R (Parking and ride), designed for 4 thousand parking spaces (about 30 parking zones organized near metro stations or tram stops). Most zones are free for a few hours.
Parking lots are equipped with automatic machines; On weekends, public parking is free of charge (on Saturdays there may be a fee from 8:00 to 12:00), on weekdays there is a fee from 8:00 to 18:00. You should carefully read the information at the machine: in the center and near attractions, parking may remain paid both on weekends and in the late evening and night. Be prepared to need some change. Old-style machines do not accept cards, and sometimes paper money. All parking lots are divided by cost into zones, depending on the proximity to the old center. The maximum cost for an hour of parking in the center is from 450 HUF.
In the central part of Pest (the area between the Erzsebet and Chain bridges) there are restrictions on car traffic, in Buda the same restrictions apply on Fortress Hill; It is prohibited to enter by car into Margaret Island (recreational area).
There are many international rental companies in the city: Avis, Hertz, Budget, Europcar. The rental price, of course, depends on the class of the car; Discounts are provided for the duration of the rental. On average, it comes out to 17,000 HUF per day. Be prepared that the deposit on the card will be frozen - from 400 EUR (again, the amount depends on the terms of the contract and whether you agree to pay additionally for insurance). Interestingly, the vignette is usually already included in the contract price. There are fewer local offices, but they exist and you can negotiate with them for some bonuses: no deposit, a smartphone with a local SIM card and mobile Internet for the driver, walkie-talkies for two or more cars (Smart Trip4, Rent-a-smart Budapest, Fox Auto Rent) .
Communications and Wi-Fi
Free Internet access in Budapest is easy to find, but it’s more difficult to find it, but to call home using not an Internet messenger, but a cellular network, you will have to come to terms with the rather sad conditions of international roaming.
If you need constant mobile access, you have the option of purchasing a SIM card from one of the local operators operating in 3G and 4G: Telenor, Vodafone or Magyar Telecom (formerly T-Mobile). The latter's tariffs are somewhat cheaper. On average, the cost of 1 GB of traffic ranges from 1000-1500 HUF. Telenor offers a special “guest” line: only for mobile access, without the ability to make calls. Such SIM cards require a minimum of settings and are immediately inserted into a tablet or smartphone.
Calling Russia through Hungarian operators is not a very good idea. Despite the fact that roaming in Russian cellular networks has become more expensive since 2014, tariffs from local operators will be higher. In addition, when purchasing a Hungarian SIM card, you must present a foreign passport - only the main operator outlets in Budapest operate using this system; in others, the SIM card may not be sold. Also, Russian tourists often fail to set up a SIM card on their own, even through the menu in English. In this case, the help of a sales consultant is required.
Once a very common option, telephone booths are becoming less and less common in Budapest.
Now about the pleasant things. Free Wi-Fi greets you immediately at Liszt Franz Airport. The Budapest metro also has partial coverage. Some bus routes (usually tourist or intercity/international) are equipped with hot spots. Moreover, Budapest museums are so interactive that they strive to provide visitors with free access to both online guides and online exhibitions, as well as to all other sites.
Tourists are so accustomed to public or private free networks that they complain that Wi-Fi is not available in all city baths. Judging by the reviews, the VII administrative district of the city (Erzsebetváros, bordering old Pest) provides free Wi-Fi throughout the entire territory as a municipal project.
Needless to say, free Wi-Fi has become the norm for most Budapest cafes and restaurants - both small and chain establishments... Hoteliers are required to organize free access in common areas and, most often, in rooms too. However, before booking, you should check this point on the website of a particular hotel.
Budapest Card
In Budapest, to save on travel costs, it makes sense to buy a “tourist pass” or a “Budapest” card. With this card you can travel for free on public transport and visit museums for three days, receiving heaps of discounts in a variety of places: from baths to shops and from restaurants to minibuses towards the airport. The cards are sold at tourist information offices, hotels, travel agencies and large public transport ticket offices (BKV).
Maps of Budapest
Budapest Hotels
What to buy
Traditional food. It is recommended to buy wines (from 300 HUF per bottle) and local beer (from 180 HUF) not in duty-free: in city markets and grocery stores the range is wider and the prices are lower. It is advisable to choose palinka (fruit brandy) from a well-known brand, since cheap analogues are far from the original taste. Unicum bitter liqueur (infused with 40 herbs) is produced by the family company Zwack; Even a carbonated version of the Unicum Next drink appeared on sale, designed, as the name suggests, for a youth audience.
Hungarian salami is not only famous throughout Europe, but is also perfect for transportation. Therefore, in Budapest we buy Pick salami, the most “sausage” brand from the city of Szeged. The capital also produces Herz salami, popular domestically but less known outside Hungary. Paprika paste in tubes (pirosarany) is another local product that is difficult to buy elsewhere. Saffron, marzipan and other sweets are also brought from here. For example, you won’t buy a multi-layer Dobos torta sponge cake with chocolate cream and caramel anywhere else.
If you're done with food, what about folklore motifs? As in other countries of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Hungarians have preserved bright national clothes with embroidery. Tourists buy even larger quantities of embroidered tablecloths, curtains, and bed linen. Real Hungarian porcelain is much more difficult to find. In the country, it was produced for several hundred years at the two largest factories, Zsolnay and Herend. Until now, such dishes are a luxury item, but due to the economic recession, production capacity had to be significantly reduced. In any case, you need to remember that in the souvenir malls in the city center or in the shops in the castle area, there are quite a lot of one-day crafts originating from China.
Where to buy
Now let's take a closer look at the retail outlets: some of them are so majestic that they can be recommended for viewing as an architectural landmark. First of all, this is the indoor Central Market in a building from the late 19th century. People come here to buy local products, alcohol, clothes made in Hungry and souvenirs. The Lehel market, located on the street of the same name, is considered a market “for locals” and sells mainly food products. It is to Lehel that peasant households bring vegetables, fruits and their homemade products.
There are quite a few shopping centers in Budapest where chain mass clothing brands are concentrated. So, within walking distance from the Central Market this is the West End. The largest shopping center in Budapest at the moment, Arena Plaza (more than 200 stores), is located a few kilometers from the historical center. Armani, Zegna, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Dior, Versace, Lanvin boutiques are located on Andrássy Avenue in the city center. Many tourists are surprised by another sign of Budapest, the abundance of second-hand shops right there in the city center. Budapest is sometimes called the second-hand capital of Europe. Some stores in this segment claim to be elitist and vintage chic (like the Szputnyk chain, which has several locations around the city).
Typically, the city's shops are closed on Sunday and close early on Saturday. However, supermarkets and private shops often do not comply with this rule. Markets are closed on Sundays, and on Saturday they quickly empty out at 13:00. Shopping centers are always open on Saturday until 19:00-21:00. Some Tesco stores are open 24 hours a day.
What to try
Good wine, tart cheese, an abundance of meat and vegetable dishes, generously seasoned with spices and paprika - Hungarian (aka Magyar) cuisine is considered an explosive mixture of European traditions and oriental motifs. Some disappointment may await vegetarians, for whom the choice, on the contrary, will not be so great.
The main thing that you cannot miss when you find yourself in the capital of Hungary is goulash. We are talking about a thick, high-calorie and spicy soup - there is so much meat in it that vegetables serve only as a light load... We eat “correct” goulash in a restaurant or snack bar - from 700-800 HUF per serving in a bowl to 3500 HUF and more expensive for soup served in bread. In addition to the classic version of the dish, in Budapest you can try an even thicker version, “perkölt”, or goulash with mushrooms and green peas - “tokan”.
Meat dishes are the basis of all Magyar cuisine; they are generously seasoned with sour cream and paprika, dumplings and mustard sauce. Few people know, but a special breed of pigs was even bred in Hungary. In addition to their specific appearance (long stubble), these pigs differ from other pigs in their even fattier meat. Therefore, local sausages, including Debrecen sausages and Hungarian salami, are known far beyond the country's borders. In supermarkets, a stick of inexpensive sausage costs from 600 HUF, raw smoked meat - from 1500 HUF.
Hungarian cuisine has one important feature: fish appears in it sporadically, but seafood does not. The fact is that the country is landlocked; fish are caught in inland rivers or lakes (pike perch from Lake Balaton is called “fogash” here). One of the popular Christmas dishes is local fish soup, originally from the city of Szeged, on the Tisza River. It can easily be prepared in restaurants with traditional cuisine, but shrimp or mussels will most likely be defrosted for you first and only then served.
Hungarian wines for visitors start with the most famous, Tokaji. The wines from this region cannot be confused with others thanks to the large Tokaji inscription on the label. There are three main varieties. The most popular Aszu, due to the peculiarities of its preparation, causes the most confusion. On each bottle of this wine the number of puttonyos is indicated: 3, 4, 5, 6. We are not talking about the years of aging, but about how many berry barrels were used to create the wine: the more of them, the sweeter the final product and more expensive a bottle of wine.
From September 9 to 13, the annual wine festival (Budapest International Wine Festival) is held in Budapest: on the square in front of Buda Castle and other venues throughout the city. To prevent your head from spinning, you should still snack on more than 170 varieties of local wines - the national dishes offered right there.
If you come to Budapest outside of the festival, and your interest in Hungarian winemaking is not limited to the widest range of supermarkets, welcome to the tasting rooms. You don’t have to go far, but right in the old town you can stop by the Faust Wine Cellar, a favorite among tourists. The tasting, accompanied by an English-speaking sommelier, lasts about two hours in the format of 5 sets +1 and costs 5900 HUF.
Tasting rooms are interesting because they also bring wines from small farms, created according to original or old recipes. Such wines are not available for retail sale.
After the first and second courses and wine tastings, there is no time for sweets. Therefore, we strongly recommend starting your day in Budapest in cafes and pastry shops. Whether it's layered pancakes, chocolate brownies or cakes (the famous almond-chocolate esterházy also comes from here), you will once again see that in Hungary it is not customary to count calories.
Budapest tourist
Cafes and restaurants in Budapest
Hungarian cuisine has not turned into a brand, like Italian or French, but in Western Europe, spoiled, to be honest, with establishments of various formats, they love this “neighborhood” food and go for it.
A popular location not only for tourists, but also for locals is the pedestrian street Vatci (Vatci utca), similar to Moscow's Arbat. There are many shops and restaurants of all kinds on it. In total, in Budapest, according to rough estimates, there are more than 3 thousand restaurants.
Even on the central streets there are plenty of kebab and burger joints, however, as elsewhere in Europe, international catering is thriving. We find characteristic signs of Budapest in small and cozy pubs, in coffee shops with cakes and marzipan: here locals sit for what seems like hours, chatting and in no hurry. In bakeries, most often there are tables where you can drink coffee with a still warm bun or eat one “tredelnik” (a long baguette, hollow inside, sprinkled with nuts and sugar) for two.
In pubs in Budapest you will definitely be offered not only beer, but also wine. Despite the fact that locals have great respect for their Hungarian beer, the beer list always includes Czech, German and Austrian brands. And for the first acquaintance, God himself ordered Hungarian sausages to be a snack, and even home-made ones (they, however, are not at all cheap, unlike light alcohol, which flows like a river).
Some pubs honor the spirit of old England to the letter, but tourists are much more interested in “ruin pubs” (from the English word “ruin”). This is not only a new format among drinking establishments, but also a real city landmark. The first ruin pubs arose in the two-hundred-year-old Jewish quarter of Erzsebetváros, within walking distance of the old center. They were opened directly in abandoned buildings, making minimal repairs and making sure that the ceiling would not collapse on the heads of visitors.
Most people come here to drink, not eat; Because of the love of tourists, establishments keep the average price tag. Close attention is paid to the interior: broken or worn-out furniture gets the most unexpected juxtaposition in the form of car tires, old bikes, and household appliances turned inside out. It got to the point where “pseudo-ruin pubs” appeared. The owners open them in ordinary buildings and arrange “artificial wear” in the premises.
It is customary for local restaurants to invite gypsy ensembles, which play not on a common stage, but for each table separately. If you don’t like this custom or loud music is not part of your plans, then you must immediately make it clear that you do not need to play for you, since it is customary to thank the performer with a tip (the amount should not exceed 1500-2000 HUF).
The main thing that tourists note is that prices are still affordable, compared not only with other European cities, but also with Moscow or St. Petersburg. Yes, it is more expensive here than in other regions of the country, including the small resort villages of Lake Balaton, but it is quite possible to spend 3500-4500 HUF in one of the many restaurants in Budapest. A piece of pizza or a bun from hawkers on the street - from 200-225 HUF.
If you want to dine on the weekend, it is better to make a reservation at the most popular establishments several weeks in advance. Almost all establishments, both inexpensive and respectable, accept payment by card. A tip of 10-15% is usually included in the bill. The kitchen stops working an hour before closing. If the cafe is open until 0:00 or until the last visitor, then the kitchen accepts orders strictly until 23:00.
The size of the portions depends on the policy of the establishment, but in a traditional Hungarian bistro/bar, all meat is served at the rate of 1 dish for 1.5 people: there should be a lot of hearty food, they believe in Budapest.
The best photos of Budapest
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Guides in Budapest
Entertainment and attractions in Budapest
Budapest is deservedly considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and the panorama of the central part of the city overlooking the Danube is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The capital of Hungary consists of three historical parts - Pest, Buda and Óbuda and is the only city in the world with more than 120 thermal springs. First of all, you should visit the Buda Fortress and the Fisherman's Bastion: from there, from the Buda mountains, you can see a magnificent view of the opposite bank of the Danube, including the most beautiful building in the Pest part - the Parliament.
The fortress complex on the mountain can be treated differently: it is called both the “dead” city and the “eclecticism” of Budapest, but this quarter, rebuilt over the centuries, has absorbed so many features... Its heart is, of course, the Royal Palace, with a typical and at the same time not a very logical and not very royal story.
The first castle built on this site was actually the home of a royal person (13-14 centuries). The Renaissance, and then Turkish rule, made their own adjustments, but it did not survive the 17th century. 30 years later, on its ruins, the venerable Empress of Austria-Hungary Maria Theresa began the construction of a new, compact and not particularly necessary for Her Majesty (one wing of the building was eventually transferred to a convent). When Budapest became the capital of Hungary, the palace was given a new role and a truly grandiose construction project was started, which, starting in 1875, lasted a full 40 years.
This massive building gives an idea of greatness, but not of the first kings who reigned on this hill (Bela IV or Sigismund). Important institutions such as the National Library, the Budapest History Museum, and the National Gallery are also located here. Not far from the colossus of the Royal Palace, on St. George's Square, stands the less visible Sándor Palace. This is the former residence of the Hungarian prime ministers and the current residence of the country's presidents (it was completely destroyed during World War II and reconstructed in the 90s).
But on the Royal Hill there are still buildings that remember the “ancient” kings of Hungary. First of all, the main temple of Buda, the Church of the Virgin Mary: the first mention dates back to the 13th century. The temple survived the Turkish invasion, serving as the main city mosque for a century and a half. A major reconstruction took place at the end of the 19th century. The remains of Béla III and his wife (12th century) are buried here; Hungarian rulers were crowned here until 1916. However, in size and decoration, the church is inferior to the main temple in Hungary today, St. Stephen's Basilica (built in 1905), which rises on the opposite bank in the territory of old Pest.
Once on Buda Hill, you need to visit the underground caves that line the mountain, as well as walk through the mid-19th century pedestrian tunnel (connecting the Danube embankment with the western regions).
Walking around Pest, you cannot miss Andrássy Avenue, also included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: with the Opera House, the old building of the Academy of Music, the University of Fine Arts and the round square decorated with sculptures. Kodai. Andrássy Avenue ends at Heroes' Square with an architectural ensemble of museums and the Millennium Monument, a symbol of the Hungarian capital. Most of Budapest's most significant sights can now be seen from the water, during a rafting excursion on the Danube or on the wonderful RiverRide bus.
The picturesque Margaret Island, a nature reserve with a wonderful arboretum park, is one of the main “must-sees” of Budapest. It is located in the middle of the Danube in the very center of the capital between the Margaret and Arpad bridges.
If the Royal Castle is not enough to explore the palaces of Hungary, we recommend heading to the suburbs. In Gödöllö (a place 30 km from the capital, conveniently accessible by HEV commuter trains) there is also a royal palace, only built in the first half of the 18th century. The residence received royal favor: Franz Joseph I loved to stay here for a long time. And, having driven to Szentendre, a town on the right bank of the Danube (20 km from Budapest), we will find there many original churches of the early 18th century, museums of wine, marzipan, ceramics, museums several outstanding Hungarian artists.
The neat town of Vác (“the pearl of the Hungarian Baroque”) and one of the country’s ancient capitals, Visegrád, where it’s worth visiting the ruins of a medieval fortress on Sibik Hill and the perfectly preserved watchtower of Salamon, are also considered must-see suburbs... Getting to know Hungary continues.
10 things to do in Budapest
- Explore the old town in Buda and on the other side, in Pest, to form your own opinion about which of these two Budapests you like best.
- Go on a boat trip along the Danube in the evening: wrap yourself in a blanket, admire the lighting, and don’t spill the Tokaji from your glass.
- Inspect the baths: compare Szechenyi, where “all of us were” in the city park with the view Gellert baths under the mountain.
- Start the day with a cup of strong coffee and a terribly high-calorie cream cake, watching the old center fill with tourists.
- Visit the most colorful of the Old World's zoos - even if you are only a child at heart.
- Climb up to the observation deck on Mount János or Mount Gellért, and be amazed.
- Spend the day, without rushing, in one of the city parks: feed the birds, sunbathe and immediately take photographs of historical places.
- Be amazed at underground Budapest: catacombs under the castle hill, natural labyrinths in the stalagmite cave of Pal-Völdi.
- Take a ride with or without a breeze: on the funicular (silko) to the Buda Castle, in the carriage of the longest tram in the world, on the 1st (yellow) metro line with small carriages to imagine what it looked like at the end of the 19th century.
- Rush to one of the nearest suburbs, where you will finally be greeted by natural ancient ruins and baroque architecture untouched by creative alterations.
Museums
Among the main museums of the capital, the National History Museum of Hungary, the Hungarian Art Museum and the Hungarian National Museum of Natural History stand out, as well as the palace complex with a Gothic temple in Buda and the Parish Church in Belváros. As a rule, museums are open from 10:00 to 18:00, closed on Mondays.
Not long ago, a museum dedicated to hairdressing (Fodraszmuzeum) was opened in the capital. The permanent exhibition includes a recreated hairdressing salon of the 1880s, where more than 2 thousand items are presented, including very rare tools for making wigs. And also: old hair dryers, razors, scissors, curling irons and many unusual interesting things.
Budapest for children
If older children share their parents’ passion for architectural beauty and historical monuments, then simply open the guidebook and start from the old center, diluting the views with gastronomic joys. But even in this case, you will have to devote several days exclusively to “children’s” entertainment (water park, zoo, cable car, ice skating rink in winter or water treatments in open parks in summer). Of course, everything depends on the interests of your child, and we will only tell you about the most “Budapest” of children’s joys.
If you are lucky with the weather, we recommend one of the city parks. You should definitely visit Margaret Island, located along the Danube just north of old Buda and old Pest between the Margaret and Arpad bridges. This is a completely green area for active recreation, as much as 100 hectares, on which there is something to do: the ruins of an ancient monastery, a functioning observation deck, hotel baths (admission for a fee), a Japanese garden, a rose garden, fountains (including a light fountain, as well as a fountain with live turtles), mini-zoo, singing well. A huge selection of rental equipment for moving around the park (in addition to bikes and rickshaws, electric cars and electric scooters). The Palatinusk Bathhouse has its own beach, as well as pools and water slides; it is sometimes called a “mini water park”.
You can head to the Central City Park (Városliget), an equally amazing place. The always crowded Szechenyi Baths are not very suitable for children under 5-6 years old, since there are no children's pools here, but the hot springs will be of interest to everyone older. On the territory of Budapest there are no architectural “miniatures” (smaller copies of the most famous buildings and monuments) so common throughout Europe, but in Városliget there is the Vajdahunyad palace complex (elements of 21 of the most famous buildings in Hungary are included here). Next to the palace, opposite the baths, is the city zoo: not boring with just cages and enclosures, but cute, as all visitors note. For example, the elephants have a building in the style of an Indian palace, and a hippopotamus bathes in a thermal bath. Many children have never seen so many heat-loving animals at once: sloths, lemurs, pandas, rhinoceroses, anteaters. In winter (November-February) a skating rink is built in Városliget.
Are the kids tired of castles and bathhouses? Then it’s time to go on a “big trip” to Mount Janos, the highest point in Budapest (529 m above sea level), and climb the observation tower (entrance is free). You will only have to desperately climb in places; The 1.5-kilometer Libegö cable car leads to the mountain. It takes about 10 minutes to climb from there to the tower. Don’t think that on the cable car you will use carriages - chairs for two with a clip-bar so that you can enthusiastically turn your head and dangle your legs in the air. The cable car has an alternative in the form of a children's railway. Then the ascent and descent will lose all their thrill, you will slowly ride in one of the open carriages (there are no windows as such).
Combine a walk through old Buda with a trip to the Marzipan Museum: located on the ground floor of the Hilton Hotel on Buda Hill (aka Fortress Hill or Fortress Quarter), next to the Fisherman's Bastion. Marzipan sculptures, interior items, paintings, fruits and plants. The shop and cafe at the museum are considered expensive. Look around the exhibition, eat some sweets, but it will be cheaper to buy marzipans elsewhere. September
October
november
December
The climate is temperate continental, seasonal temperature differences are quite significant. As a rule, the coldest month is January, the hottest are June, July and August.
The center of Budapest is already so frequented by tourists that the Hungarians themselves living in districts V, parts VI and VII must feel uncomfortable. In good weather there is no crowd here: the famous city baths are overcrowded, and there is no escape from foreigners in the Jewish quarter. The Village found out where to go.
Baths Rudas
It would be stupid to come to Budapest and not decide to go to the baths, although many are shy, especially if they are not familiar with the process. After the first visit, you develop your own method of soaking in the healing waters: you can first simply bask in a tank of water +32 degrees, then go to a hot bath (+40), then go to the steam room, and from there, after a short shower, jump to +17 and below . As you wish!
There are many bathhouses in the city, and they are packed on weekends. The Rudas bath has been known since 1556, when Buda had already been under the rule of the Turks for 15 years. Rudas is colorful: eight green columns support a dome, under which there is an octagonal pool with thermal water from three springs. Here, huge men, wrapped in sheets, give couples a massage on stone sun loungers, you can swim in the pool, sit in a jacuzzi overlooking the Danube, but there is a nuance. Since 1936, the bathhouse has been open only to men, and, apparently, as a tribute to tradition, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are still men's days. Only on Tuesday the bathhouse is open for women, and on weekends there is a relaxation and everyone can come.
On men's days, you can walk around naked and look at the bizarre tattoos of the kindest thugs, resting their soul and body; on women's days, you can listen to the chatter of Hungarian girlfriends, neighbors, and elderly ladies, who go to the bathhouse every Tuesday. If you don’t want to be separated by gender, then come early in the morning on weekends or at night. On Saturday the baths are open until four in the morning.
Borozo and Sorozo
Almost every village has its own Borozó and Söröző, and in the city these well-known establishments are scattered everywhere. In Borozó they pour wine for pennies, in Söröző - beer. Tourists are usually afraid to come here: it is immediately clear that no one speaks here except Hungarian. But the assortment is so small that it’s impossible to explain it somehow. In wine shops they give Hungarian white, red or rosé from a can. One of these establishments appears in Zoltan Fabri’s film “The Fifth Seal” (1976), it costs .
There will be textured witches around you, which sometimes gather here from early morning.
Homemade Pikkpack shoes
Designer Sara Gulyas is a graduate of the Budapest University of Art and Design named after one of the largest avant-garde artists of the first half of the last century, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy. While still studying, the girl immersed herself in the history of Hungarian shoes and became interested in bocskor (barrel) - slippers that are made from a single piece of leather. Sarah had the idea to try to make similar shoes today and involve those who would wear them in the process. She quickly raised $20,000 on Kickstarter and launched production. All the fashion magazines in the city write about Pikkpack.
Each pair of Pikkpack comes with two pairs of laces and instructions on how to sew your own boots with these laces. For the owner of Pikkpack, the process will take about an hour. The leather is soft, everything breathes, there are a huge number of colors, it’s comfortable to wear. To order your own pair, you need to leave a request on the website. Sarah and her colleagues will tell you how to pick up your shoes or arrange delivery (possible to any country).
Butter Brothers
There are so many cute little establishments in Budapest that tourists don’t have time to get to them. One of them, the Butter Brothers bakery, is located not far from the Central Market. There is excellent coffee, silence, deserted Lonay Street, homemade cakes and delicacies for lunch.
Lehel Market
To get to the market at the Lehel ter station you will have to take the metro in your own Mytishchi carriage. Although this place inherited a monstrous building from 2002, it itself is quite pleasant: unlike the Central Market, where there is a constant hum, it is quiet here. Lehel has fewer people, a more varied range of local products, a lot of fish and spices. It's not worth walking around the market; the most pleasant part of the XIII district is closer to the Danube.
Walking in the mountains
On weekends, you can meet many families with children on the hills of Buda: in good weather, people go for walks and picnics, go jogging and walk their dogs. Here you can walk along routes of varying degrees of difficulty (colored signs are painted on the trees so as not to get lost), ride a bike (for those who are not afraid to ride uphill), ride along the pioneer railway or climb to the observation tower on Jànos hegy on a chairlift lift
You can come to Normafa, which offers views of the interior of Buda, a little of the Danube and the Pest area behind the parliament. The name of the mountain was given by Bellini's opera; in 1840, an aria from the opera “Norma” was sung under an old beech tree. There are also several places where you can have a snack and drink coffee. From here it’s easy to take the Pioneer Railway, where children aged 10–14 work, thus learning the railway business, and get to the observation tower, and go down from it. Or exactly the opposite: from Buda take a chairlift to the tower, from there take the Pioneer Railway and go for a walk along Normafa, and from there take the metro.
From the Széll Kálmán tér metro station you need to take buses 21 or 21A. Or by rack railway - route 60 from Városmajor.
Budapest is often called one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe, because few countries can boast of a main city that features many examples of unique architecture, a beautiful river, breathtaking views, beautiful nature, interesting monuments, museums, theaters. Is this so and what attracts millions of tourists to this city on the Danube, let’s figure it out together.
Description of the city of Budapest
Let's start getting acquainted with Budapest or, as it is also called, the Pearl of the Danube, with a brief description of the metropolis and excursions into history.
Geographical position
Budapest is the capital of Hungary and its main political, cultural, industrial, and transport center. In addition, it is the largest city by population in the country and the eighth largest in the European Union by this indicator - 1.745 million inhabitants live here.
Budapest is one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe Located in Central Europe, in the lowlands of the Carpathian Basin, which is surrounded by the Carpathian, South Slavic mountain ranges, and the Alps. The highest point of the capital is Mount Janos, its height is 527 meters.
The presence of many thermal springs in Budapest is a result of the fact that the city is located on the site of a tectonic fault.
Budapest is divided into two halves by the Danube River. One half of the city is hilly, the other is flat. The Tisza River flows in the east of the city. In the west lies one of the largest lakes in Europe and the largest in Hungary - Balaton. In the vicinity of the city on the Danube there are seven islands.
The area of the metropolis is 525.14 square meters. km.
Budapest map
A little bit of history
Budapest became the main center of the country in 1918. And the city itself was founded in 1873 - it was then that three small Hungarian settlements (Pest, on the eastern side of the Danube, Buda and Óbuda, on the western side) were united into one.
The indigenous population of Hungary are Hungarians, they make up a little more than 91%. The official language in the country is Hungarian. Currency – forints, euros.
How to get to Budapest
Getting to the capital of Hungary is not difficult from almost anywhere in the world - the transport network is well developed here. Budapest has five international airports, three railway stations and two international bus stations.
Tourists often resort to transfers and use air travel, for example, to fly to Austria, Poland, Germany, France, Belgium, and then transfer to a train or bus to get to Hungary. This is what Russians do, for example, since only Moscow airports offer direct flights. In addition, such transfers sometimes allow you to significantly save on your trip.
By plane. If you fly a direct flight from Moscow, the cheapest two-way ticket will cost an average of 14.6 thousand rubles (11 thousand one way). This is how much low-cost airlines Wizz Air charge. Aeroflot offers to get to Budapest and return back to Moscow for 24.6-30.8 thousand rubles (19.5 thousand one way). Travel time is 2.35-2.45 hours. Both companies have daily flights.
When choosing an airline, you should remember that the price of a low-cost ticket does not include any additional services. All of them are paid additionally, including luggage transportation.
With one transfer, the trip can last up to 6-20 hours, but it will be cheaper. 9.5 hours on the road with Turkish Airlines will cost 7.6 thousand rubles one way.
By train. A direct train from Moscow runs daily - this is “Moscow-Warsaw”, it includes a direct carriage that delivers to Budapest. Travel time – 30 hours. Cost: 175 euros per compartment.
By bus. The best way to get to Budapest by bus is to travel to Poland, the Baltic states or Slovakia. There you need to change to transport going to Budapest. There are no direct bus connections with the capital of Hungary.
By car. The distance from Moscow to Budapest is 2040 km. You can overcome them by several routes. The main ones run through the territory of Ukraine, and since today it is difficult for citizens of the Russian Federation to travel through it, we suggest going through Belarus. The route of the trip to Budapest will look like this: Belarus – Poland – Slovakia – Hungary. The journey without stops will take about a day.
From St. Petersburg it is better to choose the route through the Baltic states, Poland and the Czech Republic.
Male Russian citizens aged 18-55 years should refrain from traveling by personal transport through the territory of Ukraine.
Budapest weather and climate
The climate of Budapest is designated as temperate continental. This means that winters here are mild, damp and short, and summers are hot.
The weather in Budapest is stable; sudden temperature fluctuations are rare. However, in late autumn and winter it is usually not suitable for hiking. As a rule, due to high humidity, the weather at this time is popularly called nasty. Snow can remain for 30-40 days. The Danube freezes completely in winter.
Interesting! The central part of Budapest with historical and architectural objects is included in the list and taken under the protection of UNESCO.
If you want to experience deep and unforgettable emotions by touching world history, then your Budapest tourist route and sightseeing plan should definitely include monuments dedicated to man and human tragedies. Just look at the monument to shoes on the Embankment (Holocaust Memorial Center), which does not let you forget about the cruelty of the Nazis shooting the Jews of Budapest. Or the famous Plague Pillar (Castle Hill), reminiscent of the numerous victims of the plague.
What else to see in Budapest? In the center there are many beautiful and romantic streets with stunning architecture. As a rule, in the warm season, tour operators offer a boat ride along the Danube to admire and sail under the eight graceful bridges of Budapest. In addition, the water also offers a magnificent view of the city - interesting buildings, monuments, and sculptures are located along the banks.
For lovers of museum exhibits and fine arts, more than 200 museums and galleries open their doors every day, except Mondays. Among the popular museums in Budapest, it is worth remembering the Hungarian National Gallery, the Hungarian National Museum, the Budapest History Museum, the Museum of Applied Arts, the Museum of Terror, the Beer Museum, the National Wine Museum, and the LuMu Museum of Contemporary Art. Not far from the capital there are the Skansen open-air museum and the Marzipan Museum; in Budapest itself Memento Park is interesting.
Budapest will not disappoint theater lovers either. Theatergoers will be interested in the Hungarian State Opera House, the Budapest Operetta Theater, the Comedy Theater, and the National Theater.
Other ways to have fun in Budapest
In addition to Budapest for sightseeing, the capital of Hungary has a lot to offer to those who find ordinary sightseeing boring, extreme sports enthusiasts and clubbers.
Leisure
Bike tours. The main Hungarian city is convenient for lovers of traveling by bicycle, since almost throughout the center there are rental shops where you can rent both regular two-wheelers and tandem bicycles, bicycles with child seats. There are few bike paths in the city itself - they are equipped on the embankment and the streets nearby. Margaret Island boasts good infrastructure for cyclists.
Velomobile. In the warm season, Budapest residents and tourists flock to Margaret Island to take a break from the bustle of the city in the park, playing outdoor games: badminton, frisbee, volleyball, tennis, etc. You can also rent bicycles, electric cars, and velomobiles here.
Karting. You can ride karts on a 420-meter asphalt track.
Water activities. You can swim in the pond, ride a boat or catamaran, for example, in Városliget Park. In winter, an open-air skating rink is set up on the site of the lake. You can visit the water park and relax on the beach by going to Margaret Island.
Rope park. The most interesting one is located in the Challengeland Adventure Park. It is suitable for families and children.
. The SkyWard center offers you to feel what a person flying at a speed of 180-200 km per hour feels like. Cost: 62 euros per person, 98 for two. Children over six years old pay 46 euros.
Beer bike. You can drink beer on wheels without breaking the law by renting a beer bike. 14 people can spin the pedals at a degree for 2-5 hours at the same time. It is possible to explore the city on such a bike sober, drinking non-alcoholic drinks on the bike.
River walks. You can take a ride on a motor ship or an amphibious bus along the Danube. A boat trip will cost 12 euros (with coffee), 27 euros (with beer tasting), 36 euros (with lunch), 49 euros (with dinner and live music).
Caves. Few people know that in addition to thermal springs, Budapest also has many caves. You can see stalactites, for example, in the Szemlo-hegy and Palvolgyi caves.
Zoo and Tropicarium-Oceanarium. You can observe interesting and exotic animals and fish in zoos in Budapest itself and on Margaret Island, and an aquarium on the outskirts of Budapest, in the Campona shopping center.
Funicular. You can take the funicular up to Széchenyi Hill.
"Sighet". Every year in August one of the largest world music festivals called Sziget takes place.
Night life
For lovers of entertainment in the dark, Budapest at night opens the doors of a number of establishments. Some of the most popular are Angel Club, Alcatraz Restaurant & Club, Capella, and the A38 Ship entertainment center.
The already mentioned night water parties are very loved by Budapest residents and tourists. In particular, these are held in the Rudas, Lukacs and Sechka baths. Fans of noise, nudity and alcohol should definitely attend such events. Entrance and drinks to such an establishment will cost an average of 50 euros.
Water parties are a favorite pastime of locals and tourists Another highlight of an evening out in Budapest are ruin bars or trash pubs. These are entertainment and drinking establishments that are located in abandoned buildings. Sometimes they also include a cultural component in the form of film screenings and exhibitions. The most famous ruin bars: Szimpla kert, Corvin Roofgarden, Meter, Instant, Fogashaz, Super 8. Most of them can be found in the Jewish quarter of Erzsebetváros.
And lovers of private parties with a substantial budget can afford to rent a Patty bus.
Car rental and public transport in Budapest
The public transport network in Budapest includes trams, trolleybuses, buses, a four-line metro, a rack railway, a funicular and a cable car. Ground public transport starts at 4.30 am and ends at 23.00. You can also use taxi services (call by phone) and water transport.
A one-time ticket for transport (not including railway, funicular and river transport) will cost approximately 350 forints (for the driver - 450), with one transfer - 530 forints. It must be composted. Once composted, it is limited to 80 minutes during the day and 120 minutes at night.
For those who plan to ride public transport throughout the day or day, a single ticket costs 1,650 forints. It also includes travel on the waterbuses on weekdays. You can purchase a three-day or seven-day pass. There are group tickets for different durations.
The Budapest Card allows you to travel for free on public transport. In addition to this service, it also includes two walking excursions, visits to baths and museums. The cost of this starts from 4.5 thousand forints.
The fine for traveling without a ticket is 50 euros. Tickets can be purchased from vending machines (where, in particular, the Russian language is provided) at almost every metro and transport station, at newsstands, and post offices.
Even when reviewing urban transport, you cannot do without interesting facts. Thus, Budapest trams are the longest in the world - one train is more than 50 meters long. And the Budapest metro is the oldest in Europe.
You can easily rent a car in Budapest, but it is advisable to do this only if you are going to travel outside the metropolis. In Budapest itself there are places where the passage of vehicles is limited, and on Margaret Island it is generally prohibited.
There are many services on the Internet that provide car rental services. This service can also be arranged at the hotel. The cost of renting a car will depend on the class of the car, the duration of the lease and the reputation of the company that rents it. It starts from 30 euros per day.
Cars for tourists are often equipped with a navigation system containing the main attractions. Traveling to neighboring countries is also allowed in such cars. To draw up a rental agreement, you must have a sample license, at least two years of driving experience and a certain amount on the card for a deposit. Typically, cars are not provided to young people who are under 21 years of age.
Where to stay and live: hotels in Budapest
The network of places to stay in the Hungarian capital is also very developed. It is represented by both expensive and luxurious hotels, and cheap options - in the form of hostels.
The top five hotels in Budapest include:
- Buddha-Bar Hotel Budapest Klotild Palace,
- Continental Hotel Budapest,
- Queen's Court Hotel & Residence,
- Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest,
- Danubius Hotel Gellert.
The best hostels are:
- Maverick City Lodge
- Swing Out Hostel,
- Carpe Noctem Hostel,
- Friends Hostel Budapest,
- Gaia Hostel.
What to buy and bring from Budapest: places for shopping
There are several things that Hungarians consider theirs and which tourists traditionally bring as souvenirs. There is even such a concept - “hungaricum”, which denotes objects and things characteristic only of the Hungarian people. Traditional “Hungaricum” souvenirs or symbols of Hungary that you can bring from Budapest include:
- Rubik's Cube. It is believed that this puzzle was invented by the Hungarian architecture teacher Erne Rubik. Cubes of different configurations, sizes and from different materials are sold in every souvenir shop. They are not cheap - from 20 dollars;
- wine "Tokay";
- herbal liqueur “Unicum”;
- palinka – Hungarian fruit vodka;
- porcelain. Original souvenirs made from Hungarian porcelain are very expensive. The price for a small figurine starts at $500;
- Halash lace and embroidered items;
- marzipan is a delicacy that is also sold at every turn. These include various figures, marzipan sweets and even marzipan plasticine. Such a souvenir will be affordable even for a budget tourist. The price of marzipan products starts from three dollars;
- Kevcekduda is a traditional Hungarian musical instrument, which is a clay vessel covered with leather on top with a hole into which a tube is inserted. This souvenir will also be affordable for any tourist; its cost starts from four dollars.
Shopping in Budapest can be done on the Vaci pedestrian street, which from start to finish is literally dotted with souvenir shops, cafes, and fast foods.
You can also buy souvenirs and food at the Central Market in Budapest. It's three stories high here. On the top floor you can try Hungarian delicacies in the foot court, on the second level there are souvenir shops, and on the lower level there is a food market.
There are a large number of shopping centers in the metropolis. The largest of them are West End and Arena Plaza. In the central part on Andrassy Avenue there are boutiques with many famous brands of clothing and shoes.
Most shops in Budapest are closed on Sunday.
Where and what delicious things to try: cafes and restaurants in Budapest
There are several dishes in Hungary that are traditional and known far beyond the country's borders. These are goulash, paprikash, perkelt, lecho, Debrecen sausages, Gyulai sausage, Hungarian salami, Dobos cake. It is important to know that Hungarian cuisine is replete with fatty and spicy meat dishes with paprika. And the portions in the cafe are very large.
One of the most expensive restaurants in the capital of Hungary is Gundel. Popular restaurants in Budapest are: Hungarikum Bisztro, Barack & Szilva Restaurant, Aszu Etterem, Comme Chez Soi, Onyx Restaurant.
There are many cafes and restaurants around the city offering local cuisine at a variety of prices. There are about three thousand of them in total. You can find places where it’s quite possible to eat a huge portion of goulash for 7 euros or drink coffee with delicacies for 8. A very beautiful and tasty option is goulash in bread.
You can visit very unusual cafes in Budapest. Among the outlandish establishments, let us remember the cat cafe, where you can dine surrounded by many cats. Also original is the Icebar, in which all the furniture and objects, including glasses, are made of ice. The temperature in the room does not exceed 15 degrees, and all visitors are given special warm clothing.
The famous Hungarian wine can be tasted in tasting rooms, for example in the Faust Cellar, which is in the very center.
The impression of ancient and diverse Europe will be incomplete without visiting one of the most beautiful European centers of Budapest. Experienced tourists claim that it is necessary to allocate at least five days for traveling to this city. This is exactly how much you will need to visit the most remarkable sites, taste local cuisine and swim in the springs. We would like to note that Budapest is one of the cheapest European capitals, where you can really and comfortably spend a weekend for 100 euros.