Budapest is a city of contrasts. The Buda side is a mixture of residential and historical sites. The Pest side is relatively speaking more modern and felt like a bustling city. Unlike Prague which was easier to see all the major sites in one day (although I still could go back to see more and experience it deeper), Budapest is much larger and spread out, leaving us feeling like a return visit was a must. Still we were able to see quite a bit of the major attractions Budapest has to offer. These are the things to do in Budapest in one day.
Things to do in Budapest – Buda Side
We arrived in Budapest late afternoon. Our hotel was on the Buda side which ended up being quite central. Most of our tour group was going on a paid excursion while my husband and I were off on our own to find dinner. From our hotel there were two ways over to the Buda castle district. One was up many flights of stairs to the top of the castle district. I have never felt so out of shape as I did climbing these stairs! I seriously need to work on my cardio. The first night however we walked through the tunnel that leads to the famous chain bridge that takes you over to the Pest side.
One of the things that many tour guides suggest is to take a river cruise on the Danube at night to see the Parliament buildings all lit up. They insist this is the best way to get the view. We totally skipped the river cruise and still were able to see the beauty of the Parliament buildings lit at night because we chose to eat dinner at one of the many restaurants on the Buda side along the Danube. Just walk along the river in the early evening, the view is magical.
The next day we had a half day tour of the city. We started up in the Buda Castle district. The history of this area is so detailed and many of the oldest buildings in Budapest are in this section of the city. This area was once a base of Nazi power and the Castle was rebuilt after the war. There is a church in this area that mostly destroyed as part of WWII, only the 15th century tower remains.
You can also see Mathias Church and Fishermen’s Bastion in the Buda Castle District. Fishermen’s Bastion is not a military fortification but was built as a lookout point with seven turrets for the seven Hungarian tribes.
Things to do in Budapest – Pest side
The next part of our tour was conducted on the bus. Budapest is must more spread out in comparison with Prague and to see all the sites you need to take transit. We went to Heroes Square as our first stop. This was built to honour the 1000th anniversary of the Hungarian conquest of the area and was opened in the year 1900 which is evident in the name Millennium Monument. It is also the terminus of the first underground Metro in continental Europe.
I found Heroes Square to be very congested and while interesting to see it is one of those one and done type of stop.
Our tour also took us past the Zoo and the famous Szechenyi Thermal Baths. One thing I wish I had the time to experience was at least one of the thermal baths but we just didn’t have time. The tour next took us down Andrassy Avenue past some of the high end shops and the famous Opera house.
Our tour ended at a square centrally located on the Pest side of the Danube. I mentioned before that the Pest side felt different than the Buda side. There was a fire on the Pest side during the Hapsburg rule of Budapest. Much of the Pest side was rebuilt to resemble Vienna. If you visit both cities you will see the similarities. It is relatively more modern in that this portion of the city was rebuilt in the late 1800s.
At this point we stopped to snack on a trdelnik and wander the streets. This is my favourite thing to do in any new city is to just walk the streets. This way we can take in the architecture and see some of the things that we couldn’t see from the bus. I don’t think you can really experience a city without walking around.
We didn’t really know where we were going but we walked along until we found the Budapest eye. Taking a break from all the touring in the park there. Next we wandered along the Danube. I highly suggest walking at some length both sides of the Danube river because the views are majestic. From the Pest side you can see the Buda Castle District sitting up on the hill.
We then made our way to St. Stephens Basilica named after the first King of Hungary. There is a fee to tour inside but it is a marvel even from the outside. Next we wandered up to view the Opera House and see Andrassy Avenue. The tree lined streets and stone buildings are very beautiful.
Since venturing further into the Pest side on foot was more than we could take on in the time we had left, we decided to head back to the Buda side of the city. We wandered across the famous Chain Bridge which was the first bridge to join the two sides of Budapest.
There is a pedestrian walkway on one side of the bridge. Pause frequently to look out over the Danube at the views of both sides of Budapest.
Before we called it quits for the day we took the stairs back up to wander around Buda Castle. There are many different paths up to the Castle. Make sure to pause for the views and to take a break from all those stairs! Walking up is strenuous so if you are looking for the easy way out take the funicular instead.
It is free to wander the castle grounds but if you want to go into the museum housed in the castle there is a fee. There is also a place to stop for something to eat at the castle so you can eat and take in the view.
After walking the grounds of Buda Castle we went back to the hotel room for a few hours. We climbed back up to the Castle district to have dinner at the Pest Buda bistro which I highly recommend. Definitely try the goulash!
If you have the opportunity to spend more time in Budapest I would recommend at least 3 days. One day for the Buda side, one day for the Pest side near the Danube and one for the rest of Pest. If I were to do it again, and I hope I do, this is what I would plan.
Have you been to Budapest? Are you planning on going? What do you want to see in Budapest?