2 Days in Budapest

You’ve seen those dramatic photos of the House of Parliament building in Budapest – shining alongside the mighty Danube River. Steaming bowls of goulash and dumplings, thermal springs and Gothic Revival architecture. Budapest is a feast for the senses and has a fascinating history. From Roman, Mongol and Ottoman invasions, to being wrapped up into the Eastern Bloc and the Cold War. Spending 2 days in Budapest will leave you wanting more, there is no doubt.

Where to stay in Budapest

There are some great new hotels in Budapest, that have sprung up since the bargain airline renaissance. We stayed at the Eurostars Danube Budapest – situated in Pest, a short stroll from the Danube and near to great restaurants. It is a lot of hotel for your money.

Other hotel options with good transport links and access to sights are: In Buda, try the stylish and convenient Baltazár Boutique Hotel by Zsidai Hotels at Buda Castle. In Pest, I love the area from the Jewish Quarter to the river – it’s very walkable, architecturally interesting, and there are usually deals to be had! From high end picks like the Párisi Udvar Hotel Budapest by Hyatt and Danubius Hotel Astoria; to value hotels like Barceló or adults only Hotel Collect.

For river views, the Budapest Marriott has glorious balcony rooms. Or with a view of the Houses of Parliament, the Novotel Danube will delight you.

Things to do in 2 days in Budapest

Buda is the east side of the city, Pest is the west side. If you only have a weekend in Budapest, I would spend 1 day on Buda and 1 day in Pest. If you have longer, double that!

Day 1: Buda

Buda Castle Hill Funicular

I recommend taking the funicular up the hill to Buda Castle, and then walking back down after exploring. We loved the various views from the ramparts. The funicular runs from Adam Clark Square, near the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, to the castle above. Originally built in 1869, the funicular was bombed during World War II, and only renewed in the 1980s.

Buda Castle

Buda Castle is now home to the Hungarian National Gallery. It is a suitable home for such a respected national collection. Architecturally, it is a strange juxtaposition from the grand Baroque exterior, to the 1970s modern interior. Interesting, I suppose, because of the reverence for ‘modernity’ over continuity.

If museums aren’t your thing, the grounds and exterior views are fantastic, and can be visited without charge.

Also on the castle grounds are fun medieval themed activities like archery. You may also be lucky enough to see the open archaeological digs around the castle, where they are uncovering and documenting the original royal palace from the middle ages!

Castle District

Spend some time in the Castle District, the elevated area next to the castle. This ancient part of town is full of nooks and crannies and great views. Don’t miss seeing the Neo-Gothic Matthias Church, which is an important part of making the Castle District a World Heritage site.

Fisherman’s Bastion

The conical roofs of Fisherman’s Bastion give it a fairytale quality. Unlike the perfunctory fortifications of the castle ramparts, these structures were never used for castle hill protection. Built at the turn of the 19th century, these turreted viewing platforms are purely decorative. They offer an exceptional view over the Danube towards the Parliament buildings.

If you have time, walk up to through the park on Gellért Hill to the Liberty Statue. It’s a fair hike, but the views are worth it.

Where to eat in Buda

Near the castle, try Rétesvár (Balta köz 4) for yummy strudels and langosh. For some Hungarian fine dining, try Alabárdos (Országház u. 2) – this 15th century restaurant has vaulted ceilings and is a beautiful spot to enjoy delicate takes on warming Hungarian food.

Day 2: Pest

Hungarian Parliament + Shoes on the Danube

While there is a visitor centre at the Hungarian Parliament, the real joy of this building is seeing it from across the river or from a river cruise. Although just along the waterfront from the parliament is the moving sculpture ‘Shoes on the Danube Bank‘ from Gyula Pauer.

Erected to commemorate the 3000 souls killed by the fascist Arrow Cross militia during World War II; these shoe sculptures are a sombre reminder of the darkness of fascism. May we all remember it, so that we may not see a repeat.

Now head away from the river on the subway system to Heroes’ Square (Hősök tere metro stop)

Heroes’ Square + Museums

Heroes’ Square is one of the most photographed views in all of Budapest. This vaguely stark series of monuments isn’t one cohesive idea, but many put together with varying styles. Flanked on either side by the Museum of Fine Arts, and Hall of Art (Műcsarnok), for contemporary art. I would recommend a visit to Műcsarnok, as it provides a nice juxtaposition from the classical art and architecture found elsewhere.

Széchenyi Thermal Baths + City Park Ice Rink

Beyond Heroes’ Square is City Park – a vast complex of gardens, a zoo, the Széchenyi Thermal baths, Vajdahunyad Castle, an ice rink and more! Both the thermal baths and the ice rink buildings are built in the neo-baroque style of architecture.

These structures, including the castle, were build in the early 1900s, shortly after the 1896 Millennial Expo of Budapest – in celebration of 1000 years of the Hungarian State.

There is also a Tourist Information office near the ice rink.

If you have more than 2 days in Budapest, there are often events happening at Vajdahunyad Castle (wine & food festivals etc.) + the Budapest Beer Spa nearby!

Jewish Quarter

The Jewish Quarter is a really beautiful part of Pest’s old town. The Dohány Street Synagogue is incredible, and is the largest synagogue in Europe. We enjoyed the little streets, the markets, and the amazing architecture. The Art Nouveau style Kazinczy Street Synagogue is worth seeing.

There are some sad memorials in the Jewish Quarter too. This area was walled off during WWII, and became a Nazi created ghetto, where jews were relocated and lived in cramped conditions, before further and far more devastating endings for most. There is a memorial, with a section of the wall, at Dohány u. 34.

Where to eat & drink in Pest

Szimpla Kert

The Budapest ‘Ruin Bars’ are kinda too famous now – they are a victim of their own quirky popularity. But Szimpla Kert is still worth visiting. In an old abattoir, this bar is a mass of rooms and odd warehouse spaces – including little intimate rooms with tables, large outdoor spaces with mismatched furniture, old cars, and kitsch things hanging from the ceiling.  It is cheap, hipster vintage and fabulous!

Drum Cafe

We stumbled upon Drum Cafe while we were visiting the Jewish Quarter, it is one block from Dohány Street Synagogue. This cheap and cheerful cafe serves fantastic goulash for a great price.

Fausto’s Osteria

Fausto’s Osteria serves utterly exquisite fine dining cuisine for an excellent price.  You can get a beautiful three course meal with aperitifs, sparkly and digestifs for under $50 per person.

Other fun things to do in Budapest

Celeritas Shooting

More commonly used by stag-dos, but not intimidatingly so, we visited the Celeritas Shooting Club for a fun night out. Run by two police arms officers, it is a safe and friendly environment to either be introduced to shooting or to practice with a variety of weaponry.  It’s a fair way out from the city, so they have a deal with a taxi company so that you don’t get ripped off.  I highly recommend Celeritas to anyone looking to do something a bit different on their holiday.

Hungarian Electrotechnical Museum

Another fun thing to do during your 2 days in Budapest is a visit to the Hungarian Electrotechnical Museum (Kazinczy u. 21). Filled with interactive examples of electricity and electric devices, this museum is great if you’re visiting with kids.

2 days in Budapest

You know that a place has touched your soul, when you write about it and yearn to go back. We visited in late Autumn and the crispness in the air was perfect for enjoying the warming (and filling) Hungarian food. The Danube is as grand and impactful as you’d imagine, and all the views are magnificent. Pack your walking shoes though, as there is much ground to cover! Enjoy your 2 days in Budapest, you will want to return to this beautiful city, I assure you!

It was extremely cold already by November, so pack warm clothes. It was very grey for much of our visit, which adds to the dramatic photos, but wasn’t great for sightseeing.

Do you love city breaks too? Bilbao is a wonderful European city break, as is Berlin!

All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Sadly my memory card from the visit was lost, so these are old phone photos – apologies!