Budapest Travel Guide: The Ultimate 2-Days Itinerary
Budapest is one of those cities that I’m always happy to come back to! It is beautiful, super active and vibrant, the food is great and affordable, the beer and drinks are amazing and the nightlife is superb!
In this post I will share with you my ultimate 2-day itinerary for Budapest, for the perfect weekend (or more..) with my favorite places that will make any 2-5 days trip amazing! you can use my itinerary as a guide and remove or add places according to your personal taste.
Budapest Itinerary: Day 1
Dohány Street Synagogue
Lets start the day in this beautiful synagogue in the heart of the Jewish quarter. The Dohány Street synagogue is the biggest synagogue in Europe, nowadays it is also a Museum and it is recommended to get in at least once in order to learn about the Jewish history in the city.
The synagogue was built in the 19th century and can has enough space for up to 3000 people. Take the time to get in for the guided tour (if you are interested) or just walk around and enjoy this beautiful building.
St. Stephen’s Basilica
The St. Stephen’s Basilica is biggest basilica in Budapest, it is also where the Christmas market is taking place every year.
St. Stephen’s Basilica is a Roman Catholic basilica, it was opened in 1905. the Basilica named in honor of Stephen the first King of Hungary.
Take a 15-20 minutes and walk around this beautiful Basilica, you can stay outside or get inside if you are interested before moving to the next one.
Shoes on the Danube Bank
The Shoes on the Danube Bank is a memorial (with a sad story) on the Danube river, it was built in 2005 in memory of the thousands of Jews that were murdered the Arrow cross party during the holocaust between the years 1944-1945.
Please come there and read about the history behind this memorial, give 10-15 minutes to this place as a memory for the people that were killed there.
Hungarian Parliament Building
The Hungarian Parliament Building is one of the most beautiful parliaments in the world and it’s a must visit when coming to Budapest!
The Hungarian Parliament was built on the Danube river bank and originally opened in 1902 in the gothic style. Today the parliament is an amazing landmark in Budapest and you can walk around it and even get inside if you are interested, take some time for the parliament before moving to the next stop.
Széchenyi Chain Bridge
The Széchenyi Chain Bridge is one of the most iconic bridges over the Danube in Budapest, with beautiful views of the Parliament on one side and the Buda castle on the other. The bridge was firstly opened in 1849 after the Hungarian revolution (1848) becoming the first permanent bridge in Budapest.
Let’s walk along the bridge and cross it from Pest side (where the parliament is) to the Buda side where the hills and castle are.
Buda Castle
Once we crossed The Széchenyi Chain Bridge let’s walk to the Buda Castle, there are two ways to go up: you can take the stairs up or pay for the funicular, the walk up takes 5-7 min only (I won’t take the funicular unless you really can’t walk much).
The Buda castle (formerly known as the Royal Palace) is the historical palace complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest.
The castle firstly completed in 1265 and a few more additions were added through the years, in World War II the castle was severely damaged and the renovation we can see today was made later on after the war.
Take some time to walk around the complex and enjoy the great view of the Danube river and the city.
Matthias Church
The Matthias Church is a beautiful church that is located in the Buda castle complex area and also known as the Church of the Assumption of the Buda Castle due to that.
This iconic church in Budapest according to the tradition was originally built in the year 1015, the current building constructed in the 14th century in the late gothic style, today this church is known as one of the symbols of the city with the fishermen’s bastion (next to it) and other landmarks.
Take some time s to admire this beautiful church and get inside if you want before moving to the next stop.
Fisherman’s Bastion
The Fisherman’s Bastion is located in the Buda Castle district and it is one of the most famous landmarks of Budapest, this beautiful building offers some of the best viewpoints over the city and the parliament building (come before sunset and enjoy the night view as well!).
The Fisherman’s Bastion was built in the 18th-20th century as a Danube side settlement, Fishtown (Halászváros) also called Watertown.
Today, the Fisherman’s Bastion is maybe the best place to get some of those iconic views of the city, go there during the day and night and enjoy this beautiful place.
That’s it for today, time for coffee or a good drink.
Today, the Fisherman’s Bastion is maybe the best place to get some of those iconic views of the city, go there during the day and night and enjoy this beautiful place.
That’s it for today, time for coffee or a good drink.
Budapest Itinerary: Day 2
Central Market hall
The Central Market Hall is a great indoor market with many shops and stalls, this is a great place for trying some traditional Hungarian food for affordable prices and for buying some souvenirs as well.
Citadel (Citadella)
The Citadel (Citadella) is located not too far from the market and it is one of the best viewpoints over the city of Budapest and the Danube river. the Citadel is located on a hill that you can see from almost any point in the city center and it will be a great spot during the day or before the sunset.
Széchenyi Thermal Bath
Széchenyi Thermal Bath is the most famous thermal bath in Budapest, it is a huge complex with many pools in different temperatures from cold to very hot with both indoors and outdoors pools, the complex is open everyday from morning till very late night, you can go at night or afternoon for an amazing and relaxing way to end your day.
My Favorite Restaurants In Budapest
Budapest is an amazing city for food lovers with many great restaurant from affordable local food places to a fancy fine dining Michelin star restaurants, this city has it all!
NegroMangalica Bistro & Bar: it is an amazing restarunt with some great Hungarian food with a more modern style, its a great place for a dinner with a few drinks. try the Gulash (amazing beef soup) and the beef stuffed blenches (the Hungarian crepe).
Costes Restaurant: this is an amazing Michelin star restaurant that i had the chance to visit a few times in the last a few years, yes it is a bit pricy compared to other places around but in my opinion it is totally worth it especially if you are celebrating something and want that “once in a life time” experience, it is important to say that you will probably pay a very “affordable” price for this kind of fine dining compared to other cities like Paris, New York or Amsterdam.
Street Food Karavan Budapest: this is a great food court outdoor in the city center and it is an amazing option for those who want to try some Hungarian food for affordable prices without really “sitting” in a restaurant.
Retro Lángos Budapest: this is a great place for trying a nice and traditional langos (the fried dough pastry) with a variery of toppings and more.
Espresso Embassy: this is a nice cafe with great coffee and pastries.
My Favorite Bars In Budapest
The nightlife scene in Budapest is amazing with an endless amount of bars and clubs in any style and price range and i will share some of my favorite ones below.
Beer Point Budapest: this is a nice and simple bar with many types of beers and other drunks for a very affordable prices, great for a chill evening or having a few drinks before going to a club or other place.
Instant-Fogas Complex: this is a very fun club with many bars and dance floors in it, it is a great place for a fun evening if you are into clubbing and dancing.
Money Exchange In Budapest
in case you are going to exchange money, make sure you’re going to a good exchange (check reviews) and make sure they don’t take any hidden commission on top of the exchange rate (some does and It could be super expensive 15-20%)
Check My Other Posts About Hungary
The Ultimate 2 Days Budapest Itinerary
