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Budapest

Thermal Baths, the Danube and the Parliament by Night

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3 daysIdeal stay₹6,530From / night₹2,820Food / day₹3,920Entry

Hungary's capital, split by the Danube into hilly Buda (the Castle District with Fisherman's Bastion, Matthias Church and the Royal Palace, and Gellért Hill) and flat Pest (the neo-Gothic Parliament, St Stephen's Basilica, Andrássy Avenue to Heroes' Square, and the old Jewish Quarter with the Dohány Street Synagogue, the largest in Europe). The city sits on more than a hundred thermal springs: the neo-baroque Széchenyi Baths in City Park and the Turkish-era Rudas and Király baths are open, while the Art Nouveau Gellért Baths closed in October 2025 for a renovation expected to run to about 2028. The Danube banks between the bridges are a UNESCO site, best seen from a river boat at dusk. Flights from India land with one stop at Ferenc Liszt Airport, about 16 km south-east; there is no rail link, so the 100E airport bus or a taxi takes you in. There are several Indian restaurants, and Govinda vegetarian restaurants run by the Hare Krishna movement.

Highlights

  • The Parliament lit up on the Danube at night
  • Fisherman's Bastion and Matthias Church in the Castle District
  • Széchenyi Baths' outdoor thermal pools, even in winter
  • St Stephen's Basilica dome view
  • Dohány Street Synagogue
  • Andrássy Avenue and Heroes' Square
  • Great Market Hall
  • Sunset from Gellért Hill
  • Chain Bridge and the Danube promenade
  • Christmas markets on Vörösmarty tér and at the Basilica

Things to do

  • Parliament guided tour (book a timed slot)Morning · 1h 30m
  • Buda Castle District: Fisherman's Bastion, Matthias Church and the Royal PalaceMorning · 3h
  • Széchenyi thermal bath in City ParkAfternoon · 3h
  • Danube evening cruise past the lit-up ParliamentEvening · 1h 30m
  • St Stephen's Basilica and its dome, then Andrássy Avenue to Heroes' SquareAfternoon · 3h
  • Dohány Street Synagogue and the Jewish QuarterMorning · 2h 30m
  • Great Market Hall and a lángos lunchAfternoon · 1h 30m
  • Gellért Hill walk to the Liberty Statue at sunsetEvening · 2h
  • Margaret Island and its musical fountainAfternoon · 2h
  • House of Terror on Andrássy AvenueAfternoon · 1h 30m
  • Hospital in the Rock under Buda CastleMorning · 1h 30m
  • Ruin bars of the Jewish Quarter, starting at Szimpla KertEvening · 2h

Tours & tickets

Tours & tickets in Budapestvia GetYourGuideTours & tickets in Budapestvia Klook

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When to go

Best time: April – June, September – October

Heads up

Gellért Baths Closed for Renovation

The Art Nouveau Gellért Baths closed on 1 October 2025 for a renovation expected to last until about 2028. Széchenyi (in City Park, outdoor pools open all year), Rudas (with its rooftop pool) and Király are open; tours or pages still selling Gellért tickets are out of date.

Heads up

Grand Prix, Sziget and St Stephen's Day

Late July to August is Budapest's busiest time: the Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend, the week-long Sziget festival on Óbuda Island and the 20 August fireworks fill the hotels and push prices up. Book rooms early, and expect the riverbanks to close on the evening of 20 August.

Heads up

Freezing Winter

December to February is often below freezing, with short days and some snow. The outdoor pools at Széchenyi are at their best (hot water in cold air), but the Danube sightseeing boats run fewer trips, and the Danube Bend boats do not run at all. Pack thermals, gloves and shoes with grip.

Heads up

Summer Heat

July and August can bring heatwaves above 35 °C, when Hungary issues heat alerts. Sightsee in the morning and evening, carry water (tap water is safe), and save the midday for a thermal bath, a museum or a shaded park.

  • National Day (1848 Revolution) — 15 March, a public holiday: ceremonies at the National Museum and across Budapest, flags and cockades everywhere. Most shops close for the day, and some roads in the centre are shut.
  • Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix — At the Hungaroring, about 20 km north-east of Budapest, usually on a weekend in late July or early August (the 2027 date was not set in October 2026). Budapest hotel prices peak that weekend.
  • Sziget Festival — One of Europe's biggest music festivals, on Óbuda Island in the Danube. Budapest is full of festival-goers and rooms cost more; the HÉV and riverside roads near the island are crowded. Check sziget.hu for the confirmed dates.
  • St Stephen's Day — 20 August, Hungary's biggest national day: an air show and fireworks over the Danube in the evening, a procession at the Basilica and craft fairs. The riverbanks and bridges close to traffic and fill hours ahead; shops close.
  • National Day (1956 Revolution) — 23 October, a public holiday remembering the 1956 uprising: commemorations at the Parliament and around Budapest. Most shops close.
  • Budapest Christmas markets · 13 Nov – 1 Jan (expected) — Vörösmarty tér and the square in front of St Stephen's Basilica, with a light show on the Basilica's front, run from mid-November to New Year's Day; smaller markets in Óbuda and the Gozsdu courtyard. Mulled wine, chimney cake and lángos; evenings and weekends are crowded.

Part of a longer route

Budapest is a stop on a curated circuit through Hungary.

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