Budapest's rich and diverse history makes for some exciting sightseeing opportunities and visitors enjoy exploring this magnificent city and generally find locals very hospitable. The attractions in Budapest are varied, including luxuries like spa treatments courtesy of the city's many thermal springs, fascinating historical sightseeing, foodie adventures to sample the delicious traditional cuisine, and leisurely river cruises down the beautiful Danube.
Those interested in the history of the city should stroll through Memento Park, one of Budapest's strangest attractions, which features the giant statues that once lined the city's streets during the Communist era, or marvel at the Royal Palace, which dates back to the 13th Century. Other popular cultural sites include the Parliament Buildings along the banks of the Danube River, and the iconic Chain Bridge. Admire the stunning views from the vantage point of Fisherman's Bastion or from Gellert Hill where you can also visit the Citadella and Liberation Monument.
Visitors would do well to purchase the Budapest Card, which allows them unlimited travel on public transport, free or discounted entry into a number of museums and cultural sites, reductions on sightseeing tours, discounts on restaurants, spas and car rentals. The cards are valid for either 48 or 72 hours and can be bought from main metro ticket offices, tourist offices, travel agencies, hotels or the airport.
Royal Palace
Located at the top of Castle Hill in the picturesque Castle District of Buda, the Royal Palace was first inhabited by King Béla in the 13th century who, after the Mongol invasion, turned it into a fortified stronghold against further attack. Over the next 700 years it was the residence of many royal figures. The strategic location of Budapest, situated in the heart of Europe and straddling the Danube, offered whoever controlled the city a defensive position and potential control of the main waterway.
This led to repeated invasions, followed by rebuilding in the style of the period.The castle has a mixture of architectural styles, ranging from Gothic to Baroque. Today it is the country's most important cultural centre, housing numerous museums and the majority of the buildings are historical monuments. The Budapest History Museum contains an exhibition explaining the history of the city as well as archaeological remains of the palace. Also within the palace complex are the Hungarian National Gallery, the National Library and the Ludwig Museum.
Fisherman’s Bastion
Built in 1905 on the medieval castle walls, the neo-Romanesque ramparts were so named after the city's fishermen whose duty it was to defend this side of the hill during the Middle Ages. But the existing bastion never actually served a defensive purpose - it is solely ornamental, with gleaming white cloisters and stairways connecting seven turrets symbolic of the Magyar tribes that conquered the Carpathian Basin in the 9th century. The turrets are reminiscent of a Disney fortress and give the area a fairy-tale atmosphere. Set back from the ramparts is an equestrian statue of King Stephen, a memorial to the founder of the Hungarian nation.The view from Fisherman's Bastion, over the Danube, the Chain Bridge and the Parliament Buildings with Pest stretching out into the distance, is outstanding. Floodlit at night, the bastion itself is also a mesmerising sight from across the river. In fact, seeing as entry is free it is definitely worth visiting the Fisherman's Bastion twice, once at night and once during the day. There are two restaurants on the battlements where you can relax with stunning views over the river and eat some good food, and the many paths are lovely for strolling along and admiring the city.
Matthias Church
Situated in the centre of the Castle Quarter, the 700-year-old Church of Our Lady is popularly known as Matthias Church for the nation's famous ruler, King Matthias (1458-90), a patron of learning and the arts who reconstructed the Hungarian state after decades of feudal anarchy. With its distinctive multi-coloured tiled roof and Gothic spire, the church is one of Budapest's best-known structures, and it was here that the nation's kings were crowned and King Matthias was married.Today the church continues to hold High Mass, as well as concerts, organ and choir recitals owing to its magnificent acoustics. Matthias Church's architecture is a mixture of styles from the various kings, occupations and periods.
When the Turks occupied the Castle in 1541 it was converted into a mosque, and the interior walls were whitewashed and painted over with scenes from the Koran. It suffered heavily in the later siege and was restored again in the 19th century, reconstructed in its characteristic neoGothic style. Remains of the original medieval frescoes have been discovered underneath the whitewash.The interior is richly decorated with gilded altars, statues, rose windows and frescoes. Inside is the Church Museum, which gives access to the crypt, and a small collection of religious treasures and jewels. A fantastic contrast is formed by the reflection of the Gothic church in the sleek dark glass sides of the contemporary Budapest Hilton alongside.
Gellert Hill
Gellért Hill offers unrivalled panoramic views of the city, taking in both Buda and Pest and the meandering Danube. The hill was named after a bishop who was asked to convert pagan Magyars to Christianity but, according to legend, was killed by being rolled off the hillside in a barrel by militant heathens. A statue of the martyred Bishop stands at the base of the hill. On its summit stands the Liberation Monument, a female figure holding aloft the palm of victory, dedicated to the memory of Soviet troops who died freeing Hungary in 1945.
With the fall of communism the inscription was changed to honour those who died for 'Hungary's prosperity'.Behind the monument is the Citadella, or fortress, built after the 1848 revolution to provide military control against further uprisings. Today it houses a hostel and a museum. The hill is also home to several historic spas, valued for their medicinal qualities. The city's most famous spa, the Gellért Baths, is attached to the grand establishment of the Art Nouveau Gellért Hotel. Here visitors can relax in the thermal waters of the Roman-styled pool with its lion-headed spouts, surrounded by columns and mosaic patterns, or indulge themselves with private therapeutic treatments or a massage.
Chain Bridge
The Chain Bridge was the first stone bridge to be built over the Danube and is the most famous in the city, still featuring its iconic lion statues. Today nine bridges span the river linking Buda to Pest, but Chain Bridge takes pride of place as the city's primary landmark, a magnificent sight when floodlit at night.It owes its construction to Count István Széchenyi who decided to build a permanent crossing after having to wait a week to cross the river to bury his father
The Chain Bridge was built by William and Adam Clark, who also constructed London Bridge. It was considered an amazing feat of engineering when it was opened in 1849. The famous stone lions which guard the bridge were carved by sculptor János Marschalkó. They were added to the bridge in 1852 and miraculously were not destroyed in World War II even though the bridge itself was blown up in January 1945 and was only resurrected in November 1949.There is an urban legend in Budapest that the lions of the Chain Bridge do not have tongues - they actually do, but you can't see them except from above! At the foot of the bridge is Kilometre Zero, the point in Budapest from which all distances are measured.
The Great Synagogue and Jewish Museum
Situated within Erzsébet Town, the charming old Jewish quarter and former ghetto, the Great or Central Synagogue is one of the largest in the world, able to seat 3,000 people. Completed in 1859 the style is typically Byzantine-Moorish, with exquisitely patterned brickwork in the red, blue and yellow colours of the city's coat of arms. Gilded domed towers, archways and beautiful window designs are just some of the features that make this one of Budapest's great landmarks.
The splendid interior glitters with lights, gilded arches and balconies line the walls, the ceiling is covered in Stars of David, and the floor is tiled in decorative stars. On Jewish festivals it is packed with Jews from all over Hungary who come to celebrate within its splendour.Next door is the Jewish Museum containing relics from the Hungarian Jewish Community, including religious objects from festivals, and the Holocaust Memorial Room. In the courtyard is the Holocaust Memorial in the shape of a weeping willow tree, each metal leaf engraved with the names of Nazi victims.
Parliament Buildings
On the bank of the Danube stands one of the world's most beautiful parliament buildings, an imposing sight and a prominent feature of the city's panorama. With its red dome, white stone lace ornamentation and spires, it is the city's most decorative structure. Stone lions flank the entrance guarding a rich interior of marble and gold, statues and columns, and magnificent artefacts, including the 1,000-year-old crown of the first Hungarian King, all of which can be viewed on a guided tour.
The grand edifice, stretching for 250 metres (820ft) along the embankment, is one of the biggest national assemblies in the world. The interiors and architecture are truly magnificent and a visit to Budapest is simply not complete without exploring this very rich and historic place. For art or architecture lovers it is a must. It seems like an enormous palace or cathedral and some of the art work collected here is remarkable and priceless.As you are entering a parliament building you will be expected to submit to security checks. The tours take between 45 minutes and an hour.
Memento Park
One of the city's most popular but more bizarre attractions is Memento Park, containing the giant figures of the Communist era that once filled the streets of Budapest. After the change in the political system the monuments glorifying Communism were banished into the exile of this outdoor museum and among the statues, busts and monuments are the forms of Lenin, Marx and Engels, as well as memorials to the Soviet Soldiers and the Communist Martyrs
There are also exhibitions and films detailing the history of Soviet occupation and Communism in Budapest and Memento Park is historically intriguing if a little odd. Although it seems as though these once powerful symbols and sculptures have been incarcerated, the fact that they were not destroyed was progressive on Hungary's part and the result is a unique museum. This is the only collection in the world of its kind. There is a great little gift shop at the park and some of the interesting souvenirs sold there include cans of air from the 'last breath of socialism' and Stalin and Lenin shaped candles. Photos and films taken for private use are permitted.
Great Circus
There's nothing kids love more than a circus performance and Budapest offers a fantastic display of this Hungarian tradition. The Great Circus (Nagy Cirkusz) features an array of clowns, jugglers and acrobats of all kinds to keep children happily entertained. Of course, adults should also be enthralled and impressed by the various acts. Many of the performers are world-famous in their field and they do travel overseas to perform as well. MACIVA, or The Hungarian Circus and Variety Ltd.,
plays an important part in Hungarian cultural life and is one of the oldest cultural establishments of Hungary. It was built in 1954 and has come to be well known around the world. The circus has a school for performing artists and holds circus camps for children who want to learn some of the skills on display. Special events like parades and festivals occur at certain times of the year. Show times and prices vary according to the season so please check the website for details; it is possible to book online.
Budapest Puppet Theatre
The Budapest Puppet Theatre (Bábszínház) is a fantastic attraction for children in the city and a great outing for the whole family if you're travelling in Budapest with kids. While the shows are all presented in Hungarian, kids are still enthralled by the enactment of familiar stories such as Cinderella and Snow White, and can often be heard calling out warnings when villains are approaching or encouraging the heroes in their endeavours. It is amazing how little the language barrier matters when it comes to this kind of storytelling.You can book tickets in advance online but it is also nice to ask for advice, when you get there, about what is showing and what would be best suited to a non-Hungarian audience. The puppets are works of art and come in all shapes, sizes and colours, with some easily recognisable characters and some creative originals. Most adults will enjoy the performances but you can also easily head for the cafe during the show.
Kecskemet
An easy 53-mile (86km) drive from Budapest, Kecskemét (pronounced ketch-keh-mate) isn't well-known to outsiders but makes a wonderful day or weekend trip from the city. However, travellers may be seduced into staying longer once they have arrived. While Kecskemét is quite large, with more than 100,000 residents, the place has a uniquely small-town charm with a picturesque town centre. With an abundance of wide streets and open squares, walking around the sunny and scenic city centre, peppered with colourful Art Nouveau buildings, is a pleasant pastime, and there is lots to be discovered.
There are a number of attractions in Kecskemét that visitors will enjoy, including the Schnapps distillery tours at the Pálinka Museum, the Hungarian Photography Museum, the Museum of Hungarian Folk Art and Handicrafts, and the beautiful architecture and art collections at the City Hall. Kecskemét also has some very good restaurants, and visitors can sample the local varieties of apricot brandy made there. Possibly the best way to explore the city is just to let yourself get lost in the lovely centre and see what you can find. The city has existed in some form since at least the 1300s so it is no surprise that it holds many hidden gems for visitors.
Climate
Budapest's climate is accented with warm summers and bitterly cold winters, with plenty of rain all year round. Winters are short, with the cold weather arriving in mid-December; it is usually cloudy and damp with the odd bright sunny days and frequent, but light, snow. Temperatures in winter range between 25°F (-4°C) and 36°F (2°C). In summer (late May to September), Budapest is sunny and warm with relatively high humidity and temperatures ranging between 57°F (14°C) and 77°F (25°C). It is generally fairly dry although there can be sudden showers. In spring (March to early May) there is plenty of sunshine; the weather can be a bit changeable and sometimes windy in early spring but by late April and May the weather is wonderful. Early autumn is also a good time to visit; late autumn (late October to November) starts getting cold and unpleasant as winter draws in.
Kids Attractions Overview
Hungary is a wonderful family destination, and Budapest is a particularly good city to explore with children. Not only does the country offer a plethora of sightseeing attractions which would appeal to people of all ages, but there are also a number of places that kids will especially enjoy. The Great Circus, complete with clowns and acrobats is internationally renowned and the Budapest Puppet Theatre should top the list of things to do in Hungary with kids even though the shows tend to be in Hungarian. The Budapest zoo is one of the oldest in Europe - it adjoins the botanical gardens and will delight the whole family. There are many lovely parks in which to enjoy games or picnics and let the little ones blow off some steam. If the weather isn't great and you need some indoor entertainment head to the Palace of Miracles for scientific games and interactive exhibitions that will excite as well as educate, or visit the Tropicarium, a spectacular aquarium in Campona shopping mall.Budapest is a safe city and the locals are generally very hospitable, making it feel family-friendly and welcoming