Things to Do in Hungary

Gellert Hill (Gellert-hegy) is best known for its panoramic city views, 19th century Citadel, and historic monuments. While the hike up Gellert Hill’s stone steps can be challenging, the sweeping vistas of Budapest and the Danube River from the top are worth the climb.

Rising 140 meters on the west side of the Danube, Gellért Hill is crowned with the fortified hulk of Citadella, which provides one of the best viewpoints in Budapest. From the ramparts there are far-reaching panoramas north to Buda Castle, and down the river to Széchenyi Chain Bridge, St Stephen’s Basilica and the Parliament House. Constructed by occupying Austrian forces in the 1840s, the citadel was loathed by the Hungarians, who tore down its fortified gates when the Austrians eventually left the city in 1897. Its 60 canon placements still remain, as do the six-meter ‘U’-shaped walls of the fort.

During World War II an air raid shelter was built in the Citadella, and this now houses a small museum about the war. In 1956, Soviet troops suppressed the Hungarian rebellion against Communism by firing heavy artillery from the fortress and Russian artillery is still scattered around the complex. Today the fortress encompasses an open-air history exhibition and is one of Budapest’s best free visitor attractions; a mini-village of bars, souvenir stores and restaurants has grown up around it, while the military barracks have been converted into a hotel.

Other sights on UNESCO-listed Gellért Hill include the vast steel Statue of Liberty, built by the Russians in Socialist-Realist style to celebrate victory over the Nazis in the late 1940s. When the Communists finally departed Budapest in 1989, city fathers elected for the statue to remain as a symbol of the Hungary’s troubled past. Halfway up the slope, the underground Cave Church (Sziklatemplom) was built by monks in the 1920s and was requisitioned as a hospital in World War II. It opened again in 1992 after the fall of Communism. Tucked in at the foot of the hill are the famous Gellért spa baths, Secessionist in design and dating from 1918, although a spa has existed on this spot since the mid-17th century.

Fisherman’s Bastion, or Halaszbastya, is one of Budapest’s most picturesque lookouts. Nestled high on Castle Hill, the neo-Romanesque terrace was built between 1895 and 1902, in celebration of millennial Hungary. Though today’s structure is decorative, it sits on fortified walls that were used to defend the city throughout its early history.

The elegant boulevard of Andrássy Avenue (Andrássy Út) was completed in 1885 as part of the expansion of Budapest under Emperor Franz Joseph I to celebrate the thousand-year anniversary of the state of Hungary. It connects the Pest-side city center at Erzsébet Square to the City Park (Városliget) and as a masterpiece of urban planning was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2002, along with Heroes’ Square.

Elegant townhouses lined the avenue and it became the preserve of wealthy bankers and the aristocracy. In order to conserve Andrássy’s architectural harmony, the city fathers decided to build a train line underneath the avenue. And so the Millennium Underground Railway opened, the first in continental Europe; it was first used to transport people from the city center to Városliget, which was the focus of the millennium celebrations in 1896.

Today the Art Nouveau architecture competes for attention with sleek cafés and bars and upscale shopping. In its 1.5-mile (2.5-km) march through Pest, Andrássy is punctuated by the vast octagonal square of Oktagon and is home to the Hungarian State Opera House, the House of Terror Museum in the old headquarter of the secret police, and Budapest’s gloriously grand and much-loved Gerbeaud Café.

Tokaj is an historic town in northern Hungary, as well as the center of the Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002. The region is home to almost 600 wineries and is where the world renowned Tokaji wine is produced. The oldest classified wine region in Europe, vineyards were established here as early as the 12th century, although most wine cellars were built between the 16th and 17th centuries, including a vast system of cellars carved out of solid rock. The region produces only white wines, primarily sweet dessert wines.

The town of Tokaj stands at the confluence of the Tisza and Bodrog Rivers and dates back to the 14th century. Although it once belonged to Hungary’s royal family, it suffered during the world wars and lost its importance, only regaining town status in 1986.

Budapest’s largest indoor market is a hub of activity, with hundreds of stalls spread over three floors. Housed in a striking 19th-century building, it’s a place where local chefs shop for fresh produce, tourists haggle over traditional handicrafts, and the upstairs food court serves delicious Hungarian cuisine.

This neo-Renaissance opera house (Magyar Állami Operaház) has an illustrious history as one of Budapest’s greatest cultural venues, with legendary composer Gustav Mahler having once served as director here. Behind the Miklós Ybl–designed facade, which features statues of Puccini, Mozart, Liszt, and Verdi, is a plush interior with gilding, marble, and chandeliers.

Ranking as the largest synagogue in Europe—and the second-largest in the world—Dohány Street Synagogue is one of Budapest’s most striking monuments. Aptly nicknamed the “Great Synagogue,” it’s not only an architectural marvel but also an important part of Budapest’s Jewish history and heritage.

Vajdahunyad Castle is a picturesque attraction nestled in Budapest's City Park (Városliget). Originally built in 1896 for Hungary's millennial festivities, the architecturally diverse complex includes the city's agricultural museum inside the palace. Wander the lovely grounds, or stop by museum exhibits on hunting, forestry, and wine.

Stretching from the Chain Bridge to the Elisabeth Bridge on the Pest side of the Danube, the Danube Promenade is a favorite among tourists and locals alike. In the early 20th century, this stretch was home to famous hotels such as the Ritz, the Bristol and the Carlton. Today, new luxury hotels like the InterContinental and the Sofitel line the Promenade, together with other prominent buildings and attractions.

Near the Chain Bridge, you will find the neo-Renaissance Hungarian Academy of Sciences building, opened in 1865. On the same square is the art nouveau Gresham Palace and a statue of Count Istvan Szechenyi, a 19th-century Hungarian politician and writer who encouraged the founding of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and promoted political reform.

On the other end of the Promenade, near the Elisabeth Bridge, is the Contra-Aquincum, a 4th century Roman castle, as well as the Inner City Parish Church. The latter was once a Roman basilica before being used as a mosque and then renovated in a Baroque style in the 18th century. The Elisabeth Bridge spans the Danube at its narrowest point in Budapest and is considered the most elegant bridge in the city.

Other attractions to look out for as you walk along the Promenade include the Vigado Concert Hall, the Little Princess statue and the Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial – a memorial made of cast iron shoes honoring the Jews who were killed in Budapest during World War II. And of course, enjoy great views of Buda Castle, the Citadel and Gellert Hill across the Danube.

The century-old Gellért Thermal Bath and Spa is one of Budapest’s largest and most luxurious spa complexes. Housed in a magnificent art nouveau building, it boasts a grand colonnaded indoor pool, multiple thermal baths, saunas, steam rooms, a rooftop wave pool, and a panoramic sun terrace.

Castle Hill (Várhegy) is the medieval heart of Budapest and the centerpiece of the Buda neighborhood. Part of the Budapest UNESCO World Heritage site, the district is home to the city's big-hitter attractions, including the royal fortress of Buda Castle, Matthias Church, and the Fisherman's Bastion. Stroll through Old Town’s cobblestone streets and you’ll find a wealth of historical sites, as well as spectacular views of the the Danube River and adjacent Pest neighborhood.

Several bridges cross the Danube River connecting Buda and Pest, the two sides of Budapest, Hungary. The Elisabeth Bridge (Erzsébet Híd) was named after the Hapsburg Queen Elisabeth, who was the wife of Francis Joseph I. An international competition was held in 1894 for the design of the bridge, and construction began in 1897. The bridge was inaugurated on Oct. 10, 1903, and until 1926, it was the largest chain-type bridge in the world. Unfortunately Elisabeth Bridge was bombed by German troops towards the end of World War II, and it was the only bridge in Budapest so badly damaged that it had to be completely replaced. From 1960 to 1964, nearly two decades after the original bridge was destroyed, the new bridge was built in the same place to reconnect Gellért Hill on the Buda side to Ferenciek Ter on the Pest side of the city.

There was once a tram that went across the bridge, but it was stopped running this route in 1972. Several bus lines still go across the bridge. Today the Elisabeth Bridge receives the most amount of vehicle traffic of all the bridges in the city. It has three lanes of traffic in each direction.

At 48 miles (77 kilometers) in length and seven miles (11 kilometers) at its widest point, Balaton is Central Europe’s largest freshwater lake and landlocked Hungary’s prime summer playground, with spectacular scenery and swim-friendly milky green waters. The lake is fringed by beach resorts, a national park, and wine-producing vineyards.