Things to Do in Hungary

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Szabadság Tér, or Liberty Square in English, is a public square in the Lipótváros neighborhood of the business district on the Pest side of Budapest, Hungary. The buildings on the square are a mix of business and residential. Some of the buildings found here include the United States Embassy, the headquarters of the Hungarian National Bank, and the Hungarian State Television building. The square is picturesque and peaceful, but Hungary's turbulent history has left its mark here over the past century, from the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to communism to the start of a new regime in 1989.

In the square there is a monument commemorating the Soviet liberation of Hungary in World War II from Nazi German occupation, which is the last statue from the communist era that is still in its original place. The Soviets ordered the monument to be built, though they made Hungary pay for it. The square also has monuments to Ronald Reagan and Harry Hill Bandholtz. Visitors will also enjoy the interactive fountain in the square in spring, summer and fall. Liberty Square is surrounded by a park where many people relax when the weather is nice. There are several restaurants, cafes, and hotels nearby.

Szentendre sits on the western flank of the River Danube Bend just north of Budapest, an arty hotspot crammed with brightly painted Baroque houses, Orthodox churches and museums tucked among scores of galleries, craft shops and cafés. Largely constructed in the 18th century by Serbian refugees, the heart of the town is found in the cobbled, triangular Main Square (Széchenyi Tér or Fo Tér), which is dominated by an elaborate memorial cross erected by the Serbian Trade Association in thanks for being spared an epidemic in 1763. Today surrounded by delicate wrought-iron railings, the cross is inscribed with the dates of its renovations across three centuries. Also standing on the square is the Baroque Serbian Orthodox Church, constructed in 1752 and topped with a bronze spire, along with the pastel-hued town houses of Serbian merchants. In summer music and drama festivals take place in the square, in winter a bustling Christmas market takes pride of place. The souvenir stores in the labyrinthine winding lanes leading off the Main Square all have colorful displays spilling out into the streets; this is the spot to load up with pálinka (Hungarian fruit brandy) and hand-embroidered linen tablecloths.

Located on the Buda side of the Szechenyi Chain Bridge, Adam Clark Square (Clark Ádám Tér) was named after the Scottish engineer responsible for both the bridge and the tunnel beneath Castle Hill.

A 10-foot (three-meter) sculpture sits near the bushes in the southern part of the square; shaped like an oblong concrete doughnut, this Zero Kilometre Stone is the point from which all distances from Budapest to various Hungarian destinations are measured. Miklos Borsos designed the monument in 1975 to replace a previous one that had been destroyed during World War II.

The name for Budapest’s Vigadó Concert Hall (Pesti Vigadó) translates to “Place of Merriment,” which isn't surprising once visitors see the pleasant, classically designed structure along the Pest side of the Danube River. Constructed in the mid 19th century, it was built to replace a concert hall that stood in its place until it was destroyed in the War of Independence. The hall standing now was also damaged during World War II, though it underwent extensive renovations to restore the building to its original Romantic style design.

The Vigadó’s stage is primarily home to classical music and the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble, a group of dancers alongside a folk band and 14-person Gypsy band. The group regularly performs shows featuring traditional Hungarian music and dance. It’s also used extensively as an ornate ballroom for events, with art exhibitions also held in its main gallery. Statues of important Hungarian figures, as well as the Hungarian coat of arms, can be seen on the hall’s exterior.