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We traveled to Budapest a few times, and I can tell you that Budapest is a gem in Central Europe.
There are so many things to do in Budapest that even if you stay here for a week you won’t be able to visit and see everything. But the good news is that in 3 days in Budapest, you can enjoy the top attractions and have a taste of this amazing city.
Hungary’s capital is known for its stunning architecture, history, baths and nightlife. This guide on what to do in Budapest in 3 days will give you all the info needed to plan a unique trip.
The first time we visited Budapest was during spring and then we enjoyed Budapest in winter, a cold but beautiful experience. The thermometers marked temperatures below zero, we got a heavy snowfall and the Danube river was frozen. The city was stunning, magical, and freezing.
Our 3-day Budapest itinerary works for all seasons, so it doesn’t matter when you travel to Budapest, you can always enjoy the best places and iconic sights.
The city is huge, but most of Budapest’s top attractions are close to the city center in Pest and the castle on the Buda side. That’s a curious thing, not sure if you already know, but Budapest is divided by the Danube River into two sides, one called Buda and the other Pest.
Buda is the side of the city where you will find the castle, some governmental buildings, and a more fancy vibe. Pest is the busiest part of the city, where you find the Jewish Quarter, the famous food market, and some of the must-visit places in Budapest.
As we are talking about the regions of the city, let’s have a quick look at the best places to stay in Budapest.
Where to stay in Budapest for any budget
There are many hotels and places to stay in Budapest, for any traveler, style and budget. The list of hotels in Budapest is gigantic, so we narrowed it down to give you suggestions of the best places to stay in Budapest.
The biggest offer of hotels and hostels is on the Pest side, close to the city center, from 5-star international hotels to cozy hostels and some boutique apartments. The good news is that most of them are close to the top attractions in Budapest.
If you really want to be close to everything and make the most of your 3 days in Budapest without using public transportation the best area to stay in Budapest is the inner city or district 5.
If you want something more luxurious you can book a room at the top hotels in front of the Danube River.
Check these 5-star hotels in Budapest:
(click on the hotel names to see the rates)
The Four Seasons Gresham Palace Budapest is one of the most luxurious hotels in the city, its building is a masterpiece and is in a prime location, facing the famous Chain Bridge.
Districts 5 and 7 are the best areas for middle-range to budget hotels in Budapest. There are many hostels in Budapest, and also boutique hotels with nice décor, comfy rooms, and friendly prices.
District 7 is known for restaurants and trendy bars and it’s not so touristy.
Check these hotels in Budapest:
(click on the hotel names to see the rates)
You can book the best place to stay in Budapest via Agoda and Booking.com.
Airbnb is also a good option for places to stay in Budapest and renting a studio or a room in someone’s house is a good way to save money and get to know local people.
3 Days in Budapest Itinerary: what to do and see
Now that you know the best places to stay in Budapest let’s talk about your itinerary and places to visit.
As you are staying in Budapest for 3 days, I suggest you fit as many activities as possible on your itinerary.
Follow our suggestions of what to see in Budapest in 3 days and you will cover all the major attractions. This Budapest itinerary has iconic places you should visit on your first time in Budapest, with a little taste of history and art, relaxing baths, good food, and some hidden gems.
Budapest Day 1: top attractions and history
Wake up early and be ready for a good walk. Your first day in Budapest should be dedicated to the castle and its beautiful surroundings. Get a tram to the Buda side and let’s explore the top attractions.
Visit Buda Castle
The impressive 200-room palace is a place you must visit in Budapest. At the top of the hill, it offers a stunning view of the city and it’s where you can find the Hungarian National Gallery, the Budapest History Museum, and the National Library.
Walk around the castle and further to the Mathias Church and the Fishermen’s Bastion. The streets are packed with historical buildings and the view from the Fishermen’s Bastion is impressive.
For a more immersive visit, book a guided tour. We suggest this Buda Castle Walking tour with a Historian, offered by GetYourGuide which has great reviews.
You can go up to the castle on foot, it looks steep but it’s a pleasant walk, or you can hop on the funicular.
If you decide to go on foot, I recommend walking up close to the funicular entrance and coming down by the Fishermen’s Bastion. You will find restaurants near the castle where you can grab a snack or lunch.
Admire the Hungarian Parliament
Once you are back to the banks of the Danube, you can catch another tram or walk for half an hour to the Hungarian Parliament.
If you decide to walk you can take two routes:
- 1st one: you can cross the famous Chain Bridge and walk towards the parliament building. You will pass on the way by the “shoes by Danube Banks” a sculpture made in memory of the people killed during the Second World War. This is the fastest way to the Hungarian Parliament.
- 2nd one: it is a bit longer but you will have the best spot to take a photo from the parliament building. You go down from the castle and walk on the Buda side towards Margaret Island. Before reaching the bridge you have the perfect spot by the river to take photos from the Hungarian Parliament. After the photoshoot keep walking and cross the bridge back to the Pest side where you can visit the parliament.
The Hungarian Parliament is a Gothic building with 365 towers, and inside you can see the Hungarian Crown and Jewel.
Talking about photos, don’t forget to read our Guide to the most Instagrammable places in Budapest and take incredible pictures.
Drink a beer at Szimpla Kert
By the end of the day, you will be tired of walking and ready for some beer and fun and your trip to Budapest won’t be complete without visiting an iconic ruin bar.
In the heart of the Jewish quarter, Szimpla Kert is the number one ruin pub, a place that has inspired many other pubs in Budapest. It’s hard to describe this place, it’s weird, quirky, and interesting. You must see it by yourself.
The bar is made of second-hand furniture, spare pieces of cars, art, metal and any material that can become decoration. Go for one beer or two, there are many rooms in the bar and you can choose the best music, scenery, and crowd.
Budapest Day 2: Central Budapest and baths
Your second day in Budapest will be a mix of history, sightseeing, and baths. Let’s start the day walking around Budapest’s city center with its nice buildings, pedestrian streets, and local and international shops. And we finish the itinerary at one of the famous thermal pools.
Visit St. Stephen’s Basilica
It’s the largest and tallest church in the city. It has a beautiful interior and you can climb all the way to the tower to see the city from above.
Walk by Vaci Utca
After visiting the Basilica go for a walk towards the Great Market Hall. It will be 30 minutes walking via the Vaci Utca, a pedestrian street full of local and international shops.
Here is the best place for retail therapy or to buy some souvenirs to take home. On the way, you will find many restaurants and cafes but hold on to your craving for our next stop.
Go shopping at the Central Market Hall
This is a food paradise, with all local products and local cuisine. On the ground floor, you can buy fruits, veggies, sausages, cold cuts, and traditional Hungarian paprika.
After shopping head to the first floor for a traditional lunch. Fancy something really local? Order a Goulash soup.
Stroll around Andrássy Avenue and Heroes Square
After your food extravaganza, take a tram and go all the way to the Heroes’ Square, where you will spend your afternoon.
At the square, you can visit the Museum of Fine Arts and The Hall of Art, two impressive buildings facing each other.
If you feel like exploring more historical sites you can walk from the square towards Andrássy Avenue, where you will find the House of Terror and Budapest Opera House.
At the avenue are the stops for the Millennium underground line, the second-oldest metro line in Europe still working. Andrássy Avenue is famous for its art nouveau buildings, theaters, cafes, and expensive shops.
If you want to relax after lunch, you can take the opposite way. Walk by the Heroes’ Square in the direction of the City Park where you can visit the Art Nouveau zoo and the cute Vajdahunyad Castle.
Despite having the name of a castle, the complex is not an original palace, it was built in 1896 and represents various Hungarian architecture periods in only one building.
Relax at Széchenyi Thermal Bath
Close by the Vajdahunyad Castle is the Széchenyi Thermal Bath, a place you must visit in Budapest.
In your 3 days in Budapest, you need to go for a bath at least once, and Széchenyi has everything you need. The complex has 21 swimming pools, saunas, massage, restaurants, and all kinds of treatments to make you relax. The building is beautiful, and it’s open every day for men and women.
Even during Budapest winter, you need to face the cold and swim at the outdoor pools, it’s an experience like no other.
Other thermal baths in Budapest are worth the visit. The Gellért and Rudas on the Buda side are famous too. But as you are only 3 days in Budapest, I recommend you to go first to Széchenyi, and then if you have spare time check the schedule and the rules to visit the other ones.
Budapest Day 3: hidden places and Jewish Quarter
The first two days in Budapest were all about tourist attractions and historical places to see and visit. Now it’s time to experience Budapest, catch a glance at unique things to do in the city, and visit special places.
Hidden Budapest Walking Tour
It’s time to unveil some romantic stories of Budapest. Discover small theaters, concert halls and stunning buildings, and walk around narrow streets. And for this, we joined a special walking tour.
I believe that tours like this are perfect for the last day when you are tired of searching for things to do by yourself and already have some knowledge about the city, which makes you ready to explore more.
We started our Hidden Budapest Walking Tour early in the morning, so we got the city in a waking-up mood. Beautiful and Interesting!
We started by the Budapest Opera House, walking towards the Jewish Quarter, and in almost every corner a new story, sometimes about music, others about arts, and even about the wars.
We learned a lot but in a fun way, not boring at all. We recommend it! We wouldn’t be able to see and discover so much about Budapest without the local guide.
To wrap up our tour we stopped by a lovely cafe inside a theater, its interior is a stunning art nouveau masterpiece. And things were only getting better: the coffee was delicious and the traditional pastries yummy!
We booked our Hidden Budapest Walking Tour with Unique Tours Factory, a company that offers local tours around Europe, all of them with a different approach.
Book in advance as you only have 3 days in Budapest, the tour takes only half of the day and you will enjoy it a lot. I suggest you do it in the morning, so you can enjoy the afternoon and the evening in the city from a different perspective.
Visit the Ghetto
Your walking tour will probably end close to the Jewish Quarter, so stay longer here and get to see more of this historical site in Budapest.
The Jewish Quarter was a booming area, full of bars and artistic shops, but during WWII it turned into a Jewish Ghetto, where over 60,000 people were trying to survive.
It took years to rebuild the neighborhood after the war. Nowadays it’s the address of trendy restaurants, bars, and famous Synagogues. Walk around the Jewish Quarter is a must for any traveler visiting Budapest, because of its history and also to experience a new side of the city with amazing street art and interesting people.
Afternoon tea or early dinner at New York Cafe
This place was named the most beautiful cafe in the world, so I don’t need to say anything more about it.
Opened in 1894, the building has an Italian Renaissance style that will leave you speechless. The cafe is located inside the Boscolo Hotel and for years it was the official address for European artists.
It survived many changes in Hungary’s political and economic system without losing its elegance. All this comes with a price, the meals and the afternoon tea are not cheap, but even if you are traveling on a budget it’s worth stopping by and having a coffee.
How to travel to Budapest, Hungary
Our last recommendation is about traveling to Budapest. The city is well-connected with international flights, buses, and train lines. Budapest is in central Europe, easy to get in and out.
Use Skyscanner to search for the best flights to Budapest.
We traveled to Budapest by train, a 3-month trip around Scandinavia and Central Europe using the Eurail Pass. It was our second Eurotrip using the Eurail Global Pass and for me, it’s the best and easiest way to travel across Europe.
You can find details about the Eurail Pass and how to travel with it in our comprehensive guide.
Before Budapest, we traveled for almost a month in Northern Europe. Check out our travel guides to Amsterdam in Winter, What to do in Stockholm, how to see the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi, Finland, and an ultimate guide to travel in Scandinavia by train.
Here is the end of our 3 days in Budapest guide! We’ve mentioned the top things to do in Budapest and must-visit places. If you plan your Budapest itinerary wisely, you can visit all these and more.
I’m sure after exploring Budapest you’ll want to stay here longer. That’s why most people travel to Budapest more than once, just like we did.
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