Things to do in Budapest
The eclectic, repeatedly-rebuilt Royal Palace of the Castle District reflects Budapest's grand and turbulent past. Across the Danube, the huge neo-Gothic Parliament and dome of the Basilica of St Stephen are part of today's Pest. The House of Terror and Statue Park detail Budapest's more recent communist history. A positive hangover from this period exists at the Children's Railway. Museums and attractions are open daily, although some take a break on Monday.
House of Terror
Memories of regimes past
The House of Terror is set on Pest's graceful Andrássy utca. It was the
headquarters of Hungary's ultra-right Arrow Cross Party, and later the
Communist secret police. The interrogation rooms and cells remain as a
tribute to victims of these regimes.
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Cost
Ft1800; concessions Ft900
Opening Hours
Tue-Sun 10am-6pm
Address
60, Andrássy utca, Budapest 1062
Telephone
+36 (1) 374 26 00
Ludwig Museum
Modern Hungarian artworks
The Ludwig Museum resides on the Danube in Pest's upcoming District IX. Based
on the private collection of Peter and Irene Ludwig, contemporary works from
Hungarian artists as well as Picasso and Warhol are displayed.
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Cost
Permanent collection Ft700 (concessions Ft350); temporary exhibitions vary
Opening Hours
Tue-Sun 10am-8pm
Address
1, Komor Marcell utca, Budapest 1095
Telephone
+36 (1) 555 3444
Museum of Fine Arts
Spanish golden age collection
Budapest's Museum of Fine Arts is next to Pest's monumental Heroes Square. It
is noted for works by Spanish golden age artists including El Greco and
Goya. It also houses outstanding ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian
antiquities.
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Cost
Permanent exhibitions: Ft1400; concessions Ft700; temporary exhibitions vary
Opening Hours
Tue-Sun 10am-5.30pm (temporary exhibitions until 6pm)
Address
41, Dözsa György út, Budapest 1146
Telephone
+ 36 (1) 469 7100
Museum of Applied Arts
Art Nouveau landmark
It's worth the trip to District IX to see Odön Lechner's 1896 Museum of
Applied Arts. A fusion of Art Nouveau and Hungarian folk elements, its
colourful Zsolnay roof is justly famous. Hungarian porcelain and French
furniture feature inside.
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Cost
Ft2500 (valid for all exhibitions); concessions Ft1250
Opening Hours
Tue 2pm-6pm; Wed-Sun 10am-6pm (until 10pm Thu)
Address
33-37, Ülloi utca, Budapest 1091
Telephone
+36 (1) 456 5100
Matthias Church
Symbol of Budapest's past
The neo-Gothic spire, gargoyles, and multi-coloured Zsolnay tilework of
eclectic Matthias Church on Castle Hill reflects Budapest's turbulent
history. It has been an exclusive wedding venue ever since King Mátyás got
married there twice, and was once a mosque too.
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Cost
Ft700; concessions Ft480; under-6s free
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; Sat 9am-1pm; Sun 1pm-5pm
Address
2, Szentháromság tér, Budapest 1014
Telephone
+36 (1) 35 556 57
Transport
Bus 16 to Dísz tér vá, or Castle bus 10 to Szentháromság tér.
Website
Royal Palace
House of the Habsburgs
The turquoise dome caps off the eclectic Royal Palace, which has been bombed,
burned and rebuilt repeatedly in Buda's Castle District. After viewing
Hungarian paintings in the National Gallery, visitors enjoy stunning views
of Pest from the courtyard.
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Cost
Free; museums from Ft500
Opening Hours
Daily all day; museums daily 10am-6pm (closed Mon in winter)
Address
I. Budavári palota, Budapest 1014
Telephone
+36 (1) 244 3700
Transport
Bus 16 to Dísz tér vá, or Castle bus 10 to Szentháromság tér
Website
Basilica of St Stephen
Relic of St Stephen
Building began on Budapest's neo-classical Basilica of St Stephen in 1845.
The collapse of its dome in 1868 set back completion of this Pest landmark
until 1905. St. Stephen's right hand is preserved in the Szent Jobb
chapel.
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Cost
Free (Tower Ft500, concessions Ft400)
Opening Hours
Summer: 9am-5pm (from 1pm Sun); winter: 10am-4pm
Address
33, V. Szent Istvan tér, Budapest 1051
Telephone
+36 (1) 317 2859
Parliament
Grand seat of power
Dramatically located on the Pest banks of the Danube, the Parliament is the
vast 1902 creation of Imre Steindl. The 96-metre high dome and neo-Gothic
maze of golden halls house Hungary's national assembly. Protesters and
tourists gather outside.
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Cost
Free for EU residents; Ft2950; concessions Ft1480 for non-EU residents
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 8am-6pm; Sat 8am-4pm; Sun 8am-2pm; English language tours daily at 10am, 12pm and 2pm. Tours also in German, French, Russian, Hebrew, Italian and Spanish.
Address
1-3, Kossuth tér, Budapest 1055
Telephone
+36 (1) 441 4904
Great Synagogue
World's second largest synagogue
The Great Synagogue has been restored to its Byzantine onion-domed glory.
Theodore Herzl, the father of modern Zionism, was born on the site. A
weeping willow monument remembers WW2 casualties from the District VII
Jewish Quarter in which it sits.
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Cost
Ft1600; concessions Ft750
Opening Hours
Mar-Oct: Sun-Fri 10am-5.30pm (until 2.30pm Fri) Nov-Feb: Sun-Fri 10.30pm-3.30pm (until 1.30pm Fri)
Address
2, Dohány utca, Budapest 1078
Telephone
+36 70 5335696
Heroes' Square
Hungary's history in statues
Built in 1896, Heroes' Square lies at the end of UNESCO-listed Andrássy út in
Pest. Equestrian statues of tribal leaders who founded Hungary in 9AD are
flanked by Hungarian heroes. The central 36-metre column can be seen from
across Budapest.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily all day
Address
Hösök Tere, Budapest XIV
Transport
Hösök Tere Metro station
Széchenyi Baths
Refreshing water and steam
Built on thermal springs in Pest's City Park, the neo-Baroque Széchenyi Baths
and sauna complex draws bathers all year round. Visitors swim the lengthy
pool, or sit in the steamy circular pool and take on the locals at
chess.
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Cost
Ft2500
Opening Hours
Daily 6am-10pm
Address
11, Állatkerti krt, Budapest 1146
Telephone
+36 (1) 363 3210
Chain Bridge
Linking Buda and Pest
The ornate Chain Bridge is the work of Hungarian moderniser István Széchenyi
and Scotsman Adam Clark. It was the first permanent bridge to connect Buda
and Pest in 1849. Lit at night, it's a romantic way to cross the Danube.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily all day
Address
Roosevelt tér & Clark Adam tér, Budapest V
Transport
Tram 2 to Roosevelt tér
Margaret Island
Budapest's recreation island
This green island, three kilometres long and 500 metres wide, lies between
Margit and Árpád bridges. Here, Budapesters relax and exercise at the
Palatinus lido and Alfréd Hajós swimming complex. Light shows at the Music
Fountain are popular in summer.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily all day
Address
Budapest 1138
Transport
Tram 4 or 6 to Margitsziget or bus 26 from Nuygati tér.
Statue Park
Icons of Communism
Rather than destroy statues of the hated former Communist regime, they have
been grouped together in Statue Park outside Budapest. Hungary's first
communist leader Béla Kun shares the space with Lenin, Marx and Engels, and
a host of out-of-favour martyrs.
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Cost
Ft1500; concessions Ft1000; Hungary Card holders -30%
Opening Hours
Daily 10am-sunset
Address
, Balatoni utca & Szabadkai utca, Budapest 1223
Telephone
+36 (1) 424 7500
Transport
Bus from Deák tér for Ft4000 return (Ft2500 with Budapest Card), includes entrance fee
Website
Children's Railway
Kids in charge
Originally part of the socialist youth movement, the 11-kilometre-long
Children's Railway runs through the Buda hills and is officiated by children
aged 10-14. Adults drive the trains and children do the rest. A steam engine
runs at weekends.
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Cost
Ft500-Ft700 one way; concessions Ft300-Ft350
Opening Hours
May-Aug daily 9am-7pm; Sep-Apr Tue-Sun 9am-5pm
Address
Széchenyi-hegyi, Gyermekvasút, Budapest 1281
Telephone
+36 (1) 397 5392
Transport
Tram 59 or 61 to Városmajor, the cog-wheel railway Fogaskerekü Vasút to Széchenyi-hegy
