A 2 day stay in Budapest

I stayed in Budapest for 2 full days and it was enough to make me appreciate this city for all it has to offer. Great food, amazing architecture, and beautiful sites are what I think of when Budapest comes to mind. I went in mid May so there weren’t that many people visiting and the weather was perfect – mid to high 70’s (Fahrenheit), sunny and no humidity (you understand if you’re a fellow curly haired person).

If you’re thinking about visiting Budapest, even if it’s just for a day, I would definitely recommend it. Taking in the Hungarian culture, strolling next to the Danube, and eating goulash? … yes, please! Since I visited for a short time, I didn’t get to explore the whole city and see all of the amazing spots I know are there, but here are the top 3 things I would suggest you check out during you’re visit:

1. Chain Bridge, Liberty Bridge & the Parliament Building – If you walk along the Danube, then you’ll see all of these within 20 minutes of each other. I walked across the Liberty and Chain Bridges a few times just wandering around and thought they’re worth seeing during the day and especially at night! Speaking of night, the Parliament Building is stunning at night and radiates golden light! During the day it’s still a beautiful building and you can go inside the for HUF 6000 (about $22).

2. Fisherman’s Bastion & Matthias Church – Fisherman’s Bastion gives you a great view of the Parliament Building and the Danube from higher ground. (It is a touristy spot, so it unfortunately gets crowded unless you get there early.) Matthias Church is right next to Fisherman’s Bastion and you can’t miss it. The roof is REALLY cool and probably my favorite thing about this location. Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion are located in “Castle District” and once you’re done taking in the view of the Danube, I would recommend walking around the streets in Castle District. There are a lot of authentic shops, the National Gallery, the Castle, and the History Museum. I even came across the Tower of the Church of Mary Magdalene which is the only part of the church that was not destroyed since it’s construction dating to the 13th century.

3. Szechenyi Thermal Baths – I’ll admit that I’m not a huge fan of public pools or hot tubs, BUT I couldn’t help myself and jump in. You know what they say, “when in… Budapest?” Anyways, there are indoor and outdoor baths you can enjoy or there’s a lap pool you can use, but you need to wear a swimming cap or they won’t let you in. The picture below was taken right after I got to Szechenyi and right after it literally down poured and it was STILL this croweded. It’s a very popular spot for good reason!

FOOD 

There are a couple of things you should try when you’re in Budapest – Langos (which is fried bread topped traditionally with cheese and sour cream) and of course -Goulash. There are a ton of cool places to eat in Budapest especially in Jewish Quarter which even has a lane full of outdoor bars, karaoke, and restaurants, but one restaurant stood out to me.

Restaurant Rustico – Stumbled upon this restaurant walking around and decided to go in because the menu looked good, cheap, and it wasn’t that crowded. Best decision ever! Had a hard time deciding what to choose off the menu, but ended up getting the Hortobágy pancakes (savory crepe filled with meat and topped with sauce), goulash, chicken paprikash with dumplings (Budapest is known for their paprika if you didn’t already know), and a duck leg with sweet potato and cabbage.

 

It was all very good and there was even a violinist playing traditional Hungarian songs!

New York Cafe – I know, I know… New York Cafe in Budapest? BUT give it a chance. It’s labeled “The Most Beautiful Cafe in the World” and you can get a breakfast buffet without paying a lot of money! Try the Hungarian coffee while you’re there – it’s layered with Puszta cocktail, honey, espresso and topped with milk foam. 

Budapest is definitely a city that I would return to in my future travels and I hope you’re able to make your way there soon too!

If you have any favorite spots in Budapest that weren’t listed feel free to leave a comment, its much appreciated! ♥