The Ultimate 2-Day Budapest Itinerary: Exploring Hungary’s Enchanting Gems
A Trip Between Covid Lockdowns
If you are craving a city break that blends haunting history with fairytale architecture, look no further than Budapest. In July 2020, we drove from Zurich to Budapest for a mini-vacation. The lockdown had just lifted, and we were eager to trade our quarantine habits for long days of exploration.
During our two days in the Hungarian capital, we relied entirely on public transport to navigate between the historic streets of Buda and the vibrant energy of Pest. Here is our detailed itinerary and checklist for an unforgettable 48 hours in Budapest.
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Arriving in Budapest
- Via Train or Bus: Located in the heart of Central Europe, Budapest is a major transport hub easily accessible by rail and road from neighboring countries like Austria, Slovakia, and Romania. To compare the best routes and prices for your journey, you can book through Busbud here.
- Via Flight: Land at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD), historically known as Ferihegy, located about 35 minutes from the city center. To find the best deals on airfare, search and book your flights here.
Essential Travel Resources for Your Trip
- Over-night Stays: To book a hotel, explore the options available here.
- Stay Connected: Stay connected without worrying about roaming fees. Grab a local eSIM that fits your data needs here:
- We recommend Airalo for a budget-friendly and basic plan. Get your Airalo eSIM here.
- Yesim is our top-pick for unlimited data needs.Get your Yesim eSIM here.
- Going Around:
- Taxis & Private Transfers Secure a reliable, fixed-price ride with professional drivers. Avoid the airport queues by booking in advance. Book your taxi/transfer here.
- Car Rentals Enjoy the freedom of the open road. Compare the best rates from top brands to find your perfect vehicle here.
- Public Transport Travel like a local and save money. Skip the station lines by securing your train and bus tickets here.
Day 1
Aquincum Museum
We started our exploration of Budapest at Aquincum Museum. The ticket was worth 3000 HUF and while that may seem a lot, it converts to around 7.72 CHF. We spent a little over an hour at the museum. The site had both indoor and outdoor exhibitions. The museum consisted of ruins of a Roman City including public baths and a market place. Overall, the museum was a testament of the existence of Romans in Central Europe.
Margaret Island
Margaret Island is a tiny and beautiful island near Budapest. We arrived at the island using public transport. As soon as I came across Margaret Island during my searches, I knew we had to give this place a chance. The island is named after Princess Margaret of Hungary who lived in the convent on the island and later became a saint herself. We spotted the Franciscan Monastery and church remains and read about the history of the island. We rented a pedal car and went around the island. Our exploration lasted 2 hours and we comfortably got from one side to the other and back in that duration. The island was absolutely breathtaking with beautiful flower gardens as well as ruins from old societies.
Memento Park
Once back in Budapest, we visited Memento Park. The entrance ticket cost 3000 HUF and we spent an hour there. Memento Park contains historical artifacts from the communist period of Hungary’s politics. We saw huge statues of major communist names along with a replica of the grandstand from where Stalin used to give public speeches. There was also an old Trabant, the iconic car of communism, in which we sat down and took pictures.
Pro-tip: Secure your ticket to Memento Park using the widget below.
Gellert Hill Cave
Our next destination was the impressive Gellert Hill Cave which is a church carved into the hillside. We spent an hour at the church and the entrance ticket was 1500 HUF. The church looked extremely impressive from the outside and the inside was even more beautiful. It was used as a hospital in World War II and was later sealed by the communist regime.
Liberty Statue
From Gellert Hill Cave, we walked towards the top of Gellert Hill. There, we found the Liberty Statue symbolizing Hungary’s freedom from Soviet forces. It was totally worth climbing the hill to see this beautiful piece of art. The views of the city from the top of the hill were just amazing.
Queen Elizabeth Statue and Statue of Károly Kós
Our next destination was the Queen Elizabeth Statue. This was a huge statue of the Hungarian Queen Elizabeth who was assassinated in Geneva with a sharpened needle file. Then, we came across the statue of famous Hungarian architect and writer Károly Kós. Next, we stopped to have some dinner before going to our last checkpoint of the day.
Fisherman’s Bastion
We ended our day at the enchanting Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church. It was almost time for sunset by the time we arrived there. The entrance ticket to the observation deck was 1500 HUF. We found a stall for chimney cake and bought some vanilla flavoured cake. The taste was divine and we admired the architecture while enjoying the chimney cake. Fisherman’s Bastion is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the architecture is absolutely mesmerizing. The white colour of the marble made it extremely appealing. The observation deck provided views of Budapest and the Danube River. We were also able to spot the stunning Hungarian Parliament Building from the observation deck. We spent an hour at the location and it was so magical that we found it hard to leave.
Day 2
Heroes’ Square
We started our second day at Heroes’ Square which is an iconic monument of Budapest. The monument consists of statues of seven different tribal chieftains along with a separate memorial stone at the base of the monument. The monument was stunning and a sophisticated piece of art.
City Park
From Heroes’ Square, we walked towards the City Park and entered through the nearest gate. We spent almost 40 minutes exploring the park. We enjoyed our nice walk at the park and would recommend people to spend more time if they enjoy nature and quiet.
Newspaper Boy Statue
While walking towards our next destination, we came across a steel statue of a small boy. While researching, we found out that it is an iconic statue of a newspaper boy delivering newspapers.
Széchenyi Chain Bridge
Széchenyi Chain Bridge is a famous stone bridge in Budapest. The bridge provides access between Buda and Pest. The bridge has an intricate architecture and is very popular among tourists. We had to go to Budapest Castle and crossed the bridge to arrive there.
Buda Castle
Pro-tip: To experience a guided tour of the area, secure your ticket using the widget below.
To arrive at Buda Castle, we had to ride the Buda Castle Funicular. There was no entrance ticket for Buda Castle but the return ticket for the funicular was 5000 HUF. We spent a little over an hour at the castle. At the top, we were able to enjoy the panoramic views of Budapest and the beautiful architecture of the castle. We also experienced the Changing of the Guards at 12 pm which we found to be extremely full of energy.
Holocaust Memorial
As we were walking towards our next checkpoint, we saw an interesting Holocaust memorial that displayed the names of the Holocaust victims in World War II. We spent a few minutes at the memorial.
Hungarian Parliament Building
The Hungarian Parliament Building is another magnificent looking building with beautiful architecture. The presence of the Danube River by the parliament building adds to its beauty. We loved exploring the parliament building from the outside and admiring its beauty.
Shoes on the Danube Bank
Shoes on the Danube Bank is another Holocaust Memorial. It consists of cast iron shoes placed at the bank of the river to signify the Jews who were shot by the river bank during World War II.
House of Terror Museum
Pro-tip: If you are interested in learning about the history of Communism in Hungary through a guided tour, secure your spot using the widget below.
Our next destination was the House of Terror Museum with an entrance ticket of 4000 HUF. We spent 2 hours at the museum and were horrified by the historical information exhibited there. The museum featured detailed accounts of the fascist and communist regimes that Hungary faced in the past. There were too many stories with too many bitter and harsh endings. We were heartbroken by the time we left the museum.
Dohany Street Synagogue
Dohany Street Synagogue is the largest synagogue in Europe with an extremely beautiful architecture. I had read about the beauty of this synagogue and while it was not open due to Covid restrictions, we enjoyed the architecture from the outside.
St. Stephen’s Basilica
St. Stephen’s Basilica was another landmark with an extremely enchanting architecture. It was also closed due to Covid restrictions but there was a large crowd outside taking pictures happily. We found the architecture stunning and enjoyed the view from the outside.
Halal Food
Al-Amir Restaurant
- 🥘Cuisine: Authentic Syrian, Lebanese & Arabic
- ⭐ Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- 🌙 Halal Status: 100% Halal
- 🌐 Website: https://al-amirbudapest.com/en
- 📸 Socials: Instagram
- 💰 Budget: €15 – €30 per person (approx. 6,000 – 12,000 HUF)
Al-Amir is a Syrian Restaurant in Budapest and serves Halal food. We had dinner at Al-Amir on the second day of our trip. We ordered their Hummus, Stuffed Grape Leaves, Aleppo Style Kebab, Fries, Yoghurt Salad Tzatziki and Shish Taouk. The food did not take too long to arrive and was extremely delicious. We would definitely recommend Al-Amir to people looking for delicious Halal Syrian food.
Final Remarks
Our trip to Budapest, Hungary is very close to our hearts as it was a trip taken during the first year of Covid. The highlights of our trip were Margaret Island, Fisherman’s Bastion and Buda Castle. We found Budapest to be extremely rich in architectural gems and it is definitely worth visiting if you are fascinated by the architecture of landmarks.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are 2 days enough for Budapest?
While you cannot see everything, two days is perfect for visiting the major landmarks like Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, and the Parliament.
What is the best way to get around?
Public transport is highly efficient. The trams and subways connect all major tourist hubs.
Is Budapest expensive?
Compared to Western Europe, Budapest offers great value. Most museum tickets range between 1500 and 4000 HUF.
