Travel guide · Hungary

Budapest

Why visit Budapest?

Budapest is really two cities facing each other across the Danube: hilly Buda, crowned by its castle, and flat, lively Pest with its grand boulevards and historic coffee houses. Add Art Nouveau facades, hearty paprika-scented cooking and a long tradition of thermal baths fed by hot springs, and you have a capital with plenty of character.

Not to miss

Parliament Building

This huge neo-Gothic building lines the Pest riverbank with its spires and dome, and it's worth seeing both from inside and from across the water in Buda.

a large white building with a red dome — Photo : Hongbin / Unsplash

Buda Castle District

Up on the hill, cobbled lanes, Matthias Church and the Fisherman's Bastion give sweeping views over the Danube and the rooftops of Pest.

people walking on park during daytime — Photo : Linda Gerbec / Unsplash

Széchenyi Baths

Set in City Park (Városliget), this neo-Baroque bathhouse has large outdoor pools of thermal water that stay open all year round.

a view of a bridge spanning over a river — Photo : Thomas Winkler / Unsplash

Chain Bridge

The first permanent bridge joining Buda and Pest, the Széchenyi Chain Bridge with its stone lions is a lovely walk from one bank to the other.

people walking inside building during daytime — Photo : Chenyu Jiang / Unsplash

Great Market Hall

Under an iron frame and a colourful tiled roof, stalls sell paprika, cured meats and produce, with counters upstairs serving lángos and other snacks.

people walking on street near brown concrete building during daytime — Photo : Ljubomir Žarković / Unsplash

Jewish Quarter and ruin bars

In District VII, the Dohány Street Synagogue sits near bars set up in old courtyards and crumbling buildings, such as the well-known Szimpla Kert.

When to go?

Spring and early autumn bring mild days, perfect for strolling along the Danube and climbing Buda's hills. Summers are hot and can be stormy, with the most rain falling from May to July, while winters are cold and sometimes bitterly so, which makes it a fine season to soak in the open-air thermal pools.

The warmest month is Jul (around 41 °C by day), the coolest Jan (-20 °C at night); the driest is Jan and the wettest Jun.

Month	Day / night	Rain	Flights from Brussels	Flights from Basel-Mulhouse	Flights from Nice
Jan	14° / -20°	38 mm	US$130	US$57	US$83
Feb	18° / -20°	42 mm	US$206	US$59	US$90
Mar	22° / -14°	41 mm	US$134	US$59	US$97
Apr	30° / -5°	38 mm	US$141	US$74	US$119
May	33° / 1°	67 mm	US$134	US$81	US$164
Jun	38° / 4°	76 mm	US$134	US$92	US$130
Jul	41° / 9°	71 mm	US$196	US$104	US$168
Aug	39° / 8°	64 mm	US$134	US$96	US$157
Sep	34° / 3°	56 mm	—	—	—
Oct	28° / -6°	51 mm	—	—	—
Nov	21° / -9°	44 mm	US$129	US$108	US$114
Dec	15° / -17°	44 mm	US$140	US$61	US$98

Climate: 1991-2020 normals (NASA POWER), daytime highs and night-time lows. Prices: the lowest round-trip fares Voly saw in recent months for a departure that month; they change all the time.

Practical tips

The metro, including the historic M1 line beneath Andrássy Avenue, and the trams, especially line 2 running along the Pest riverbank, make getting around easy. Central Pest (District V) and the old Jewish Quarter in District VII are handy bases. Try gulyás, lángos, chicken paprikash and the layered dobos torta.

At a glance

Country : Hungary
Currency : forint (HUF)
Languages : Hungarian
Time zone : Europe/Budapest (UTC+1) — difference with Montreal: +6 h, with Paris: 0 h (varies with daylight saving)

Entry requirements (passport, visa) depend on your nationality and change: check them with your government before booking.