Visiting Budapest in 2 Days: Best Things To Do in Budapest, Hungary

Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is an exceptional European destination to add to your travel bucket list; however, if you are here, then you have probably already decided to visit this gorgeous European city, and you are looking for the best things to do in Budapest in 2 days.

You have found the perfect post, then!

Visiting Budapest in 2 days is a great way to discover the highlight of this beautiful city. You’ll see the top places to visit in Budapest and soak in the charming atmosphere of this.

Visiting Budapest in 2 Days: Best Things To Do In Budapest

I spent a few days in Budapest with my boyfriend this summer and loved my time there.

If two days in Budapest is all you have, don’t worry, you’ll be able to see the best of the city and enjoy most of the city’s highlights.

The Danube River separates the city into two, Buda and Pest; therefore, many beautiful bridges are scattered around the city; they are beautiful photo spots in Budapest. The yellow trams that run around the city and pass on some bridges add even more charm.

Things To Know Before Visiting Budapest:

• Budapest’s currency is the Forint.
• Budapest is the capital of Hungary.
• Check if you need a plug adapter to use your electronic devices.
• Budapest is split in two by the Danube River.
• Get the BudapestGO app to get around the city easily
• Budapest is easily accessible by bus if you’re travelling around nearby countries.
  

How To Get Around Budapest:

Getting around Budapest is easy. You can download the BudapestGo App to buy your tram and metro ticket (as well as airport shuttle tickets)! However, I found walking around from one place to another easier and more pleasant, discovering little streets, and soaking the city’s atmosphere to its fullest.

Travelling to Budapest is simple, and you can reach the city from many places by bus, train or plane.

Here is a quick breakdown of how those 2 days in Budapest:

Budapest 2 Itinerary details

Day 1 In Budapest:

Exploring the Buda side of the city

• Budapest Castle
• Gellért Hill
• Observation deck
• Buda Labyrinth
• Budapest Citadella
• Fisherman’s Bastion

Day 2 In Budapest:

Exploring Pest

• St Stephen Basilica
• Visit a thermal bath*
• Shop at the central market hall
• Dohány Street Synagogue
• Vajdahunyad Castle
• Heroes Square
• Stroll along the Danube’s banks

*I didn’t have time to do it during my trip; I was pretty sick and didn’t fancy staying in the water during that time. However, soaking in a thermal Bath in Budapest is a must-do when you visit the city!

Those are the main landmarks and places to visit in Budapest or “Budapest must see” if you prefer.

Check out those beautiful Hungary captions!

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What To See In Budapest In 2 Days

St. Stephen’s Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika)

This impressive basilica was completed in 1905. It has been named in honour of the first king of Hungary, St. Stephen. It also houses Hungary’s most sacred relics.

The critical piece about this parish church is its beautiful neo-renaissance dome and insane details. You can also visit the top of the cathedral to get stunning city views.

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Kilatoterasz Observation Deck on Gellért Hill

A great way to get beautiful views over the city is to hike to the Observation Deck in Budapest on the Buda side of the river.

Gellert Hill was named after Saint Gerard, who was thrown to death from the hill in 1046.

Budapest Citadella

The fortress was built in 1851, and if you’re not spending much time in Budapest, it may seem uninteresting to check out. The view you get from the hike to the Cittadella makes Budapest worth checking out, in my opinion.

While Budapest Citadella is currently under renovation and you can’t visit the interior, you can still see the outside architecture through the fences when you climb up.

Buda Castle

This UNESCO World Site Heritage was first built in the 12th century. Buda Castle is a historical castle and palace complex; while initially the first construction was completed in 1265, more significant parts of the site were built between 1749 and 1769

Buda Castle is a must-visit when visiting Budapest; you can find the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum. While those aren’t free to visit, there is a lot to explore around the castle ground for free. The whole area is beautiful!

The visit takes between one to three hours, depending on what you decide to see.

Check out the official website for more helpful information about the different tours and parts of the castle and the prices.

Castle Garden Bazaar

The Castle Garden Bazaar is located south of the Chain Bridge and was renovated in the 19th century. This Neo-Renaissance historical monument houses exhibitions, restaurants and, of course, beautiful gardens. It’s the perfect place to stroll around on a nice day before visiting the castle.

Labyrinth Under the Castle Hill

The Labyrinth of Buda Castle is in a cave system with springs, basements, caves and cellars that are 1200 meters long. Visiting this maze is quite a unique experience; the stairs to get down to the labyrinth are steep. This labyrinth is where Vlad Tepes was held captive for 14 years, but you probably know it better under the name of Count Dracula.

Halfway through the labyrinth, you’ll find the “Maze of Darkness.” Hold onto the railing and walk around 5min in pitch blackness! When you reach the entrance, you can smell that you are underground with the humidity. And please don’t use your phone to light the way and ruin the fun for others.

I thought it was a great experience, but I’d not recommend visiting the labyrinth if you have claustrophobia.

You can book online tours on GetYourGuide.

Fisherman’s Bastion

The construction of the Fisherman’s Bastion took nearly twenty years; this impressive Neo-Baroque and neo-gothic building is located on Castle Hill.

You can enjoy a fantastic panoramic view of the Parliament and Margaret Island.

It’s free to visit the lower terraces and towers, which offer lovely views in their own right. Of course, if you’d like to take photos while the place is empty, you’ll have to wake up super early.

Matthias Church

Matthias Church, originally known as “The Church of our Lady”, was established between the thirteenth and fifteen century. You can visit this roman catholic temple while you visit the fisherman’s bastion.

Budapest Parliament

The Budapest parliament is one of the most impressive landmarks in Budapest, and it’s hard to miss.

Of course, you must also check out Budapest Parlement during the night! We decided to take a lime scooter for a night promenade to the parliament, and we had a fantastic time; the architecture of the building is even more impressive, all lit up during nighttime!

Shoes On The Danube Bank

Erect in 2005, this commemorative piece can be found on the bank of the Danube; they’re a remembrance.

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Margaret Island

Margaret Island, or Margitsziet, is on the Danube north of Budapest’s city centre. It was also called Rabbit Island during the Middle Ages, as it was a royal hunting reserve. Margaret Island is what Hyde Park is to London or Central Park to New York City.

Things to do on Margaret Island:

• Ride a bicycle
• Visit the Rose Garden
• Visit the Japanese Garden
• Walk through the ruins of a Franciscan Monastery

You can also check out Margaret Island’s baths, Palatinus Strand.

We accessed Margaret Island by Lime; if you do that, please note that there is no designated area to park the Lime.

Stroll Along the Danube banks – Dunakorzó

Dunakorzó, or Danube promenade in English, extends from the Chain Bridge to the Elisabeth bridge.

Plenty of sculptures are scattered along the promenade; it’s a perfect stroll on a sunny day with a drink. The tram passes by the promenade; I love that yellow tram passing by as you walk; it’s very picturesque.

You’ll be able to see many beautiful landmarks on the Buda side. Therefore you can see Budapest Parliament, Buda Castle, Matthias Church and more.

Check Out All The Beautiful Bridges Of Budapest

Like. As mentioned at the beginning of this post, Budapest is crossed by the Danube river; therefore, the city has some stunning bridges; usually, the views from both sides of the bridges (either from Buda or Pest) are equally beautiful.

Széchenyi Chain Bridge

This bridge was built in 1849 and was the first bridge built across the Hungarian section of the Danube. Now it is one of the city’s prominent landmarks and most recognizable symbol.

Liberty Bridge

Constructed in 1896, this bridge stands out from all the other iconic bridges that connect Buda and Pest that span across the Danube River due to its unique architecture and bronze statues on top of the four mats of the bridge.

Elisabeth Bridge

Elisabeth bridge is the third newest bridge in the city; the original eclectic flamboyant style bridge was finished building in 1903, and although the bridge was destroyed during WW II, it was rebuilt in a very simplified minimalist way.

You can get a good view of the bridge from Gellert Hill.

Margaret Bridge

This three-way bridge connects Buda, Pest and Margaret Island. The bridge is composed of several beautiful arches and steel trusses. After it was destroyed during WWII, Margaret Bridge was rebuilt after the war and refurbished in 2011.

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Central Market Hall

The Central Market Hall, or The Great Hall Market, is a vast indoor market built in the late 19th century. The city’s mayor commissioned the market, and the Hungarian architect Samu Pecz was in charge of designing the building.

Almost destroyed during WWII, the market was slowly abandoned as it couldn’t be operated anymore due to the state of the building. It was officially restored in 1994 after going bankrupt in 1991 and is one of Budapest’s most visited attractions.

You can find snacks, traditional food and a lot of souvenir booths there. You can sit there and share a table with the locals.

Vajdahunyad Castle

Vajdahunyad Castle is located in the city park and is a copy of Hunyad Castle in Romania. This copy of the castle was built in 1896 as part of the Millennial Exhibition, which celebrated the 1000 years of Hungary.

Nowadays, the castle houses the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture. Walking around the castle’s courtyard feels like you have stepped into a magical place!

You can pass by the Heroes’ Square to the castle.

You can ride paddle boats on the lake next to the castle; it’s a great activity to do in summer in Budapest!

Try a Chimney Cake

Also known as “Kurtoskalacs” in Hungarian, a chimney cake is a delicious sweet treat baked around a cylindrical baking spit; you can scent the sweet smells of those throughout the city.

If you’d like to know more about all these yummy cakes and where to eat them, check out this post about all the best Chimney cakes in Budapest.

Conclusion On Visiting Budapest in 2 Days

I loved visiting Budapest and will return to this city if I can. I visited Budapest by the end of August; when I visited, there was also the national holiday fireworks on the first day, which made the end of the day magical, a great memory.

In total, we stayed four days in Budapest. However, we arrived reasonably late on the first and last days by bus (from Zagreb, Croatia). I was flying back home around noon, so neither of those days counted in my Budapest itinerary, and we only visited for two full days.

Where To Stay In Budapest

As I mentioned above in my conclusion of “visiting Budapest in 2 days”, we stayed 4 days and 3 nights. But we arrived late on the first day and left in the morning on the morning of the 4th day, so in total, we had only two full days in Budapest.

During our stay in Budapest, we chose to stay at the “Dormero Hotel Budapest” and adored our stay there; I highly recommend this hotel if you’re looking for a great, comfy place. The hotel’s location is ideal, the bed is fantastic, and the price point is also perfect.

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Visiting Budapest in 2 days: Best Things To Do in Budapest, Hungary.

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✈ Best Travel Ressources To Plan Your Next Trip

✈ How To Find Flights?

– Skyscanner; it is a good comparator for finding the cheapest flights.
– Google Flights is also a good help when comparing flights.

✈ Where To Book Accommodations?

– Booking.com: plenty of options and ways to get discounts the more you book.

✈ Best Sites To Book Activities

– GetYourGuide when I can’t get a ticket directly on the website or if it’s easier to go through them.
– Klook if you need to book more than just activities and would like to get everything from the same website or different day trips—(i.e. transport cards, car rental, hotel…).

✈ Other helpful travel resources

– Radical Storage: If you need a place to keep your luggage for an extended period when you travel, I recommend using them.
– TheTrainline: If you love to travel by train like me, then TheTrainline needs to be your go-to website for train travel in Europe.

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