If you’re wondering if 4 days in Budapest are enough, let me start by saying that you can (and should) spend a lot more time in the Hungarian capital if you can make it work. While you can even see some of the highlights of Budapest in a day, this city has so much to offer.
It has been on the back burner of my bucket list for quite some time, and when I actually got to visit, I was blown away. I know it’s a cliche, but Budapest is truly one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
Trying to describe why Budapest is worth visiting in a couple of sentences is impossible, so let’s dive into this detailed itinerary, that will hopefully help you make the most of your trip.
*I try to keep the information on this blog as updated as possible, but I still recommend consulting the latest prices, opening hours, and other details on the official website of each site, hotel, and tour, as well as checking the updated public transport routes and timetables. I share my personal experience and cannot guarantee yours.
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Where to Stay for 4 Days in Budapest
I highly recommend staying in the Pest side (on the eastern banks of the Danube River), where several small districts are the heart of the action and make a perfect base to explore the city.
I stayed in a lovely central apartment, but unfortunately, it isn’t available at the moment. Check out these other highly-rated accommodations instead.
Jumeirah Suites Budapest: Located a stone’s throw from Vörösmarty Square (where the famous Christmas market takes place) and the shopping street Váci, this accommodation offers cozy yet elegant double and triple rooms with a rating of 9.7!
Grand Budapest Apartments: Rated 9.5 and situated only a couple of minutes away from the famous Dohany Street in the Jewish Quarter, this property offers extremely spacious modern apartments for 2-8 people.
If you’re an avid luxury traveler and want to stay in a 6-star hotel (an unofficial rating of a 5-star hotel that offers special luxury services), you can also check out the Gresham Palace.
Note: If you want to be a responsible tourist and you’re planning to book an apartment rather than a hotel, please avoid staying in the Jewish Quarter. The local guide in one of the walking tours I had taken talked about how the apartment rentals, specifically in the Jewish Quarter, were hurting the locals, causing high rent prices and disturbing noise.
There’s no shortage of other amazing places to stay in Budapest, from apartments to B&Bs to luxury hotels.
4-Day Budapest Itinerary Summary
To get an idea of what this trip includes, here’s a quick summary:
Day 1: Buda (Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, Buda Castle, and more).
Day 2: Pest (Dohany Synagogue, Jewish Quarter and free tour, Heroes Square, Vajdahunyad Castle).
Day 3: Pest (Museum of Sweets and Selfies, Andrassy Avenue, St. Stephen’s Basilica, street art tour, Hungarian Parliament Building, Tram 2).
Day 4: Pest (thermal baths and Margaret Island) or a day trip.
You can purchase your entrance tickets to Matthias Church and St. Stephen’s Basilica in advance.
If you want to change it a bit, here are highly-rated activities you can book:
- An evening Danube River sightseeing cruise (with unlimited sparkling wine)
- Half-day wine tour to Etyek with lunch
- Szentendre, Visegrád & Esztergom day tour
- Themed free walking tours of Budapest
Seeing Budapest in 4 Days: Tips and Notes
Here are a few things to know before visiting Budapest:
Local currency: Hungarian Forint – HUF (1 USD = around 402 HUF, 1 EUR = around 412 HUF). Bring some HUF with you, but know that you can also pay with a credit card, exchange money, or draw money at an ATM (American Express is not always accepted) though I prefer paying with a card.
When to visit: I loved traveling in spring because the weather was perfect. You can also visit in early to mid-summer, and early fall to enjoy pleasant temperatures. The city can also be an amazing European winter break destination due to its Christmas markets.
How much time to spend: If you have more than 4 days, visit Budapest as part of a longer Hungary itinerary or even an Eastern Europe itinerary by train.
Getting from the airport to the city center: I preferred taking a taxi for convenience, but you could use public transport instead. Read here for more info on that.
Getting around: Most of this itinerary is done on foot, so be sure to bring comfortable shoes. When you need to use public transport, purchasing a single-ride ticket should be enough. Read more on ticket types, sale points, and validation here.
Food: Vegans, this one is for you. Although Hungary is not the most vegan-friendly destination, finding places to eat vegan food in Budapest is a lot easier than you think. I don’t eat meat but still found great restaurants, street food spots, and fantastic breakfast and brunch spots in Budapest.
Day 1 – Buda
This day will focus on the landmarks on the Buda side of the city. You can visit them on your own as I did or take a guided tour of Buda / a free walking tour.
To get here, I know many people choose to cross the Bridge and take the Buda Castle Funicular, but I took a bus right from Pest to Fisherman’s Bastion (line 16 or 216).
Fisherman’s Bastion
Who doesn’t love visiting places that look like they belong in a fairytale? That’s surely why Fisherman’s Bastion is one of Budapest’s top attractions.
Surprisingly, even though it is called a bastion, it actually never served as a fortification in Budapest. It was built in the late 19th century, so there would be a proper place to enjoy the views of the Danube River and the Pest side of the city. Genius, right?
The combination of the unique architecture and the beautiful scenery is definitely magical, yet you should expect to be surrounded by quite a few people.
If you want to take photos with no tourists around you, you’ll have to visit Fisherman’s Bastion very early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
Apart from the upper towers, which cost 1500 HUF to access, all the other towers and balconies are completely free to stroll around.
Matthias Church
Right next to Fisherman’s Bastion, you’ll find the stunning Matthias Church. Dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries, the current building has hosted countless important events throughout the years.
Ceremonies like King Matthias’ royal wedding and the coronation of King Franz Joseph have made the church a significant historical landmark, which is now one of the most visited places in Budapest.
Beyond its history, the church’s Gothic-style architectural details, along with the colorful roof tiles and unique interiors, are a feast for the eyes (and the camera). You can purchase your ticket in advance.
Bonus tip: Matthias Church also hosts several classical music concerts throughout the year, which you can book here.
Other Things to See Near Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church
1. Colorful streets
It’s so odd to see the area of the church and bastion packed with people while the surrounding streets are almost completely deserted.
Take advantage of this serenity and enjoy some colorful streets and squares like Táncsics Mihály and Bécsikapu.
2. HOSPITAL IN THE ROCK
This unusual museum is dedicated to a secret underground WWII military hospital.
You can only visit it with a 60-minute guided tour, where you’ll wander through the different rooms which have been restored to resemble wartime conditions.
3. House of Houdini
This museum is dedicated to the Jewish, Budapest-born magician Harry Houdini (did you know his name was actually Erik Weisz?), showcasing original items of his and preserving his heritage.
4. Tóth áRpád Promenade
This lovely avenue is filled with beautiful trees and overlooks the city. If you visit at the right time in spring, you’ll also get a chance to see some gorgeous pink blooms.
Buda Castle
As the former Royal Palace (Királyi-palota), the Buda Castle is a must-have on your 4-day Budapest travel itinerary.
Today, it houses the National Széchényi Library, the Budapest History Museum, and the Hungarian National Gallery. Each has its own price, and exploring them will take some time, but you can also wander around the courtyards for free.
At the foot of Buda Castle, you’ll find the Castle Garden Bazaar. This 19th-century complex of elegant buildings and gardens was designed to create an attractive cityscape near the castle. It is free to visit and can make a perfect afternoon stroll.
Day 2 – Pest
Dohany Synagogue
I absolutely love exploring my Jewish heritage when traveling, and since the 19th-century Dohany Synagogue is the largest in Europe and second-largest in the world, I had to include it on my itinerary.
Even if you’re not Jewish, this is a remarkable landmark you don’t want to miss. It doesn’t have a typical synagogue look, which makes its architecture (inside and out) even more intriguing.
Jewish Quarter
I loved roaming the beautiful streets of the Jewish Quarter.
They’re packed with street art, shops, restaurants and cafes, and unique buildings, and they definitely deserve a couple of hours of exploring.
You can even visit a few other synagogues, such as Rumbach and Kazinczy.
Tip: Have a cup of coffee and some delicious cakes at The Sweet (Dob 21).
Free Jewish History Walking Tour
Continuing with the Jewish theme, I highly recommend taking a free Jewish history tour.
It covers the Jewish landmarks in the area (including the synagogue, but only on the outside) and talks about the history of the community in Budapest and Hungary.
I had an amazing guide, so I really enjoyed this walking tour, which you can learn more about here. The meeting point is Elizabeth Square (where the Budapest Eye is located), and it currently starts at 2:30 PM.
The tour ends in Szimpla Kert, one of the most iconic ruin bars in Budapest. But what are ruin bars?
Essentially, these are old, abandoned buildings turned into quirky, budget-friendly drinking joints. Szimpla Kert is a pretty big one, and even though it has become touristy, it’s worth visiting. It also hosts a farmers’ market on Sundays.
Heroes Square
Whether by foot or by metro (line number 1), head to Heroes’ Square.
This iconic square commemorates important Hungarian rulers, including the seven chieftains who founded the country (there’s actually a fascinating European legend about the birth of the Hungarian nation involving a magical stag).
You’ll also find the Museum of Fine Arts and the Műcsarnok (Hall of Art) on both sides of the square.
Vajdahunyad Castle
Right behind Heroes’ Square, you’ll see the fairytale-like Vajdahunyad Castle. It is seriously dreamy, and sunset time is ideal for visiting it and taking hundreds of pretty pictures from every possible angle.
It was originally built to celebrate Hungarian architecture, and it definitely looks like a celebration. Today, it houses the Museum of Agriculture, but the courtyards and surroundings are free to wander.
Day 3 – Pest
MUSEUM OF SWEETS & SELFIES
The Museum of Sweets and Selfies (Paulay Ede 43) is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but I personally loved this hidden gem in Budapest.
It’s a different kind of museum, where the whole purpose is just to have fun like a kid (and take Insta-worthy pictures). You’ll go through rooms like the sprinkles pool, banana swing, and neon room, which are all unique and colorful.
I visited the original one, but a second (named Bubbles) is now open for visitors too. You can buy your tickets here (there’s a combo ticket available).
Andrassy Avenue and the Budapest Opera House
The museum is located only a minute away from the beautiful Andrassy Avenue. More specifically, from the spot where you’ll see two stunning buildings on both sides – the Hungarian State Opera House and the Drechsler Palace.
Stroll along the avenue towards Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Metro station, and turn right to get to St. Stephen’s Basilica.
St. Stephen’s Basilica
Probably one of the most distinctive landmarks in Budapest, St. Stephen’s Basilica is the third-largest church in Hungary, named after Stephen, the first King of Hungary. Admire its exterior architecture or go inside to have a look at its impressive interiors.
Get your ticket here. The church also hosts classical music concerts, which you can book here.
Street Art Walking Tour
I’m obsessed with street art, and Budapest did not disappoint. To learn more about the local scene, I took a free walking tour. It is not available anymore, so check out this similar paid street art tour.
I highly recommend it to every street art lover because it adds more meaning to your visit and shows another side of the city.
HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING
You can either walk alongside the Danube River or use the tram or metro to get from the Jewish Quarter to the Hungarian Parliament Building, which is one of the most stunning buildings in the city and a notable Hungarian landmark.
Take some time to take all that beauty in, and on the side that faces Kossuth Lajos Square (one of the prettiest squares in Europe), go and see the guards circling the national flag. To marvel at the magnificent interiors, check out the opening hours and prices here.
Important: From April to October you’ll have time to get to the parliament after the street art tour, but in other months, you won’t because it closes early, so feel free to skip out on the street art tour or just see the parliament on the outside.
Tip: If you decide to walk from the Jewish Quarter to the parliament, stop at the Shoes on the Danube Bank, a memorial that honors the Hungarian Jews who were shot into the river during WWII.
Tram 2 at Sunset
To enjoy the sunset, get on the yellow Tram 2 at Kossuth Lajos Square tram station (right behind the Parliament).
It passes alongside the Danube River and overlooks the Buda side of the city, and sunset time is when everything looks soft and glowy. You can take the full route and then go back with it to the Parliament or get off wherever you want.
Day 4 – Pest or a Day Trip
When you only have four days in Budapest, you can definitely spend another day exploring the city itself, visiting places like:
- Margaret Island
- Széchenyi Thermal Bath (book your full-day spa package here) or other thermal baths
- Great Market Hall
- Gellert Hill
Otherwise, you can take a day trip to see a bit more of Hungary’s cities, towns, and countryside. If you like to take day trips on your own, a few easy ones reachable by public transport are the picturesque town of Szentendre, Gödöllő and its famous royal palace, or the town of Visegrád.
If you prefer booking a guided day tour, here are some highly-rated ones:
- Half-day wine tour to Etyek with lunch
- Szentendre, Visegrád & Esztergom day tour
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