Budapest: Hungary’s Vibrant Capital the Jewel of the Danube

Budapest: Hungary’s Vibrant Capital the Jewel of the Danube

Budapest is one of my favorite cities and if I could speak fluent Hungarian I would most likely have moved here already. It is a very international city however so you can get by with other languages as well! It has a ton of fun things to offer, a very active night life and a rich history to explore. Lets take a look at some of the things we will cover in this article:

Quick Guide:

Language: Hungarian – it’s HARD. Many people in the city can speak some English, but it doesn’t they will

Currency: Forint – yep they have their own currency too

Dress code: you will see more casual than anything

ACCOMMODATION:

Budapest is split into two sides, Buda and Pest. This means first you need to decide which side you want to stay in. If you stay on the Buda side it is much more residential, quiet and often less expensive. If you want to be right down town and in the middle of the party, then I recommend you stay on the Pest side. There are so many options for accommodation in this city, here is a great place to start searching for the perfect one for you:

Hostels:

728*90

If you are more interested in parties, nightlife and having automatic meet ups then maybe a hostel is for you! Check out the options here.

SITES in Budapest:

Parliament:

The Parliament building in Budapest is probably the most beautiful government building I have ever seen. It is right on the water and is great to look at during the day or the night. I recommend taking a wine cruise and see it lit up during the night.

Fisherman Bastion

Fisherman Bastion is a beautiful castle like building atop a hill. It offers great views of the city and river below. I highly recommend coming here for sunrise so you ca have the place to yourself. They have a Starbucks in the courtyard so you can grab a coffee and people watch when it starts to get busy.

Other sites:

Train station

•Hero’s Square

•Market (great for quick eats)

•Jewish memorial along the river

THERMAL SPAS:

Budapest has no short supply of thermal spas. Here’s a quick guide to some of the most popular!

Széchenyi:

By far the most beautiful thermal spa is the széchenyi spa! I go every chance I visit Budapest. I recommend getting a cabin locker to share to change and store your belongings. The spa has countless indoor, outdoor heated and cold pools, as well as a range of massages and spa treatments.

Gellért:

This is the oldest and most “traditional” of the thermal spas. They have a special wine tub and you can stay onsite in their hotel.

Rudas:

Rudas is another cool spa with amazing views of the city from the rooftop tubs!

Restaurants:

Budapest has so many incredible food options and their restaurant scene is growing each year. You can find something for everyone and try new things for every meal if you want. You can check out some of our favorite places we have eaten here on our Hungarian Restaurant food page:

Hungarian Restaurant Reviews

Bars:

The 360 bar

The 360 Bar for views of the entire city. In winter they have these bubbles with heathers and blankets you can eat in. Szimpla kert is my favorite overall atmosphere and design. The Cool Tour has good drinks .


Szimpla Kert: 

This is my favorite ruin bar in Budapest. I just love the vibe, the decor and the drinks here. It’s a pub built to embrace the chaos and the decor represents this perfectly. It’s full of mismatched items (including but certainly not limited to a Trabant car, a bath tub and a weird kangaroo figure), perfectly immersed throughout the countless rooms. They also have a market and garden area that overflows from the upstairs floor down into the main bar rooms. Drinks aren’t that expensive here , they also offer food if you get hungry. I’ve never once had a bad time in Szimpla and it’s my favorite place to take friends when they first visit the city. 

Address: Budapest, Kazinczy u. 14, 1075 Hungary

Instant

Instant (has like 7 dance floors on multiple levels each with their own genre of music) oh and food stalls right inside !

Activities:

The Sweets and Selfie Museum

The sweets and selfie museum is defiantly a cool unique thing to visit. You can go into multiple rooms all with different themes.

As for where to stay, I’ve always stayed with friends but if you stay on Buda side of the river it’s quieter and more residential while the Pest side is more city life and bar scenes.

Need More Travel Tips?

💳 WANT TO TRAVEL FOR FREE? 

Want to travel for free, simply as a reward for spending money you already had to spend ? I love my Capital One travel card and I think you will too! You get unlimited miles on every purchase with a card that fits your lifestyle. Plus 10x points on hotels and 5x points on flights booked through their travel portal!!! If you ever wanted to travel in luxury, this is the card for you. Check out our referral link!

🧳 NEED TRAVEL INSURANCE?

Peace of mind comes when you book travel insurance. You do not need to worry about flight cancelations, lost luggage, or any illnesses while traveling. Check out the first ever specific Digital Nomad insurance we use here : SafetyWing.

NEED AN eSIM?

Check out our article on the top eSIM Providers for Digital nomads and world travelers:

Top eSIM Providers for Digital Nomads: Streamlining Connectivity While Traveling

Happy travels xx

Like it? Pin it!

Trip: We have visited all seasons and lived in the city

Copyright Notice: All material on this travel blog site is the sole property of Travel Munchers.  This includes blog posts, pages, design and all photos (whether watermarked or not). Any use of materials from this site without express written consent will be considered copyright infringement.