Budapest 3-day itinerary

Take bus 16 from Deák Ferenc tér or the Buda Castle funicular (2,000 HUF) up to Castle Hill. Explore the cobblestone streets and pastel baroque houses. Fisherman's Bastion is free before 9am — seven neo-Gothic turrets with Parliament views across the Danube. Visit Matthias Church (2,000 HUF) with its Zsolnay ceramic roof. Then walk to the Hungarian National Gallery inside the Royal Palace (free permanent collection).

Metro M1 to Széchenyi fürdő. The Széchenyi Baths (7,200 HUF with locker) is a neo-baroque palace with 18 pools fed by natural hot springs at 38°C. The outdoor pools are magical — steam rising from yellow buildings while you soak. Chess-playing regulars in the water are a quintessential Budapest scene. Allow 2–3 hours to properly relax. Grab a lángos from the poolside stand.

Walk the Jewish Quarter (District VII). Visit the Dohány Street Synagogue — Europe's largest (5,000 HUF) — from outside if it's closed. Then begin the ruin bar crawl at Szimpla Kert on Kazinczy utca — a derelict apartment building turned into Budapest's most iconic bar. Dinner at the Karaván street food court next door — try langós, chimney cake, and Hungarian craft beer from the taps.

Join a guided tour of the Hungarian Parliament (6,000 HUF for non-EU, 3,000 HUF EU citizens) — the third-largest parliament building in the world, with 691 rooms and 40 kg of gold used in the interior. Book online, tours sell out. Afterwards, walk along the Danube promenade to the Shoes on the Danube memorial — 60 cast-iron shoes marking where Jews were shot into the river during WWII.

Tram 2 along the Danube (one of Europe's most scenic tram rides) to the Central Market Hall (Nagycsarnok) — a stunning iron-and-glass 1897 building. Ground floor for fresh produce and paprika (Hungary's essential spice); upstairs for traditional langós and goulash stalls (1,500–2,500 HUF). Then cross Liberty Bridge and climb Gellért Hill for the Citadella viewpoint — the best 360° panorama in Budapest.

If you didn't visit Széchenyi, try Gellért Baths (9,000 HUF) — more ornate Art Nouveau interiors with thermal pools and a stunning main hall. For dinner, head to Menza on Liszt Ferenc tér — retro Hungarian comfort food at fair prices (mains 3,500–5,500 HUF). The street is lined with terrace bars. Then to Instant-Fogas in District VII — a multi-floor maze of dance floors and bars.

Start with the Hospital in the Rock (4,800 HUF) — a secret WWII hospital and Cold War nuclear bunker carved into the limestone caves beneath Buda Castle. The guided tour uses wax figures and original equipment to recreate wartime surgery scenes. Afterwards, explore the quieter side of Buda — Víziváros (Watertown) below the castle has charming cafes like Ördögjárat and Ruszwurm, Budapest's oldest café since 1827.

Walk across Margaret Bridge to Margaret Island — a 2.5km-long park in the middle of the Danube with a musical fountain, Japanese garden, medieval ruins, and free outdoor pools in summer. Rent a four-person bike buggy (2,500 HUF/hour) to explore. Then metro to City Park — see the Vajdahunyad Castle (free grounds), the Budapest Zoo, and Heroes' Square with its Millennium Monument.

For a final meal, head to Borkonyha Winekitchen on Sas utca — Michelin-starred Hungarian cuisine with tasting menus from 18,000 HUF (remarkable value for a star). Or keep it casual at Bors GasztroBar on Kazinczy utca — legendary soups and sandwiches for 1,800–2,500 HUF. End with a walk along the Danube at night — the illuminated Chain Bridge, Parliament, and Buda Castle are unforgettable.