HUNGARY
How to spend 2 days
in Budapest
lot of people were saying that two days in Budapest are not enough and that I won’t be able to see much but here I am, to say that you really can do a lot if you make a nice schedule.
If you arrive before 9:00am its free to walk up the bastions. You can enjoy the view and take all the pictures you want
We had two full days to see the city. You start by booking a hotel in an ideal location to help you move around. We stayed at Park Plaza, in Buda, for three nights and €402. Its right across the Parliament, with Fisherman’s Bastion as view from our room’s window (we were on the foot of the hill). So, in two days we managed to visit all the big stops, try local treats, visit a couple of museums and a trip outside the city center.
Heroes’ Square
Definitely one of the main attractions in the city, perfect for a quick photo-stop if you’re lucky enough to find a spot without crowds. We arrived around 3:00pm with very few people present, took some quick shots before all the groups came along. It may be the open space around it but if you take a second to just stand in the middle, staring at the statues, a feeling of glory will overcome you. The square is noted for the iconic Millennium Monument with statues featuring the Seven chieftains of the Magyars and other important national leaders, as well as the Memorial Stone of Heroes (often mistaken for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier).
Ligeti Lángos
Of course, you can’t not try the local food. Ligeti Lángos is like a canteen serving lángos which is a deep fried flatbread with various toppings – I had sour cream, onions and bacon. You may find it a bit greasy, but it’s tasty nevertheless.
Museum of Ethnography
The new Museum of Ethnography is definitely a must visit. The roof is on ground level and it serves like a park with lots of greenery, stone benches and great view if you walk towards the top, and a spot with wooden columns. Inside, you can digitally explore every landmark of the city (for free) and you can walk around history on its lower grounds through various interesting exhibits.
Funicular to the Buda Castle
One tip to avoid the huge crowds is to visit early. We took the funicular at 8:00am and when we got to the bastion there was almost 0 people around. The ticket to the funicular is 3000 HUF (round trip) 2000 HUF for children between 3 and 14 and free for children under 3. It’s a cute experience mainly because it’s a great retro elevator that gives you a nice view of the city – and saves you from walking 152 steps and uphill paths.
Fisherman’s Bastion
If you arrive before 9:00am its free to walk up the bastions. You can enjoy the view and take all the pictures you want, then enjoy a coffee at the square next to Matthias’s Church before the crowd comes. It’s a nice morning walk around Buda Hill. The historical castle and palace complex was first completed in 1265. It also houses the Hungarian National Gallery, the Budapest Historical Museum, and the National Széchényi Library.
Chimney Cakes
One of the most famous desserts is, without a doubt, the chimney cakes. A quick search will give you Kató Néni as one of the best spots for this, serving from the classic plain roll with cinnamon, sugar etc to tasty alternatives that you use as a cone to add chocolates, ice creams and many more. It’s also near the center, so you can go for a walk afterwards.
St. Stephen’s Panorama
The basilica was closed when we visited but we discovered a spot that I knew nothing about. When you go up the bell tower (elevator or stairs) you get an amazing panoramic view of the city, though keep in mind that when there’s a crowd it may be difficult to move around since the balcony has very narrow walking paths. For the panorama only, the ticket is 2000 HUF.
Light Art Museum
It’s the world’s largest light museum that includes various light installations and interactive exhibits that will definitely make your visit worth it. Especially if you like these kind of stuff, like I do, I’m sure you will love it. The ticket is 6000 HUF (with discounts for students, seniors, children and family) and you will have to pre- book your slot online.
If you have a chance to spend two days in Budapest but are worried you may miss a lot, let me tell you we did all that and were pretty cool on a quite loose schedule. I did leave out a couple more things I was interested in, but we had plenty of free time.