Out of all the places in Europe I wanted to visit, Budapest was far down on the list. Prior to going, I did not even know that Buda and Pest were separated by a river (the Danube River). However, this past Summer I wanted to go some place unique and less explored, and Budapest was the most highly recommended to me.
The city is beautiful and has a completely different vibe than anywhere else in Europe I have been to. Everything felt so ancient and rich with history. Looking around there were few office buildings and more castles and hidden restaurants and bars built literally into what looked like ruins. There would be a giant castle, and next store a Starbucks built in. It felt like a modern world was built inside an olden city. The entire place felt like what I would imagine Russia to feel like – and given it was Soviet controlled for some time, this made sense.
There are so many beautiful, hidden gems to explore in this city so I have compiled a list of some of the most fun, and Instagrammable places that I visited with my best friend. I hope this is helpful for anyone who may have an interest in visiting this less-explored eastern European gem!
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Szechenyi Baths
The Szechenyi Baths in Budapest are a must-do. They are the largest medicinal baths in Europe, with water supplied by natural hot springs. Alongside the baths they have numerous spa services (I got a relaxing massage), and regular pools as well. The spas are not only gorgeous during the day, the bright blue water contrasting with the gorgeous, yellow architecture, but it is so much fun to visit at night if you are into the club scene. They have massive bath parties complete with a DJ, wild lights, and performers.
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Ruin Bars (Szimpla Kert, Fogasház, and more)
The ruin bars are exactly what you would imagine as the name says: bars built into ruins. They are the hub of the nightlife in Budapest and we had an absolute blast exploring a few different ones including Szimpla Kert and Fogasház. The decor is unlike anything I have ever seen. The place is spattered with lights, random knick-knacks (i.e. random TVs, an empty bathtub, and a bathroom door made out of an old house phone), and graffiti. Some may call it ugly, some may call it art. Fogasház had multiple floors and seven different rooms ranging from a dark room with strobe lights, a room with a live band, a room with free glitter to cover your face with, a pizza joint open until 5 AM and more. We had an absolute blast exploring the ruin bars, and there plenty of places for unique photo-ops with orderless decor.
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Fisherman’s Bastion
Fisherman’s Bastion is a real-life fairytale castle built on the Buda side of the Danube River bank. It has panoramic views of the Danube River and the city backdrop, making it one of the most gorgeous places for a photo in the area. It was built during the 19th century for the Hungarian Millennium celebrations. If you want to feel like a true Disney princess or prince, it is definitely a stunning spot to visit.
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Zoo Cafe
If you are an animal-lover like me, this is the perfect spot for you. As the name suggests, the Zoo Cafe is a combination of a Zoo and Cafe. You can go grab a coffee, tea, or a sandwich while a waiter brings various exotic and domestic animals to your table to hold and play with including a snake, guinea pig, chameleon, turtle, bunny, and more.
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New York Cafe
The New York Cafe is located in the luxury New York Palace hotel in Budapest and is the most famous coffeehouse in Budapest. It boasts that it is the most beautiful Cafe in the world. The ceilings are draped with chandeliers, and the ambiance is a luxury, Italian-renaissance feel. It is also known as being a longtime spot for Hungarian literature and poetry. It is the perfect spot to stop for a coffee or food, with a gorgeous backdrop for photos.
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Mazel Tov
Mazel Tov was my favorite spot to eat in Budapest. Later at night, it becomes a ruin bar and is hidden inside a not-so-pretty exterior. By day and evening, it is a delicious restaurant with Middle-Eastern cuisine. Once inside of the rough exterior, this beautiful place opens up into what feels like an indoor garden with a giant skylight, string lights and green plants hanging down from the ceiling. It was such a gorgeous spot to take photos while enjoying a tasty meal.
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Gelarto Rosa
Gelarto Rosa is a Gelato spot that turns your typical Gelato on a cone into a work of art. You can pick multiple delicious flavors, and the crafty staff makes each Gelato into the shape of a beautiful rose. It is a wonderful spot to satisfy your sweet tooth, and take some fun photos with your flower-shaped Gelato.
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Heroes Square
Heroes Square is one of the major squares of Budapest. It is a wide-open square featuring an iconic statue complex, which contains important Hungarian national leaders. It was even the set for a few movies due to its beauty including “A Good Day to Die Hard” with Bruce Willis. With the gorgeous statues as a backdrop, this is a really close place to visit and take some photos for the Gram!
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The View from the Citadella
The view from the Citadella was one of my favorite views by far in Budapest. The Citadella itself is a fortress build by a commander of the Austrian Empire and is located upon the top of Gellért Hill. It has the most beautiful view of all of the city including the Danube River and Parliament building. I got some of my most stunning photos from the trip from up here.
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See St. Stephen’s Basilica and Explore the Square
St Stephen’s Basilica is the largest Church in Budapest and is absolutely beautiful. I actually stumbled upon this Church and square with my friend after visiting Gelarto Rosa as it is right nearby. We did not go inside, however the view from outside is absolutely beautiful and a great photo-op in itself. Additionally, the area in which the church was located was one of our favorite spots to explore in Budapest as it was filled with fun restaurants, wine bars, shops and more.
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Dohány Street Synagogue
The Dohány Street Synagogue is the largest Synagogue in Europe and the second largest in the world. I did not get a chance to go inside as it does cost money to enter, but I heard that it is absolutely gorgeous inside. From the outside alone it is a gorgeous view and photo-op.
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Boating Down the Danube River
Boating down the Danube River is one of the best ways to view the city, especially the Parliament building. We got some of our best photos from the boat at sunset. Our boat in particular was a wine-tasting, which of course added to the fun. If you get a chance to explore the city by boat, I would definitely suggest taking up on this opportunity!
I hope this blog was helpful for anyone planning a trip to Budapest anytime soon and looking to make all of their friends and family jealous with some dreamy Instagram posts! I would love to hear from any of you who have visited Budapest if you have any other suggestions.