By: bound2explore                                                 April 30, 2018

You probably have heard the story of Vlad Dracula and Elizabeth Bathory. If you want to trace back the history of these two infamous duo, then exploring the history of Budapest certainly will enhance your travel experience. Imagine, visiting the Buda castle at night while listening to scary story from the past. Not to mention the eerie feeling when you explore the underground labyrinth beneath the castle hill where Vlad Dracula was imprisoned by Hungarian King back in the days. If you are into dark history, then visiting Buda castle should be one of 10 things you must do in Budapest, Hungary. 

While there are many things to do in Budapest from visiting the ruin Bar to shopping embroidered clothing in a traditional market. You probably won’t be able to do it all if you are short on time. Here are 10 things you must do in Budapest, Hungary that you do not want to miss. Things that only Budapest can offer. So if you have to pick and choose, here is a list of top 10 things you must do in Budapest, Hungary: 

1. Hike all the way to Fisherman’s Bastion 

Take a metro from Keleti train station and stop at Bathory ter. From there you can stroll along Danube River on the Buda District site or you can walk to Fisherman’s bastion. The walk is really nice since you will walk through residential area and you can get a glimpse of life in Budapest. Keep in mind that you will climb many stairs to get to Fisherman’s Bastion, so it is more like a hike than a walk. If you are not physically possible to do that, there is a shuttle that will take you to the front step of Fisherman’s Bastion. You can see the sweeping view of Budapest. The view alone make Fisherman’s Bastion as one of 10 things must do in Budapest, Hungary. Not to mention its striking architecture.  

Fisherman;s bastion

Right behind it, you can see another beautiful landmark which is Mathias Church. If you have time, explore this church. So you hit two spots at one time. 

 2. Have a lunch a Halaszbastya restaurant 

Are you looking for a restaurant with the best view in Budapest? Look no more. Just a block away from Fisherman’s Bastion you can find a restaurant that offer traditional Hungarian food with a sweeping view of Danube River and Pest District. Beef ghoulash anyone? 

 3. Explore Buda castle  

You can easily explore Buda castle by yourself. There’s a funicular that will take you to Buda castle if you rather not walk. You can also grab a drink or quick bite at the terrace café located by Buda Castle. Now, there is an alternative for exploring Buda Castle if you are into dark history and like to scare yourself to death. There is a night walking tour that will take you on the dark street around Buda castle while listening to the gripping story of vampire, Vlad Dracula and murderous action of Elizabeth Bathory.  

Buda Castle

 4. Stroll along the Szechenyi  Chain Bridge all the way to Szechenyi square 

You can walk down from Buda Castle on unpaved walking trail to Szechenyi Chain Bridge. Stroll on its pedestrian bridge and enjoy the view of both districts; Buda and Pest. From there you can walk to Szechenyi Square. This is a main square in Pest district, full of monuments and historical landmarks. Here you can visit the City Hall, the Mosque of Pasha Qasim which has been converted into Roman Catholic Church and the Zsolnay Well.  

 5. Take a cruise along Danube River 

While Danube river crosses three major cities of Bratislava, Vienna and Budapest, by far Budapest offers the best view of Danube river due to the architectures, the lay out and the landscape surrounding the Danube river. The best time to cruise along Danube River is at night when all the buildings in the city lit up. The light transforms the Budapest into a magical view.  And no better place to see it than from Danube River. 

 6. Stop at Hero Square 

If you want to take Instagram worthy picture then you definitely need to stop here. There’s a big sign of Budapest where most tourists will stop and take a picture with Budapest sign as a souvenirs to remember. 

 7. Explore  Vajdahunyad Castle 

This Transylvanian Gothic Castle is not as old as it looks. In fact, this Castle was built in 1896 as a part of millennial exhibition. It is situated inside the city park, so you can easily reach it by taking a metro. For any architecture buffs, this is a must see place in Budapest. The appearance of this castle is a perfect imitation of Transylvanian gothic architecture. That makes exploring Vajdahunyad Castle as one of 10 things you must do in Budapest, Hungary. 

 8. Swim at one of many thermal baths at Szechenyi Spa 

Budapest is very famous with its thermal bath. So when you are here, you must definitely try its thermal bath. But unfortunately for me, I didn’t really have a good experience here. Although the place was large and beautiful, the floor was quite dirty and the place was absolutely packed. I meant who want to swim inside the “human soup”.  I wish the place will limit the number of visitors to avoid overcrowded pool. So tips for you who want to have a better experience, definitely visit the place when the crowd is less, preferably in the morning and don’t forget to bring a slipper since the spa doesn’t provide one. 

 9. Take a break in the City Park 

This is where the local hang out. After you explore the castle and the szechenyi thermal bath which is located within walking distance from each other, now it is time to relax by the lake in the City Park. There are several outdoor cafes where you can take a break and enjoy the view of the lake and castle from you table. This park also offer activities such as boating and skating. 

 10. Try kurtoskalacs.  

This chimney cake is specific to Hungary. The sweet and savory cake can be found from street vendors. The best place to try it is at the café next to Fisherman’s Bastion.  

But to my surprise, you can also find the chimney cake in Prague. 

Whether you have 1 day or 1 week in Budapest, you certainly don’t want to miss those 10 things you must do in Budapest, Hungary.