The Best Views in Budapest

Budapest has to be one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever visited. Along the Danube River, the former towns of Buda and Pest are not only visible from shore, they shine. In one stop, the Royal Palace, Matthias Church, Fisherman’s Bastion, Parliament Gresham Palace and the Chain Bridge can all be seen. Yet, there are six locations that offer fantastic views and panoramas of this beautiful city every time. Here they are: the best views in Budapest!

Absolute Best Views in Budapest: Fisherman’s Bastion

Best View of: Budapest Parliament and Pest

Fisherman’s Bastion can be found on Castle Hill, behind Matthias Church. It has a near perfect view of Budapest’s beautiful Parliament building especially when seen through the bastion’s own arches. There are several locations for viewing Parliament from Fisherman’s Bastion and all are incredible. For us, this is absolutely the place to be for the best views in Budapest.

View of Parliament through the Fisherman Bastion arches

What a view!

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Matthias Church Tower

Best View of: Buda Hills, Castle Hill and Pest, including Budapest Parliament

The view from Matthias Church tower is similar to that of the Fisherman’s Bastion but it includes a view over the Buda Hills as well. Note: The tower can only be visited on an official tour which departs on the hour.

View of Buda, Margaret Island and the Danube

View looking down from Matthias Church Budapest over the beautiful roof below

Chain Bridge and St. Istvan Basilica

St. Istvan Basilica Cupola

Best View of: 360 degrees over Budapest

The height of St. Istvan Basilica is equal to that of the Hungarian Parliament. Check out the Basilica website for the hours of operation and ticket prices for the tower.

View across St. Stephen Square with Castle Hill in the background

Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion as viewed from St. Istvan Basilica Cupola

Gellért Hill and the Citadella

Best View of: Pest and Buda Hills

Gellért Hill towers over Budapest, providing expansive views of Pest, including her magnificent bridges. On the back of the Citadella is a nice view of the Buda Hills.

View of Pest from Citadella on Gellert Hill

Absolute Best Views in Budapest at Night: Night time boat tour of Danube River

Best View of: Budapest Parliament and Royal Palace and Bridges

The Danube separates the Buda and Pest sides of Budapest. Directly on her shores are some of the most incredible architectural beauties of Budapest. At night, the view can’t be beat. There are a few other locations for amazing views at night but for us, the absolute best location for the best views in Budapest at night is during a boat ride. This will allow you views all along both sides of the Danube.

Beautiful!

Royal Palace and Chain Bridge at night

Betthyány Tér

Best View of: front on view of Budapest Parliament at night

The best time of day to explore the castle area is after 19:00 when the crowds have left. We chose to eat dinner close to Matthias church. We finished close to 21:00 which was the perfect time to wander towards Betthyány Tér.

Walk down the stairs on Franklin Utca. These stairs can be found to the left of the Hilton Hotel. Continue straight to the water and arrive near Betthyány Tér. The wall along the embankment is perfect for using a small handheld tripod and the view of Parliament is the best in Budapest. Walk along the embankment towards the Chain Bridge for an incredible night view of the bridge and her majestic lions.

One of the best locations to view Parliament

Check out our post on the Top 25 Things to See and Do in Budapest for more details on each of these locations!

You can also check out our Five Day Itinerary in Budapest to find out how we fit all these wonderful sights into our visit.

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