It’s not easy to narrow down the top 25 Budapest activities but we’ve tried our best! Budapest is one of the most interesting cities we’ve ever visited. Aside from the incredible and unique history, Budapest is simply beautiful. Every corner brings an architectural beauty and a story waiting to be told. You could get lost for weeks trying to explore all Budapest has to offer. 

Here they are! Our choice of the top 25 Budapest Activities:

Budapest Activities in the Jewish Quarter

image of top sight in Budapest a window of the dohany synagogue while looking through a star of David in the cast iron fence

You really shouldn’t visit Budapest without exploring the Jewish Quarter. It is absolutely one of the most interesting Budapest activities. Our guide in Budapest was Timea of Budapest Jewish Walk. We are not Jewish but wanted to understand Budapest’s Jewish history. Timea was patient, soft spoken and incredibly knowledgeable. She was also wonderful with Caiden, Sydney and Lucas. When she isn’t guiding, she’s a teacher so she knew how to make things interesting for the kids. If you’d like to know more, check out our full day with Timea. We also did a tour of the Danube Bend with her!

Our day started with exploration of the Jewish Quarter and moved on to other wonderful stops, some of which made our list of the top 25  Budapest activities all on their own. I am so happy that we asked for her guidance. It made it all the more memorable. The Jewish Quarter is, without a doubt, one of the top sights in Budapest.

Before World War II, 5% of Hungary and 25% of Budapest were Jewish. During most of World War II, Hungary sided with Germany and Italy. While Hungarian Jews were not sent to extermination camps at the beginning of the war, they, with the help of their own government, were sent to labour camps where many, many died.

Hungary resisted Hitler’s demand to send its Jews to Auschwitz. Hungary changed alliances and sided with the allies in 1944. In March 1944 Germany occupied Hungary and between May and July of that year, over 430,000 Hungarian Jews were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau. In Hungary during that time, the government’s Arrow Cross set about killing Jews that remained in Hungary. Hungary lost 600,000 Jews to the Holocaust.

The Jewish quarter was rendered essentially vacant during the Holocaust and remained a slum during communist times as religion of any kind was not supported by the Communist government.

Dohany Street Synagogue

Since the fall of Communism in 1989, the Jewish population in Budapest has grown and the Jewish quarter has become more revived, to a certain extent. The Dohany Street Synagogue is the largest synagogue in Europe and third largest in the world which puts it squarely on our list of top Budapest activities.

In front of the Synagogue, you can see the Holocaust Tree of Life memorial. The memorial is an intricate, metal, willow-like tree and on the leaves is inscribed the family name of some of the hundreds of thousands of victims of the Holocaust.

image of the silver, metal, willow-like Holocaust memorial in front of the Dohany Synagogue Budapest is one of the best Budapest activities

The Holocaust Tree of Life stands over mass graves of those murdered by the Nazis and Arrow Cross in 1944 and 1945.

image of front of Dohany Synagogue showing headstones of those buried there is heart wrenching Budapest activity and things to do

Orthodox synagogue

Along with the more modern Dohany Street Synagogue, the Jewish quarter also holds the magnificent orthodox synagogue on Kazinczy Street. The interior is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Notice the tulips?

Great Budapest activities include visit interior of Kazinczy Synagogue include bright chandeliers and bright white and blue painted interior
image towards the ceiling of the Kazinczy synagogue including intricate painting of tulips leading to the balcony above
Look below the balcony. Do you see the intricate tulips painted below?

This beautiful orthodox synagogue had been seriously damaged by the Nazis during World War II who used it as a stable.

Stumbling Stones

Stumbling stones can be found throughout the Jewish quarter.

These are brass squares laid on the ground in front of some building entrances. These stones are in remembrance of a person who lived in the building. There is no reference as to the reason they were taken away, as the atrocities of the Holocaust did not only affect the Jewish people of Europe. The Nazis also came after homosexuals, the mentally or physically ill, gypsies and others.

These stumbling stones are truly incredible as they not only state the names of those taken, they also state their date of birth, the date they were sent away during the war, the location to where they were sent (at times, Terezin, a transfer camp in the Czech Republic; at times, Auschwitz), and either the date of their death or a simple statement that they survived.

As Timea, our guide, explained, one stone, one name, one person. According to Jewish faith, a person is only forgotten when their name is forgotten. The artist Gunter Demnig created the stumbling stones and they can be found on streets throughout Europe as a reminder of voices of those that were rounded up and taken away to be exterminated. These stumbling stones are unique to Europe and definitely one of the top 25 Budapest activities to experience. They also made it on our list of memorable things to do and see in Prague.

image of two brass stumbling stones sitting side by side with engraved names and dates
Jozsef was taken in 1942 and killed in 1945. Jozsefne was taken to Terezin in 1944 and died in 1946

St. Istvan Basilica

The Basilica

St. Istvan (St. Stephen’s) Basilica is named after the first king of Hungary.

full front view of St. Stephen's Basilica with cupola in center and a tower on each side one of best Budapest activities
St. Stephen’s Basilica sits on beautiful St. Istvan Ter (St. Stephen’s Square).

The interior of the church is beautiful and to the right of the alter you can find the Holy Right Hand of St. Istvan himself. If you put a coin in the box to the right, it will turn on a light so that the hand can be better seen. This is definitely one of the most unique Budapest activities and something kids usually enjoy seeing.

image of the interior of the cupola/dome with pastel frescos and guilding is one of top things to see in Budapest
The ceiling of the basilica and the inside of the dome are simply beautiful.
image of a small gold box that looks like a church with arched window and inside is a mummified hand
Look closely. Inside the treasure box you can see the mummified right hand of St. Stephen.

Cupola

St. Istvan’s Basilica has two large bell towers but it is the cupola, the dome at the top, that is the tallest portion of the basilica which offers a wonderful 360 degree view of Budapest.

The height of St. Istvan’s Basilica is equal to that of the Hungarian Parliament. At present, no building in Budapest is permitted to be built higher.

While the other towers we climbed in Budapest were a long set of steep spiral stairs, the basilica has two elevators that together with a few steps will bring you to the top. While not fully wheelchair accessible, if you’re travelling with small children or have difficulty walking it’s definitely easier than many other towers in Central Europe.

image from top of st. istvan's cupola looking across the Danube to Matthias Church and Fisherman Bastion Budapest
View of Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion from the cupola of St. Istvan Basilica
image of the full width of Castle Hill including the royal palace, Matthias Church and fisherman's bastion
View of Castle Hill from St. Istvan’s Basilica

Budapest Activities at Castle Hill

As World War II came to an end, Budapest was the front line between the Nazis and Soviets. Hitler believed that the Danube was a natural border for his empire and blew up the bridges joining Pest and Buda.

The Nazis held a desperate last stand on Castle Hill at the end of the war and the hill and city as a whole was devastated. The area has been rebuilt with some success.

Castle Hill can be found right at the end of the Chain Bridge. You can reach the top by the funicular (said to be one of the most expensive per meter ride in Europe and not included in transit passes), by tram or by foot.

image of the base area of the funicular that goes to top of castle hill

We opted to walk and while it was longer than I expected, it was definitely doable.

The castle hill complex encompasses several of our top 25 Budapest activities.

Royal Palace

A full front view of the Royal Palace taken from a distance with green roof visible is great Budapest activities
The Royal Palace

The Royal Palace can be found directly at the top of the funicular. Visit the Turul Bird which is a mythical bird of Hungarian folktales. He is said to have lead the Magyar tribe from Asia and dropped his sword in Budapest, indicating as to be the permanent home of the Magyar people.

image of large green bird holding sword on Castle Hill is one of great Budapest activities

Next to the Turul bird is a set of stairs, follow them down and walk along the pathway, past Eugene of Savoy on his horse and then enjoy the panorama of Pest while on the palace terrace.

If you have a look from the tip, you’ll see the different geography of the Budapest area: the hills reach to the Alps and across the Danube is totally flat and the beginning of the Great Hungarian Plain which leads to Asia. From left to right is St. Margaret Island, Parliament, Chain Bridge and Gresham palace, Elisabeth Bridge, Liberty Bridge, Géllert Hill and directly below is the Varkert Bazar terrace and gardens of the castle.

If you continue back towards the horse and enter the passage to the right of the National Gallery entrance, you’ll emerge into the castle courtyard, home of King Matthias Fountain. This fountain is so intricate it was easy to add it to our favourite Budapest activities. The kids kept trying to find the animals!

large fountain with hunters, deer and hunting dogs

To the right of the fountain and through the passage is the Palace Courtyard. I was shocked at how peaceful and quiet the courtyard is. It’s as if no one knows its here.

Leaving the courtyard and walking straight up the slight incline, notice a gate with a raven holding a ring. This is the symbol of King Matthias, the last Hungarian king.

image of Lucas walking up the inclined cobblestone road through the black iron gate with the bird on top
If you’re lucky, you may get to see ‘soldiers’ on horses and to the left, there may be archery set up for the kids (or adults) to try

Walking towards Matthias Church is Sandor palace, the Hungarian president’s office. The changing of the guard takes place here on the hour.

image of a white and yellow building behind a series of flags at Budapest's castle hill

As you continue walking, you’ll notice the Buda hills to your left, also known as the Beverly Hills of Budapest.

image of five people leaning on a stone wall looking at the buda hills in distance

Continuing walking to find, on your right, a Hungarian folk market. Sydney found beautiful print water colours at one kiosk but the prices for most things were exceptionally higher than anything we’ve seen elsewhere.

image of the sign for the castle hill folklore market Budapest

There’s also a nice little coffee shop/restaurant to the left if you’d like a break. Continue walking on this road to find Matthias Church.

Matthias Church

image of best Budapest activities white exterior of matthias church budapest

Matthias Church is absolutely stunning and visiting is absolutely one of the top 25 Budapest activities. There’s a small ticket building to the right of Matthias Church. There is a separate price for the church, the tower and the upper area of Fisherman’s Bastion. Check out Matthias Church website for details on entrance times and ticket prices.

The Church interior

The interior of Matthias church is exceptional.

image of interior Matthias church Budapest showing painted ceilings in moorish style
columns of browns and gold paint with little elf like creatures carved into the stone is one of cool things to do in Budapest
Just look at the painting on the ceilings and columns. It’s amazing! And I love these little guys carved into the columns.

In the back corner of the church is the Loreto Chapel which holds a beautiful 16th century statue of Mary and Jesus.

image of stone Mary with crown holding baby Jesus
Loreto Chapel

Along the left aisle is the tomb of Bela III. This is one of only two tombs of Hungarian kings that still exist in Hungary.

image of concrete tomb of two people under concrete archway in Matthias church Budapest
The tomb of Bela III

The Tower

The view from the top of Matthias Church is one of the best views in Budapest. There are 197 steps to the top and the stairway itself is a tight spiral.

This is the only tower we visited where we had to take an official tour. When tickets are purchased, they must be purchased for a specific tour taking place on the hour. The last tour of the day in July was at 17:00 even though the church closes at 17:00 so if you’re running late, visit the church before the tower.

image of a very narrow steel door with decorations in a brick alcove leads to church tower which is one of the best Budapest activities
This is the door leading up to the tower. I have a thing for old doors and door knockers. I LOVE this door!
Image of a map placed on the wall of Matthias tower showing each level
Realistic or simply scary. I’m not sure I like knowing how far I have to climb!
image of view from Matthias church showing the Danube, Parliament and Fisherman's Bastion directly below
Gorgeous view! Fisherman’s Bastion and Hungarian Parliament!
image of Hungarian parliament from Matthias church is one of best Budapest activities
I will never tire of this view!

Fisherman’s Bastion: One of the Most Instagrammable Budapest Activities

Fisherman’s Bastion is at the end of the square, near Matthias Church. The seven pointy domes represent the original seven Magyar tribes. It was built for the millennial celebration of the arrival of the Magyar tribes. These ramparts were guarded by the fishermen who set up the fish market below, hence the name.

image of fisherman's bastion with statue in front
image of one beautiful white peaked tower of fisherman's bastion Budapest activities

The lower area of Fisherman’s Bastion is free to visit. A ticket is required to visit the upper area. We regretted not getting a ticket for the upper area, purely because we would have liked to have seen it. That said, I still believe that the most beautiful views of Parliament can be seen from the lower level especially when those magnificent views are cast within the archways of the bastion itself.

Our kids had such a fun time taking pictures of each other for their Instagram feeds.

image of Parliament through three arches of fisherman's bastion is on of the top things to do in Budapest

Budapest Capital Circus: One of the Most Fun Budapest Activities

The Budapest Capital Circus was one of our family’s favourite experiences and easily made our list of our top 25 Budapest activities.

image of colourful front entrance of the Budapest circus
The Budapest Circus is located just across from the Szechenyi Baths so if you’re travelling by metro, take the metro to the Szechenyi Furdo stop and follow the signs.

Our kids absolutely loved it but this circus isn’t just for children. It also isn’t your average circus. It’s located in one of the only stone circus in Central Europe and has an incredible floor that changes into a water floor and fountain during the performances.

Ticket prices are a bargain even for the best seats, the price of food is half of any movie theater in North America and the show is phenomenal. The show changes each season but the most recent show included acrobats, quick change artists, aerial rope artists and a trampoline act.

image of two aerial people upside down on a pole with water spraying is typical circus scene and one of the best Budapest activities
One of Sydney’s favourite acts!
image of woman on ball with 10+ hula hoops spinning
image of male juggler with several balls
Incredible juggler!
image of man upside down on rope holding woman hanging by her neck
This incredible aerial act also did the quick change act. I still haven’t figured out how they did that!

Thermal Baths

Budapest is famous for its thermal baths and many tourists visit simply to partake in their medicinal and/or relaxing properties. It not only made our list of the top 25 Budapest activities, it often ranks as visitors’ number one attraction.

image of the baths with beautiful yellow building in background is top Budapest activities
The Szechenyi Baths in Budapest’s City Park

Each of the baths is different so it’s important to review the differences between Budapest’s thermal baths to determine which thermal bath will be perfect for you. Each bath has their own architecture, types of pools, types of spa services and atmosphere. Some have slides, whirlpools or wave pools, some have women or men only baths and some have more locals than others.

Which ever bath you choose, I will guarantee that its likely something completely different than anything you’ve experienced at home. Check out my post on our morning at the Szechenyi baths for more details.

Central Market Hall

You’ll find the Central Market Hall at the end of Váci Utca and near the Liberty Bridge.

image of the front of the central market hall with large arched windows

The roof is stunning ceramic tiled with beautiful design but the real attraction of the Market Hall can be found inside. At the time we were there, the Central Market Hall was doing renovations to its top floor so only two floors were available but, nonetheless, the market was a great place to visit.

image of the family strolling the market hallway

As you wander, have a look at fresh cheese, dried and fresh meats and sausages, fish and homemade sweets.

image of display cabinet with variety of meats and sausages

It’s a great place to buy pickles and paprika to bring home. As a note, there are two types of paprika you can buy: sweet (edes) and hot (csipos). I’ve heard that the pastes hold their flavour better so I bought a few pastes as well as powdered paprika.

image of bottles of pickles some with smiley faces in the bottles

Ruin Pubs: One of the Most Unique Budapest Activities

The present-day Jewish quarter has many ruin pubs. The ruin pubs were created after the fall of communism.

The Jewish quarter had been left to fall in ruins, as such, during communism and much money was needed to restore the buildings. Restaurant and bar owners realized that they could get property for very little and these abandoned buildings were recreated into very eclectic and rudimentary bars. They are rough around the edges, to say the least.

image of main floor of Szimpla Kert with open air ceiling and rustic furnishings
Szimpla Kert ruin bar on a Thursday morning
image of bar area with hanging plants and small tables with stools
One of the bar areas at Szimpla Kert

At night these bars are filled with extreme partiers but during the day, you can visit one of these ruin pubs, Szimpla Kert. Our kids were amazed by the graffiti on the wall and a car made of cardboard, a dial telephone (remember those?!) which made a mannequin move when you turned the dial and too many other little sights to mention.

image of a open top, doorless car painted colourfully with actual wheels
Timea told us that her dad owned a car like this when she was younger. They were fully operational and less expensive than cars made of metal. Obviously this one is decorated for the pub.

Szimpla Kert also offers a farmers’ market and brunch on Sundays. We made a reservation for brunch but it really wasn’t needed, perhaps because we arrived early on Sunday morning.

The market was busy but we headed directly upstairs for brunch. Tables were set up throughout the top floor and one rooms was set up with all you can eat brunch, using produce and market items made by local farmers.

There was a variety of meats (cooked and dried), cheeses, eggs, vegetables, drinks, etc. The food was good although perhaps not the best meal we had in Budapest. I expect it had to do with the fact that Szimpla Kert still smells like a rough around the edges bar, even in the morning.

The main attraction of Szimpla Kert for us was our first visit during our tour with Timea from Budapest Jewish Walk.

Timea had explained that during communist times, families were expected to live in very small “apartments”. In fact, during Communist rule, homes which used to house one family were mandated to be divided up such that one multi-generational family was housed in one room of a home and other families in other rooms.

The families would share the washroom and kitchen in the home but children, parents and grandparents were expected to otherwise live in a single, incredibly small room. Timea brought us to Szimpla Kert to show us how rooms had been divided since the layout of the ruin pub remained the same as in Communist times.

image of a small room on the top floor of Szimpla Kert
Imagine living in this small room, filled with bunk beds, with your own family and extended family.

Whether you visit a ruin pub in the night or during the day, like we did, this is absolutely one of the most unique Budapest activities to experience.

Boat Cruise of the Danube: One of the Most Memorable Budapest Activities

The Danube river divides the Pest and Buda sides of Budapest and is truly one of the most beautiful locations I’ve ever seen.

On the Buda side, the Royal Palace, Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion are found and on the Pest side, the Hungarian Parliament reigns supreme. In between the two is the magnificent Chain Bridge. At night, the view of both sides is breathtaking.

We took Legenda boat tours at 21:00 in mid July and the lighting was perfect. We purchased tickets early in the afternoon for the evening cruise and we weren’t able to purchase tickets for the 21:30 time as they were already booked. If you really want a specific time, you may want to purchase your tickets the day before (after you check the weather forecast for the following day).

We had been advised to arrive at 20:40 for boarding but arrived early. I’m so glad we did. We were able to get wonderful seats on the top open-air floor, on the right hand deck side. It was a great location for taking photos.

Legenda’s cruise started from its dock on the Pest side, travelled on the Buda side towards the Liberty Bridge and then turned to travel along the Pest side until just past the Parliament building. It then turned and travelled along the Buda side until it returned to its dock. The entire cruise lasted an hour and it included a drink (both alcoholic or non-alcoholic were available).

image of the Danube river and Chain Bridge lit up
The beautiful Chain Bridge at night.
image of Hungarian Parliament glowing in the night from boat cruise is a great Budapest activities
I love this building, especially at night.
image of one pillar of the Chain Bridge with the royal palace lit up in the background
The Chain Bridge and Royal Palace

Hungarian Parliament Building

Inside

The Parliament building was built when Budapest ruled much of Eastern Europe at the time when Hungary was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Its interior is decorated with 84lbs of gold.

It also holds the original Hungarian crown that was sent by the pope to crown Hungary’s first king, King Istvan in 1000. The crown has been stolen, lost and hidden numerous times and in all the moves, its upper cross has been bent. The United States government kept it safe between the end of World War II and 1978 when it was returned to Hungary.

Note that the interior of the Budapest Parliament Building can only be viewed with a tour ticket. The tour is approximately 50 minutes long. It is highly advisable that tickets be purchased months in advance. I had a particular date in mind and was unable to purchase a ticket as all had been sold three months in advance. While that may not be the case for low or shoulder season, if you truly want to visit, purchasing tickets in advance is advisable.

Outside

The outside of Parliament is one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever seen. To truly view this magnificent building, I recommend walking around her entire perimeter.

image of close up view of white Parliament building is best Budapest activities
The view of Parliament when walking along the riverside promenade
image of Parliament with her white walls and red roof
Beautiful view of Parliament as you walk around the side

In addition to the Hungarian flag, the flag of Transylvania was flying when we visited. I had read in advance that the leaders of the present Hungarian government cling to the view that Transylvania truly belongs to Hungary rather than Romania, as it had nearly 100 years ago. The government flies this flag as well as the Hungarian flag to strengthen their view that Romania grant Transylvania its independence.

It’s also notable that the present government does not fly the flag of the European Union.

image of the front of Parliament building with the light blue Transylvanian flag and the traditional Hungarian flag flying
Notice the two flags. The blue flag is that of Transylvania.

The beautiful building across from the front of Parliament had been, until recently the Museum of Ethnography. This museum is to be moved to City Park in the future and was unfortunately closed during our visit. Rumor has it that the Supreme Court may return to this building which it housed in the past.

image of a large white building of beautiful architecture with statue on top

In October 1956, students marched towards Parliament to protest Soviet communist control of Hungary.  As the group got closer to Parliament, the size of the group grew. By nightfall, 200 000 protesters filled Kossuth Tér.

The prime minister was replaced by Imre Nagy who promised reforms but called for the demonstrators to go home. Instead, many went to the state radio station and took control. Several protesters went to City Park and tore down a statue of Stalin and broke it into pieces.

Fighting continued until early November. Nagy appealed to the west for help but none arrived. Moscow intervened and Red Army troops filled the city. Imre Nagy was executed for treason in 1958. The remnants of this brave revolution is visible in the buildings surrounding Kossuth Tér. The bullet marks from the 1956 revolution are clearly visible.

image of white concrete like building with bullet holes
image of white building with pillars and bullet holes

Citadella

Budapest’s Citadella can be found at the top of Géllert Hill. We took a Segway here but you can walk or take public transportation. Beware, it would be a very long uphill walk. We were happy to have taken a Segway.

image of family travelling uphill in Budapest on segway which is a great Budapest activities

The view from the Citadella is one of the best views in Budapest so it’s definitely worth a visit. From the top you can see across Pest, Castle Hill as well as the Buda Hills, the Beverly Hills of Budapest.

View from Gellert Hill overlooking the Danube and Pest

At the top is the Liberty Statue. It’s a bit controversial as it was erected by the communists to celebrate Budapest’s liberation from the Nazis. When the communists left in 1989, Hungarians decided to leave lady liberty in her place whereas many Soviet statues were sent to Memento Park on the outskirts of Budapest.

Shoes on the Danube: One of the Most Unforgettable Budapest Activities

As a tourist walking along the beautiful Danube embankment, the view of these old tattered shoes is striking. It’s not the place you’d expect to see such items, yet, there they are. For our family, this was one of the most memorable sights on our visit and is near the top of our must see Budapest activities.

image of brown recreated shoes of all kinds lady, men, workers, etc

All set, facing the river, even a small pair of child’s shoes.

image of toddlers first shoes, facing the river which is by far one of the best Budapest activities
Filled with pebbles … in memory

In 1944 the Arrow Cross Party ruled Hungary. While once an ally of Germany and Italy, Hungary was, at that point, occupied by Germany who had placed in full gear the deportation of hundreds of thousands of people for extermination camps.

Along with the deportations, the Arrow Cross rounded up thousands of people for supposed Jewish activities. These people were forced to strip naked on the banks of the Danube and face the river; a firing squad then shot the prisoners at close range in the back so that they fell into the river to be washed away.

image of shoes facing the danube along the riverfront

The Shoes on the Danube consists of 60 pairs of rusted shoes, cast in iron, similar to those worn in 1944. The shoes depicted range in size and style, showing how no one was spared, even young children.

Church in the Rock

Church in the Rock is found on Géllert Hill, down from the Citadella.

image of front entrance to the church in the rocks

The church was built in a naturally existing cave by the Pauline monks that inhabited the monastery behind the church. During communism, the entrance of the church was sealed with a thick concrete wall and the head monk was executed. The remaining monks were imprisoned.

In 1989 at the fall of communism, the chapel was restored and the monks returned. Today there are only three monks living in the monastery but regular services are held in the church.

image of the interior of the church in the rock with chairs set up for service

Take a Segway

We booked a two-hour tour of Géllert Hill and the Citadella with Best Way Segway a few months before we left home. Atilla was our guide and his was fabulous, despite a few of us being very nervous.

The segways at Best Way Segway have all terrain tires and are larger than other segways so they’re easier to ride on rough terrain. There were helmets available for everyone and Atilla trained us well in a little alcove, away from traffic, before leaving their location.

image of family in courtyard practicing driving the segways
Practice before hitting the road!

Our drive across the bridge and up to the Citadella was wonderful. The route up Géllert Hill is incredibly steep so we were really happy that we didn’t try to walk it.

image of family driving segways past kiosks on the citadella
Exploring the Citadel on Segway

While tours are offered downtown as well as Géllert Hill and Margaret Island, I would definitely choose one of the latter as there are fewer pedestrians and traffic.

image of family all on segway getting picture taken

Visit Szabadsag Tér (Liberty Square)

Szabadsag Tér is an eclectic square that has playgrounds, statues and monuments that will no doubt have something of interest for everyone. For our family, it was one of the top sights in Budapest as it included a park and fountain as well as interesting history that, as a family, we felt important for the kids to know and understand.

Soviet War Memorial

When walking to the center of the square, face the obelisk. This is the Soviet War Memorial in memory of fallen Soviet soldiers. It’s very controversial and often defaced.

While the Soviets did indeed liberate Hungary from the Nazis, and in the task lost many soldiers, the liberation set in motion over forty years of Communist rule in Hungary. It’s the last remaining Soviet memorial in Budapest.

image of tall white memorial

Ronald Reagan Statue

The former US president is honoured in the square as assisting in ending the cold war and freeing Hungary from the Soviets. If you’re interested in this era in history or a fan of the former President, it could be a worthwhile stop.

image of statue of Ronald Reagan walking

Monument of German Occupation

On its own, without the story behind it, the monument is stunning. The black eagle represents Germany. The year 1944 is clearly visible on its armband. It represents the German troops sweeping into Hungary. This monument is a memorial to all those who lost their lives during German occupation.

image of white greek like pillars with black eagle swooping overhead

What makes this memorial truly memorable and one of the best Budapest activities to experience is the counter-memorial that exists just to the front of the monument. A barbed wire runs from left to right in front of the monument.

image shows the official memorial of white pillars with black swooping eagle but in front is a 3 foot high string of barbed wire with messages and for us, this was a best Budapest activities
Notice the barbed wire ‘fence’ with signs and papers running along the front of the memorial. This is the counter-memorial.

Attached to the barbed wire ‘fence’ are numerous photos, signs and newspaper articles. This counter-memorial is in place to explain the true set of events that took place in 1944.

The monument suggests that Hungary is innocent of all the atrocities of World War II but in reality, Hungary was an ally of Germany before the occupation and many Jews died in work camps or by being exported to Nazi controlled lands. The counter-memorial is heart wrenching with stories of innocent people being taken from their homes by the Hungarian Arrow Cross, never to return.

image of a dad with his little girl and the note tells of him being taken away by Hungarian police
This is but one of the many stories written on pages attached to the counter-memorial.

The history behind this counter memorial is truly unique and as such, easily makes our list of our top 25 Budapest activities.

Interactive Fountain

Aside from the statues and memorials, Szabadsag Ter is a lovely park with a cafe. To the front of the Monument of German Occupation is a wonderful fountain that is great for kids. Sensors can tell when someone is about to walk into the curtain of water and the streams part just long enough to walk through.

image of a square in ground fountain with Caiden walking towards it

Opera House

During our visit the Opera House was under reconstruction on the outside. It’s clear that once the reconstruction is finished, the outside will be truly stunning. At present, it’s completely covered in scaffolding. Despite the construction, visits to the Opera’s interior continue.

Tours are available several times a day in varying languages and one ticket option is to attend a mini-concert at the end of the tour. Unfortunately, we ran out of time and didn’t have a chance to visit but we still think it’s one of the top sights in Budapest.

Try Gulyás, Turo Rudi and Kurtoskalacs

Hungarian food is wonderful! Make sure you try something truly Hungarian at every meal. We ordered several appetizers to share at each dinner so we could try a taste of a few different things along with our main meal.

Check out our favourite Hungarian foods and favourite Budapest restaurants for some great ideas.

Széchenyi Chain Bridge

The Chain Bridge is one of seven bridges that cross the Danube River from Pest to Buda but it is truly the most magnificent. It was the first permanent stone bridge connecting the two sides of Budapest.

image of Chain Bridge taken from the Buda side with St. Istvan Cupola in background

At the end of World War II, retreating German troops blew up all the bridges crossing the Danube including the Chain Bridge. All that remained was the pillars. And the lions. These magnificent guards of the Chain Bridge remain undamaged even after two world wars and Soviet occupation.

A close up of one of the lions at the beginning of the Chain Bridge

The decision to rebuild the bridge after its destruction by the Nazis took place in 1947 and it was finished, in its original form, in 1949.

Fun fact: This is the bridge that Will Smith climbed at 4:30am in July 2018 on his last day in Budapest for Drake’s “In My Feelings” Challenge. We spent a bunch of time walking back and forth over the bridge trying to figure out where the door is that he used to get access to the top of one of the pillars. Look for yourself!

Váci Utca

image of the Vaci Utca street sign

Váci Utca is known as one of the most touristic and overblown location in Budapest. I’ll be honest, I had no intention of visiting. But I’m glad we did.

There are tons of souvenir shops on the lower part of the street, towards the Central Market Hall, and while they all carry the same tat, if you’re looking for some relatively inexpensive souvenirs it’s not a bad place to look.

Some stores have higher prices than others for the same items so buyer beware but my kids found some of their best souvenirs here.

Sydney and Caiden always buy a flag when we visit a new country. There’s a great little store that sells flags of varying sizes. Caiden always buys a soccer/football jersey and Lucas buys a soccer/football scarf. We found stores selling both for local Budapest and national Hungarian teams on Váci Utca.

To find out how we managed to fit all of these wonderful activities into our visit, check out our five day Budapest itinerary and if you’re planning a visit in winter or looking for a few different ideas, check out how Nele planned her 4 days in Budapest.

I’d love to hear about your favourite Budapest activities! Drop us a message in the Comment section!

If you’re in Budapest with family, also check out our things to do with kids in Budapest.

Did you enjoy reading about all the great Budapest Activities? Pin It!

Categories: Hungary

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Joanne

Hi! I'm Joanne. I'm a Canadian mom of three wonderful kids who love hockey, swimming, cheerleading and, of course, travel.

18 Comments

Avatar for Ann

Ann · November 10, 2019 at 1:45 am

Love this post, and the ofters on Budapest aswell 🙂

I went to BUdapest for a weekend last year, and I totally fell in love with the city. Such an amazing place, we are definatly going back!

Avatar for Josy A

Josy A · March 23, 2019 at 6:39 pm

What a fab post! You managed to fit a huge amount into your trip!!

I thought that my top sight would be the thermal baths, but after hearing about your experiences, I think a tour of the jewish quarter should be part of everyone’s Budapest itinerary!

Avatar for Alison

Alison · September 17, 2018 at 4:59 am

Your post is full of beauty and sadness and a stark reminder of the WW2. The synagogues and churches are so beautiful, as is the sculptures along the river, even though they’re tinged with sadness, such a great reminder of the past.

    Avatar for Joanne

    Joanne · September 17, 2018 at 8:19 am

    I totally agree Alison. While they are a sad reminder, I think its so important for everyone, kids included, to learn about and remember what happened such a short time ago.

Avatar for Sinjana Ghosh

Sinjana Ghosh · September 15, 2018 at 2:20 pm

Wow Budapest you beauty! I have to go there, read so much about it yet I never get tired. This is an ultimate list. Good that you not only included places but also experiences.

    Avatar for Joanne

    Joanne · September 15, 2018 at 2:30 pm

    Thanks Sinjana. Glad you enjoyed it!

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Karen · September 15, 2018 at 11:31 am

What a lovely reminder of our trip there last year. Whilst many of our experiences are reflected in your Top 25, there feels like there is so much we didn’t get to do. So a second trip I feel is definitely on the cards. We loved the modern art element of the city down along the Danube towards the Academy for Performing Arts and our favourite restaurant was the Hungarikum Bizstro close to the Parliament Buildings. Stunning home-cooked food. Great post, thanks. Kx

    Avatar for Joanne

    Joanne · September 15, 2018 at 1:03 pm

    Thanks Karen. We loved Hungarikum Biztro too! It made our list of favourite restaurants 🙂 Two of our other favourites were Zeller Bistro and Balthazar. Every where we ate the food was delicious.

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Joanne · August 27, 2018 at 1:15 pm

Hi Karen! I’m so glad you liked them and that they can help. We had such a wonderful time in Budapest. You’re going to love your visit there! I’m more than happy to email them to you. Keep an eye on your email 🙂

Avatar for Karen

Karen · August 27, 2018 at 12:36 pm

Hi Joanne!

I LOVED your 3 posts on Budapest!!!! My husband and I are going there in 4 weeks and your timing of writing them was perfect for me! I pinned them to my Pinterest board but I would love to be able to print out your three articles without the pictures to help me plan our days. Is that possible? Could you email them to me? Thank you for writing!!!

Karen

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