Been There Read my story Eastern Europe

Hungary

Duration 7 days Cost ~EUR 1,500 for two Season April-June, September-October Currency HUF (Hungarian Forint) USD 1 USD = 325 HUF Lang Hungarian

“Budapest is like Prague, only less touristy and more alive.”

— Travel Saying

Budapest straddles the Danube with world-famous thermal baths, pioneering ruin bars, and stunning Central European architecture. Hungary offers much more beyond the capital too.

Why I Want to Visit

Thermal bath culture is the main draw — soaking in grand Art Nouveau pools is unforgettable. Hungarian cuisine is underrated (goulash, langos, Eger wines), and Budapest’s ruin bars in abandoned buildings offer nightlife unlike anywhere else.

Planned Itinerary

A week centered on Budapest with excursions to the countryside:

Budapest - Buda Side (2 days) - Castle District, Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, Gellert Thermal Bath
Budapest - Pest Side (2 days) - Parliament, Great Market Hall, ruin bars, Szechenyi Thermal Bath
Eger (1 day) - Valley of the Beautiful Women wine region, Ottoman minaret, castle
Lake Balaton (1 day) - Swimming, sailing, and lakeside towns
Szentendre (1 day) - Riverside artist town with galleries and colorful architecture

What I’m Most Excited About

Szechenyi Thermal Baths at dusk as the lights come on
Exploring Budapest’s creative ruin bars
Chain Bridge at night between illuminated Parliament and Castle
Wine tasting in Eger’s ancient cellars

Where to Eat

Borkonyha WineKitchen (Budapest) — Michelin-starred modern Hungarian paired with local wines. ~HUF 8,000-15,000. 📍 Maps
Karaван Street Food (Budapest) — Food trucks in the Jewish Quarter next to Szimpla Kert. ~HUF 1,500-3,500. 📍 Maps
Cafe Gerbeaud (Budapest) — Grand 1858 cafe on Vorosmarty Square with gilded interiors. ~HUF 3,000-6,000. 📍 Maps
Hungarikum Bisztro (Budapest) — Traditional restaurant near the Basilica. ~HUF 4,000-8,000. 📍 Maps
Mazel Tov (Budapest) — Open-air courtyard in the ruin bar district with Mediterranean-Hungarian fusion. ~HUF 4,000-9,000. 📍 Maps

Where to Stay

Aria Hotel Budapest ★★★★★ (Budapest) — Music-themed luxury hotel near St. Stephen’s Basilica with rooftop bar. ~HUF 65,000/night. Book
Wombat’s City Hostel Budapest ★★★ (Budapest) — Social hostel in the Jewish Quarter. ~HUF 12,000/night. Book
Brody House ★★★★ (Budapest) — Eclectic art hotel in a 19th-century townhouse with original art. ~HUF 35,000/night. Book
Hotel & Wine Yard Eger ★★★★ (Eger) — Boutique hotel with own wine cellar for Egri Bikaver tastings. ~HUF 25,000/night. Book

Tours & Excursions

Budapest Szechenyi Thermal Bath Experience — Grand Neo-Baroque thermal baths with indoor. 3h, ~HUF 8,500. Book
Budapest Evening Danube River Cruise with Drinks — Illuminated cruise past Parliament. 1.5h, ~HUF 6,500. Book
Budapest Food & Market Walking Tour — Great Market Hall. 3.5h, ~HUF 12,000. Book
Eger Wine Country Day Trip from Budapest — Valley of the Beautiful Women wine cellars with Egri Bikaver tastings. 10h, ~HUF 18,000. Book
Budapest Ruin Bar & Pub Crawl Tour — Jewish Quarter ruin bars in creative, quirky abandoned buildings. 3h, ~HUF 6,000. Book

Stories from Hungary

Read the story

Budapest in Spring and Summer: Two Souls of One City

Honest travel guide to Budapest, Hungary — comparing spring quiet and summer chaos. Why the Danube embankment is the heart of the city, the Shoes memorial that broke me, the multinational openness of the streets, the simplest supermarket-bun breakfast of my life, ruin bars, Széchenyi thermal baths, Sziget, food, and how to get there from Bratislava or Vienna.