# Budapest

Hungary's capital on the banks of the Danube: the Parliament, Buda Castle, thermal baths from the 16th and 20th centuries and day trips by train or boat.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/hungary/budapest · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## Getting there from Spain

There are direct flights to Ferenc Liszt Airport (BUD) from Madrid and Barcelona all year round and, depending on the season, from other Spanish cities; the flight takes around three hours. The airport is about 16 km from the centre. The 100E bus leaves Terminal 2 24 hours a day and drops you at Kálvin tér or Deák Ferenc tér in about 40 minutes; the special ticket costs 2,500 Ft and is paid for by card at the machine on board. In Hungary you pay in forints (HUF), not euros: withdraw cash from a bank cash machine or pay by card, which is accepted almost everywhere.

## Buda, Pest and the river in between

Budapest is two cities joined in 1873. Buda, on the west bank, is the hill: Castle District, Gellért Hill and the Rudas and Lukács baths. Pest, on the flat east bank, is the 19th-century city: the Parliament, the basilica, Andrássy Avenue, the Jewish Quarter with its ruin bars and the park with the Széchenyi baths. The Danube runs between the two, and almost everything you will see is on its banks or a few stops from them.

## How to plan your days

On the first day, Buda. Go up to the Castle District on bus 16 or the funicular, walk around the palace terrace and carry on to Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion, ideally first thing in the morning. Walk down the bastion steps to the riverbank and look across at the Parliament. In the afternoon, the Rudas baths, at the foot of Gellért Hill.

On the second day, Pest. The Parliament tour in the morning, with your ticket bought on the official website, lunch at the Hungarikum Bisztró, two streets away, and in the afternoon St Stephen's Basilica and its viewing platform. At dusk, the one-hour Danube cruise with the bridges lit up.

On the third day, Andrássy and the water. Ride the M1 metro along the avenue to City Park and spend the morning at the Széchenyi baths. In the afternoon, the Central Market Hall and Váci utca.

With four nights or more, leave the city. Szentendre is 40 minutes away on the HÉV suburban train; the Danube Bend, with Visegrád castle and Esztergom basilica, can be done in a day by train, bus or, in season, boat. Eger, with its castle, its cellars and its Turkish bath, is two hours away by train; and Lake Balaton and the thermal lake at Hévíz call for two nights.

## The baths: what has changed

Budapest sits on thermal springs, and bathing has been part of a visit since the Romans and the Ottomans. But there are two recent changes that many guidebooks do not mention. The Gellért baths have been closed since 1 October 2025 for renovation, and their website expects them to reopen in 2028. And since 1 August 2025, Széchenyi and Rudas do not admit children under 14. If you are travelling with children, the thermal bath is off the list; if you are travelling as a couple or with friends, buy on each bath's own website, not from resellers.

## What to book in advance

The Parliament is the only thing that sells out: in summer, places on Spanish-language tours go one or two weeks ahead. Book a table at Hungarikum Bisztró and at Borkonyha too. The baths, the boat and the churches can be bought on the day or the day before.

## Dónde está
- Zonas: Danube, Thermal getaways, Christmas markets of Europe, Classical music and opera in Europe
- Cerca: Szentendre (a 19.3 km), Gödöllő (a 25.5 km), Vác and Nagymaros (a 31.9 km), Danube Bend (a 33.5 km)

## Qué hacer
- **Guided Tour of the Budapest Parliament** (45 min · All ages; with small children, the tour is short and done standing): What you see
The Parliament is the largest building in Hungary and the one that appears in every photo of the Danube. The guided tour takes in the main staircase, the dome hall, where the Holy Crown of Hungary is kept with two honour guards, and the former upper chamber. It lasts about 45 minutes and is done with a guide or an audio guide; Spanish is among the languages offered.
Tickets: only on the official website
Tickets are sold at jegymester.hu/parlament, the official channel, and at the visitor centre, at the north gate, in limited numbers for the same day. There is a lower price for citizens of the European Economic Area and another for everyone else: as a Spanish traveller you buy the EEA rate and carry your ID card or passport, because they check it at the checkpoint. There are websites that present themselves as official and resell the same tour at a higher price.
In summer, places in Spanish sell out with one or two weeks' notice. On days with a parliamentary session or state visits there may be changes of schedule or cancellations.
Getting there
Metro M2 to Kossuth Lajos tér, which comes out on the same square, or tram 2 along the bank of the Danube. Arrive 15 minutes early: there is an airport-style security check.
- **A Walk Around Buda Castle District** (2 h 30 · 2.5 km · All ages; with a pushchair, better to go up by bus): The route
The Castle District occupies a long hill above the Buda bank. Start at the bottom, at Clark Ádám tér, opposite the Chain Bridge, and go up on the funicular (Sikló) or on foot along the garden paths. At the top, the royal palace has at its feet a terrace with views of the Danube and Pest; inside are the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum. From there walk north along Úri utca or Tárnok utca, between coloured Baroque houses, to Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion. Walk down the bastion steps to Batthyány tér, with the Parliament opposite.
How to get up

Funicular: leaves from Clark Ádám tér and takes a couple of minutes. It has its own ticket, which is not valid with the transport pass; in summer there is a queue.
Bus 16: from Deák Ferenc tér it crosses the bridge and climbs to the district. A normal BKK ticket is valid.
On foot: about 15 minutes uphill through the gardens of the Várkert Bazár.
- **Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion** (1 h 15 · All ages; the tower only if you can manage stairs easily · Church 3,400 Ft · with audio guide 5,000 Ft · tower 4,000 Ft · under-6s free): What it is
The Church of Our Lady of Buda, which everyone calls Matthias Church, is at the top of the Castle District, on Szentháromság tér. Franz Joseph and Sisi were crowned king and queen of Hungary here in 1867. Inside, every wall is painted; outside, the roof of coloured tiles is what you recognise from afar. In front is Fisherman's Bastion, the neo-Gothic terrace with seven towers from which you see the Parliament on the other side of the river.
Tickets and opening hours

Church: 3,400 Ft; students and pensioners, 2,700 Ft; under-6s, free.
With audio guide: 5,000 Ft.
Tower: 4,000 Ft, timed. It is 197 steps up to the viewing platform and closes in strong wind or storms.
Family ticket: 9,500 Ft, for two adults with more than one child.

Open from 9:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:45, but masses, weddings and official visits take priority and change the hours: check the website on the day.
What to wear
Shoulders covered and trousers or skirt to the knee, in summer too. If you are in a vest top, bring a scarf.
- **Széchenyi Baths, the open-air hot springs in City Park** (3 h · Adults and over-14s; under-14s not admitted since August 2025 · Ticket with locker 13,200 Ft Monday to Thursday · 14,800 Ft Friday and weekend · afternoon (last 2 h) from 6,600 Ft): What it is
The largest spa in Budapest, in Városliget park, open since 1913. The yellow neo-Baroque building surrounds three outdoor pools: one for swimming, cool, and two of thermal water at about 30–38 degrees where people play chess. Inside there are thermal pools at different temperatures, saunas and steam baths. In winter, with steam rising from the water and sub-zero air, it is the most famous image of the city.
Prices 2026

Ticket with locker: 13,200 Ft from Monday to Thursday; 14,800 Ft Friday, Saturday and Sunday; 15,800 Ft on peak days.
Good Morning (entry before 9:00): 10,500 Ft on weekdays and 11,800 Ft at weekends.
Afternoon, valid for the last two hours: 6,600 Ft from Monday to Thursday and 7,400 Ft the rest of the week.
Fast Track, online only, with quick access: from 15,200 Ft.
Cabin for changing in private: 1,000 Ft extra.

Buy at jegyek.szechenyifurdo.hu, the official sales site; there are resellers who charge more for the same ticket.
Opening hours and rules
Open Monday to Thursday from 7:00 to 20:00, Friday until 22:00 and at weekends from 8:00 to 20:00. You must leave the water 20 minutes before closing. On 8 December 2026 it closes at 16:00 and from 18 December to 6 January it opens at 8:00.

Age: since 1 August 2025, children under 14 are not admitted, unless with a prescription from a specialist doctor sent 24 hours in advance.
Swimsuit made of thin fabric; flip-flops compulsory; swimming cap only in the swimming pool.
The day ticket does not include a towel, bathrobe or flip-flops, and they are not for hire: bring them or buy them in the shop.

Getting there
Metro M1, the little yellow Millennium metro, to Széchenyi fürdő: it comes out in front of the entrance. Address: Állatkerti körút 9-11.
- **One-Hour Danube Cruise with Legenda** (1 h · All ages; under-10s free · Day €20 · night €25 · children aged 10 to 14, €14 and €17.50 · under-10s free): What it is
Budapest is best understood from the river: the Parliament, the castle and the bridges are on both banks of the Danube. Legenda, a Budapest shipping company, runs one-hour cruises that go up to the Parliament and Margaret Island and down to Liberty Bridge, with a recorded commentary in about 30 languages at your seat.

Duna Bella, by day: the one-hour trip, with a film about the monuments.
Danube Legend, afternoon and night: the same route with the city lit up and a drink included.
Candlelit dinner: a four-course dinner with live music, at 19:00.

Prices and times


DayNight


Adult€20€25
Student€18€22.50
Child aged 10 to 14€14€17.50
Under 10FreeFree


From 23 November to 31 December 2026, daytime boats leave at 11:00, 12:30, 14:00 and 15:30, and night boats from 15:40 to 21:00, almost every 20 minutes. The 15:30 departure does not stop at Margaret Island.
Where it leaves from
From pier 7, on Jane Haining rakpart, on the Pest bank, next to Vigadó tér. Tram 2, stop Vigadó tér.
- **Rudas Baths, the 16th-century Turkish bath and the rooftop jacuzzi** (2 h 30 · Adults and over-14s · General admission 12,000 Ft Monday to Thursday · 15,000 Ft Friday to Sunday · night (Friday and Saturday, 22:00–3:00) 15,000 Ft): What it is
Rudas is on the Buda bank, at the foot of Gellért Hill and next to Elisabeth Bridge. Its heart is a Turkish bath built around 1550, during the Ottoman occupation: an octagonal pool under a dome with coloured holes that let the light in, surrounded by four pools at different temperatures. Next to it is a modern wellness area with saunas and, on the roof, a jacuzzi with views of the Danube and the bridges.
Prices 2026

General admission, with all areas: 12,000 Ft from Monday to Thursday, 15,000 Ft from Friday to Sunday and 16,000 Ft on peak days.
Night bathing, Friday and Saturday from 22:00 to 3:00: 15,000 Ft, online only.
Weekday mornings: on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays until 10:45 there are 8,000 Ft tickets for the Turkish bath only or the wellness area only.

Opening hours and rules
Open every day from 6:00; it closes at 22:00 on Monday and at 20:00 on the other days, as well as on Friday and Saturday nights.

Children under 14 are not admitted anywhere on the premises.
On weekdays the Turkish bath is not mixed: Tuesday is women's day and Wednesday men's. Check on its website which day applies to you before you go.
Swimsuit and flip-flops, as in all the baths in the city.

Getting there
Tram 19 or 41 to Rudas Gyógyfürdő, or on foot across Elisabeth Bridge from the centre of Pest, about 15 minutes. Address: Döbrentei tér 9.
- **Lukács Baths, the Budapest locals' spa** (2 h 30 · Adults; massages from age 14 · 7,000 Ft Monday to Thursday · 8,000 Ft Friday to Sunday · cabin 1,000 Ft): What it is
Lukács is the spa where the people of Buda go: fewer photos, more older people swimming lengths and chatting in the hot water. It is next to Margaret Bridge, on Frankel Leó út. It has medicinal thermal water pools at different temperatures, outdoor swimming pools and a sauna area. It is the quiet option if Széchenyi seems too busy.
Prices and opening hours

Adult ticket: 7,000 Ft from Monday to Thursday and 8,000 Ft from Friday to Sunday.
Cabin: 1,000 Ft.
Open every day from 7:00 to 19:00, except Tuesday, when it stays open until 22:00.

As of November 2026, the lifts for people with reduced mobility were not working and the private bath service was suspended because of works.
Age
The website does not publish a general age limit, but massages are only given from the age of 14 and the medicinal water pools are not for children. If you are going with minors, ask before you go.
Getting there
Tram 4 or 6 to Margit híd, budai hídfő, and five minutes' walk to the north. Address: Frankel Leó út 25-29.
- **Gellért Baths, closed for renovation until 2028** (30 min · All ages, to see from outside): Closed until 2028
The Gellért baths, with their covered pool of columns and mosaics from 1918, have been closed since 1 October 2025 for a full renovation. Their official website gives the reopening as planned for 2028. Any website that is still selling tickets for the Gellért in 2026 or 2027 cannot be trusted.
What to do instead

For a historic bath with a dome, the Rudas baths, a ten-minute walk along the same bank.
For the open-air bath, the Széchenyi baths.
For something quiet and cheap, the Lukács baths.

The Art Nouveau façade looks the same from outside, at the end of Liberty Bridge, with Gellért Hill behind.
- **St Stephen's Basilica and Its Viewing Gallery** (1 h · All ages; the gallery is reached by lift and stairs): What you see
St Stephen's Basilica is the largest church in Budapest and its dome is the same height as the Parliament's, 96 metres. Inside, in a side chapel, is kept the Holy Right Hand, the mummified hand of St Stephen, first king of Hungary. The panoramic viewing gallery runs around the dome at mid-height: from there you see the rooftops of Pest, the castle and the bridges.
Opening hours and tickets

Church: Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 18:00; Sunday from 13:00 to 18:00.
Viewing gallery and treasury: every day from 9:00 to 19:00.

All visitors need a ticket, including for the church. It is bought at the ticket office next to the basilica or at bazilika.jegy.eu; student and pensioner discounts are only sold at the ticket office, with ID. On Saturdays and Sundays weddings may close part of the nave.
Getting there
Metro M1 to Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út or M3 to Arany János utca, five minutes away. Address: Szent István tér 1.
- **Advent Bazilika, the St Stephen's Basilica Christmas Market** (2 h · All ages · Free entry): Budapest turns the square in front of St Stephen's Basilica into its most photographed Christmas market. The stalls fill Szent István tér, and every evening the basilica's façade is the screen.
Dates and show
The official website gives 13 November as the opening and 1 January 2027 as the closing. Every evening, from 17:30, a painting of light is projected on the basilica's façade; on some days there is a concert beforehand, at 17:00. The website refers to a separate page for the stall opening times, which we could not see; confirm them there.
Other markets in the centre
The Vörösmarty tér market, with craft stalls and Hungarian food, is advertised in guides from 13 November until the end of the year, but its dates and hours were not confirmed by an official source when we checked. The same goes for Óbuda and other smaller markets: ask or check before you go.
What to try and how to get there
Hungarian market food is the reason to go hungry: kürtőskalács (chimney cake), lángos and mulled wine are the most typical. The square is in the heart of Pest, a short walk from the Danube bank and from the Parliament. If you are going to the baths, leave the afternoon for the market: after a day of hot water, mulled wine goes down very well.
Getting there and how long to allow
Szent István tér is in Pest, in the 5th district, a few minutes' walk from the Danube bank and the Parliament. You get there by metro to Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út or Arany János utca station and walk a little. Allow an hour and a half at the stalls and the projection, and leave the rest for the thermal baths, which in winter are one of the city's great plans.
When to go
As the light show is the most popular thing, the square fills up from 17:00, especially at weekends. On weekdays you can walk around at a calmer pace.
- **Central Market Hall (Nagycsarnok)** (1 h · All ages; with a pushchair, use the lifts): What it is
The Central Market Hall, which Budapest calls the Nagycsarnok (the great hall), is an iron and brick structure from 1897 with a roof of coloured ceramic tiles. On the ground floor are the stalls of meat, cured meats, vegetables and paprika in little bags and tins; in the basement, fish and pickles; on the upper floor, food stalls, among them lángos, the fried dough with sour cream and cheese, and embroidery shops.
Opening hours

Monday to Friday, from 6:00 to 18:00.
Saturday, from 6:00 to 16:00.
Sunday, from 10:00 to 16:00.
Closed on Hungarian public holidays.

Getting there
Metro M4 or trams 2, 47 and 49 to Fővám tér, at the door. Address: Vámház körút 1-3, at the end of the pedestrian street Váci utca and next to Liberty Bridge.
- **Budapest State Opera: Guided Tour with a Mini Concert** (1 h · Adults and teenagers · 12,000 HUF per person in English; 6,400 HUF in Hungarian; under-3s free): The Hungarian State Opera has its own tour service, OperaTour, which goes round the building and ends with a short concert by soloists of the house. It is the way to see the theatre from the inside on a day, or at a time, when there is no performance.
Times, languages and prices
The English tour lasts about 60 minutes and leaves every day at 13:30, 15:00 and 16:30, with groups of up to 30 people. It costs 12,000 HUF per person and children under 3 do not pay. There are tours in Hungarian for 6,400 HUF. In Spanish, Italian, German, French and Greek they are only held on request, through the tickets button or by writing to the OperaTour team (tour@opera.hu; phone +36 30 781 2630, Monday to Friday 10:00 to 17:00). Groups meet in the entrance hall, beside the information desk.
How to book
Tickets for tours with guaranteed departure are bought up to a week before at the box offices or online. Private tours, from 15 tickets, are booked with a form at least a week beforehand. The tour does not run during performances, and the auditorium may be closed if there is a rehearsal. You may take photos for non-commercial use, but without flash or tripod.

## Dónde comer
- **Borkonyha Winekitchen** (Restaurant, Budapest, €€€€). Qué pedir: The four-course menu with the Hungarian wine pairing, to try wineries from Tokaj, Eger and Villány.
- **Café Gerbeaud** (Café, Budapest, €€€). Qué pedir: The Gerbeaud cake, with layers of walnut, apricot jam and chocolate, with a coffee from the house blend.
- **Frici Papa** (Restaurant, Budapest, €). Qué pedir: Order the set menu of the day and a főzelék, the thick vegetable pottage that is Hungary's everyday dish.
- **Hungarikum Bisztró** (Restaurant, Budapest, €€). Qué pedir: The Hortobágy pancake, filled with meat in paprika sauce and sour cream, and the duck leg with cabbage.

## Car-free: Budapest by Metro, Tram and on Foot
Budapest can be seen entirely without a car, and with a car it is worse: parking in the centre is expensive and scarce. The M1 metro, the oldest on the continent, links the centre with the Széchenyi baths; tram 2 runs along the Danube; the HÉV goes to Szentendre and Gödöllő; and the trains to Eger and Balaton leave from the city's stations. The budget is per person per day, with a hostel or mid-range hotel, food and transport.
Presupuesto orientativo: 80–150 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir without a car
- **Hotel Clark Budapest** (Hotel): The place
The Clark is on Clark Ádám tér, the square on the Buda bank where the Chain Bridge ends and the funicular to the castle starts. It takes its name from the Scottish engineer who built the castle tunnel. In 2025 and 2026 it received a Michelin Key, the guide's distinction for hotels.
Rooms
Room types are chosen by view: towards the Chain Bridge, towards the Danube, towards the castle or towards the inner courtyard, plus the top-floor studios and the Clark suites. On the roof, the Leo Rooftop serves cocktails and bar food with the Parliament opposite; on the ground floor is the Leo Bistro.
Location
You sleep on the Buda side, at the foot of the Castle District: the funicular is a few steps away and bus 16 stops on the square. To cross to Pest, it is the Chain Bridge on foot, about ten minutes to Vörösmarty Square.
- **Hotel Moments Budapest** (Hotel): The place
Hotel Moments occupies a 19th-century residential palace at the start of Andrássy Avenue, the great avenue of Pest that is a World Heritage Site. The rooms face the central courtyard, roofed with a skylight and turned into a lounge, or the avenue. It has an official four-star rating, a wellness area, breakfast and a concierge.
Location
You are five minutes' walk from St Stephen's Basilica and the Opera, and ten from Deák tér, where three metro lines cross and the airport bus arrives. Andrássy takes you in a straight line, on the M1 metro, to the Széchenyi baths.
Rules
Check-in from 14:00 and check-out until 11:00. Check-out until 13:00 is free if available; until 16:00 it costs half the nightly rate. If you arrive early or leave late, left luggage is free. Bookings on its website are guaranteed with a card and carry no booking fees.
- **Maverick Central Market** (Hostel): The place
Maverick Central Market is one of the four Maverick Lodges hostels in central Budapest, around the corner from the Central Market Hall, on Lónyay utca. It is a social hostel, with organised activities and outings, but with rooms designed for sleeping: pod bunks with a curtain, reading light and sockets, and large in-room lockers at no charge.
Rooms

Mixed dormitories of 4, 6 and 8 beds, some with a bathroom inside.
Female-only dormitories of 6 and 8 beds.
Double, twin and single rooms with a private bathroom, air conditioning and television.

Bed linen and towels included, daily cleaning, shared kitchen, lounge, lift, free left luggage and 24-hour reception. The building is non-smoking. When booking on its website they do not ask for a deposit and cancellation is free.
Getting there
On foot from the Central Market Hall and the Fővám tér stop (metro M4 and trams 2, 47 and 49). The airport's 100E bus stops at Kálvin tér, about ten minutes' walk away.
### Servicios
- **Bus 100E, from the Airport to Deák Ferenc tér**: Express airport–centre bus, 24 hours a day, via Kálvin tér · About 40 minutes · Special ticket of 2,500 Ft, paid by card on board
- **Budapest Metro, Trams and Buses (BKK)**: Four metro lines, trams on both banks and the HÉV suburban railway · Tickets and passes on the BudapestGO app, at machines and by card on board

## By plane: A Direct Flight to Budapest and the Bus from the Airport to the Centre
Budapest has its own airport, Ferenc Liszt (BUD), with direct flights from Madrid and Barcelona all year round and, depending on the season, from other Spanish cities. It is about 16 km from the centre: the 100E bus drops you at Deák Ferenc tér in about 40 minutes, at any hour. You do not need a car for the city; hire one only if you are continuing to Lake Balaton, Hévíz or Eger.
### Dónde dormir if you're flying
- **Hotel Clark Budapest** (Hotel): The place
The Clark is on Clark Ádám tér, the square on the Buda bank where the Chain Bridge ends and the funicular to the castle starts. It takes its name from the Scottish engineer who built the castle tunnel. In 2025 and 2026 it received a Michelin Key, the guide's distinction for hotels.
Rooms
Room types are chosen by view: towards the Chain Bridge, towards the Danube, towards the castle or towards the inner courtyard, plus the top-floor studios and the Clark suites. On the roof, the Leo Rooftop serves cocktails and bar food with the Parliament opposite; on the ground floor is the Leo Bistro.
Location
You sleep on the Buda side, at the foot of the Castle District: the funicular is a few steps away and bus 16 stops on the square. To cross to Pest, it is the Chain Bridge on foot, about ten minutes to Vörösmarty Square.
- **Hotel Moments Budapest** (Hotel): The place
Hotel Moments occupies a 19th-century residential palace at the start of Andrássy Avenue, the great avenue of Pest that is a World Heritage Site. The rooms face the central courtyard, roofed with a skylight and turned into a lounge, or the avenue. It has an official four-star rating, a wellness area, breakfast and a concierge.
Location
You are five minutes' walk from St Stephen's Basilica and the Opera, and ten from Deák tér, where three metro lines cross and the airport bus arrives. Andrássy takes you in a straight line, on the M1 metro, to the Széchenyi baths.
Rules
Check-in from 14:00 and check-out until 11:00. Check-out until 13:00 is free if available; until 16:00 it costs half the nightly rate. If you arrive early or leave late, left luggage is free. Bookings on its website are guaranteed with a card and carry no booking fees.
- **Maverick Central Market** (Hostel): The place
Maverick Central Market is one of the four Maverick Lodges hostels in central Budapest, around the corner from the Central Market Hall, on Lónyay utca. It is a social hostel, with organised activities and outings, but with rooms designed for sleeping: pod bunks with a curtain, reading light and sockets, and large in-room lockers at no charge.
Rooms

Mixed dormitories of 4, 6 and 8 beds, some with a bathroom inside.
Female-only dormitories of 6 and 8 beds.
Double, twin and single rooms with a private bathroom, air conditioning and television.

Bed linen and towels included, daily cleaning, shared kitchen, lounge, lift, free left luggage and 24-hour reception. The building is non-smoking. When booking on its website they do not ask for a deposit and cancellation is free.
Getting there
On foot from the Central Market Hall and the Fővám tér stop (metro M4 and trams 2, 47 and 49). The airport's 100E bus stops at Kálvin tér, about ten minutes' walk away.
### Servicios
- **Bus 100E, from the Airport to Deák Ferenc tér**: Express airport–centre bus, 24 hours a day, via Kálvin tér · About 40 minutes · Special ticket of 2,500 Ft, paid by card on board
- **Budapest Ferenc Liszt Airport (BUD)**: Budapest's international airport, about 16 km south-east of the centre · Direct flights from Madrid and Barcelona · 100E bus to the centre 24 hours a day
- **Budapest Metro, Trams and Buses (BKK)**: Four metro lines, trams on both banks and the HÉV suburban railway · Tickets and passes on the BudapestGO app, at machines and by card on board

## Luxury: Budapest with a View Hotel, a Starred Dinner and a Thermal Bath
Budapest gives a lot for its price in luxury: hotels in 19th-century palaces, Hungarian cooking that has won Michelin stars and wines that few people know outside the country. The budget is per person per day, with a four-star hotel or above, a tasting-menu dinner and entry to the baths.
Presupuesto orientativo: From €300 por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir in style
- **Hotel Clark Budapest** (Hotel): The place
The Clark is on Clark Ádám tér, the square on the Buda bank where the Chain Bridge ends and the funicular to the castle starts. It takes its name from the Scottish engineer who built the castle tunnel. In 2025 and 2026 it received a Michelin Key, the guide's distinction for hotels.
Rooms
Room types are chosen by view: towards the Chain Bridge, towards the Danube, towards the castle or towards the inner courtyard, plus the top-floor studios and the Clark suites. On the roof, the Leo Rooftop serves cocktails and bar food with the Parliament opposite; on the ground floor is the Leo Bistro.
Location
You sleep on the Buda side, at the foot of the Castle District: the funicular is a few steps away and bus 16 stops on the square. To cross to Pest, it is the Chain Bridge on foot, about ten minutes to Vörösmarty Square.
- **Hotel Moments Budapest** (Hotel): The place
Hotel Moments occupies a 19th-century residential palace at the start of Andrássy Avenue, the great avenue of Pest that is a World Heritage Site. The rooms face the central courtyard, roofed with a skylight and turned into a lounge, or the avenue. It has an official four-star rating, a wellness area, breakfast and a concierge.
Location
You are five minutes' walk from St Stephen's Basilica and the Opera, and ten from Deák tér, where three metro lines cross and the airport bus arrives. Andrássy takes you in a straight line, on the M1 metro, to the Széchenyi baths.
Rules
Check-in from 14:00 and check-out until 11:00. Check-out until 13:00 is free if available; until 16:00 it costs half the nightly rate. If you arrive early or leave late, left luggage is free. Bookings on its website are guaranteed with a card and carry no booking fees.

## As a family: Budapest with the Family, with One Caveat About the Baths

Budapest works with children: a boat, a funicular, a castle and a market. But the most famous baths are no longer for them: since August 2025, Széchenyi and Rudas do not admit under-14s. Plan the trip without counting on a thermal bath if the children are young.

### What works best
The one-hour cruise on the Danube: free for under-10s

The funicular and a walk around the Castle District, with the palace terrace

The tower of Matthias Church, 197 steps, free for under-6s

The Central Market Hall and a lángos on the upper floor

The Parliament tour, 45 minutes, with an audio guide in Spanish

### Sleeping
Hotel Moments, with spacious rooms in the centre

Maverick Central Market, with private rooms of up to four beds

### Eating
Café Gerbeaud, for an afternoon snack

Frici Papa, simple, cheap dishes

### Bear in mind
Széchenyi and Rudas: only from age 14

With a pushchair, go up to the castle on bus 16 rather than the steps

In winter it gets dark before 16:30: leave the boat for the afternoon

### Qué hacer as a family
- Guided Tour of the Budapest Parliament
- A Walk Around Buda Castle District
- Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion
- One-Hour Danube Cruise with Legenda
- St Stephen's Basilica and Its Viewing Gallery
- Central Market Hall (Nagycsarnok)

## With teenagers: Budapest with Teenagers

From the age of 14, Budapest gains a lot: they can now enter the thermal baths, and the city has nightlife, 20th-century history and room to get around alone on the metro.

### What works best
The Széchenyi baths in winter, with steam over the outdoor pools (from age 14)

The Turkish bath at Rudas, with the rooftop over the Danube (from age 14)

The tower of Matthias Church and the basilica viewing gallery

The Parliament, with the Hungarian crown and its guards

### Sleeping
Maverick Central Market, with a young atmosphere and private rooms

Hotel Moments, in the centre

### Eating
Frici Papa, in the ruin-bar district

Central Market Hall, for eating on your feet

### Bear in mind
Bring the teenagers' ID cards in case they check ages at the baths

At 13 they still cannot enter Széchenyi or Rudas

### Qué hacer with teenagers
- Guided Tour of the Budapest Parliament
- A Walk Around Buda Castle District
- Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion
- Széchenyi Baths, the open-air hot springs in City Park
- One-Hour Danube Cruise with Legenda
- Rudas Baths, the 16th-century Turkish bath and the rooftop jacuzzi
- St Stephen's Basilica and Its Viewing Gallery
- Central Market Hall (Nagycsarnok)

## With young children: Budapest with Small Children

With children up to the age of six, Budapest is a city of boats, trams and squares. They pay for almost nothing, but they do not get into the big thermal baths either.

### What works best
The boat on the Danube, free for under-10s

Tram 2 beside the river, without getting off

The Castle District, going up by funicular

The Central Market Hall, with its colourful stalls

### Sleeping
Hotel Moments, with a lounge in the covered courtyard

A hotel near a metro stop with a lift

### Eating
Café Gerbeaud, with cakes for everyone

### Bear in mind
Under-14s are not admitted to Széchenyi or Rudas

Matthias Church tower has 197 steps

In winter it gets dark before 16:30

### Qué hacer with young children
- A Walk Around Buda Castle District
- One-Hour Danube Cruise with Legenda
- Central Market Hall (Nagycsarnok)

## With friends: Budapest with Friends: Thermal Baths, a Night Cruise and Ruin Bars

Budapest is planned in two parts: by day, the thermal baths, and at night, the Danube and the bars of the Jewish Quarter. The baths are what you won't find in another European group-trip city: hot outdoor pools in midwinter and a night-time bath party. Mind the minimum age of 14 at several.

### What works best
Széchenyi Baths: 18 pools and saunas; entry with a locker from 13,200 Ft and from 6,600 Ft in the last two hours. Over-14s only.

Rudas Baths: Ottoman dome from 1550 and a night bath on Fridays and Saturdays, from 22:00 to 3:00, for 15,000 Ft.

Lukács Baths: thermal pools without the crowds in Buda; 7,000 Ft on weekdays and 8,000 at weekends.

Danube cruise: one hour between the bridges, €20 by day and €25 at night with a drink.

Central Market: paprika, cured meats and lángos on the upper floor; also open on Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00.

Parliament: guided tour of about 45 minutes with a guide or audio guide in Spanish; tickets only on the official website.

The Gellért spa is closed for works until 2028: don't include it in the plan.

### Where to sleep
Maverick Central Market: hostel next to the Central Market with curtained bunk beds, double rooms with a bathroom, a kitchen and 24-hour reception, a step from the M4 metro.

### Where to eat
Frici Papa: Hungarian eating house Monday to Saturday, 11:00 to 22:00, with stews at neighbourhood prices.

Hungarikum Bisztró: old-recipe cooking with cimbalom music; online booking compulsory.

Borkonyha: Michelin star with Hungarian wines by the glass, for a long dinner with a reservation.

### Keep in mind
Bring swimwear, flip-flops and a towel.

The Rudas night bath is only scheduled on Fridays and Saturdays.

The baths do not admit under-14s: check before arriving with someone younger.

### Qué hacer with friends
- Guided Tour of the Budapest Parliament
- Széchenyi Baths, the open-air hot springs in City Park
- One-Hour Danube Cruise with Legenda
- Rudas Baths, the 16th-century Turkish bath and the rooftop jacuzzi
- Lukács Baths, the Budapest locals' spa
- Central Market Hall (Nagycsarnok)

## Consejos

### Pay in forints
If a cash machine or card reader offers to charge you in euros, say no: the exchange rate they apply is worse.

### Get into Széchenyi before 9:00
The first-hour ticket is cheaper and the outdoor pools are almost empty.

### Take tram 2
It runs along the Pest bank of the Danube between the Parliament and the Central Market Hall: it is a sightseeing trip in itself.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How many days do I need for Budapest?
Three days for the essentials: Buda, Pest and a bath. With four or five, add a day trip to Szentendre, the Danube Bend or Eger.

### How do I get from the airport to the centre?
On the 100E bus, 24 hours a day, in about 40 minutes to Deák Ferenc tér. The ticket costs 2,500 Ft and is paid for by card on board.

### Do you pay in euros in Budapest?
No, the currency is the forint (HUF). Cards are accepted almost everywhere.

### Can children go to the thermal baths?
At Széchenyi and Rudas, not under the age of 14 since August 2025. The Gellért is closed until 2028.

### Which bath should I choose if I only go to one?
Széchenyi, for the outdoor pools, especially in winter. For a historic bath with a dome, Rudas.

### Do I need to book the Parliament?
Yes, especially in high season and in Spanish. Buy at jegymester.hu/parlament, the official sales site.