Hungarikum Bisztró
What to order: The Hortobágy pancake, filled with meat in paprika sauce and sour cream, and the duck leg with cabbage.
Booking compulsory and online only.
geocalia
Day itinerary · 47.50° N · 19.04° E
Budapest in a day, from Buda Hill to hot water and the river by night.
The Castle District on foot, Matthias Church, Hungarian lunch beside the Parliament, the afternoon in the Rudas Turkish bath and an hour on a boat with the bridges lit up.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Budapest fromBarcelona 2 h 45Bilbao 3 hValencia 3 hAlicante 3 h 15Madrid 3 h 15Málaga 3 h 45Sevilla 3 h 45Gran Canaria 5 h 30Tenerife Sur 5 h 45
Part of BudapestDanubeThermal getawaysChristmas markets of EuropeClassical music and opera in Europe
Add to my trip
Total time10 h
By car0 min each way
WalkingAbout 3 h spread out
TransportMetro, tram and on foot
BathOver-14s only
DifficultyEasy
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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1
A Walk Around Buda Castle District
go up on the funicular from Clark Ádám tér or on bus 16 · free along the streets
- Carry on on foot
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2
Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion
church 3,400 Ft; the tower, 4,000 Ft more
- 15 min by metro
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3
Hungarikum Bisztró
you go down to Batthyány tér and one stop on the M2 to Kossuth tér · book online
Steindl Imre utca 13, 1051 Budapest · +36 30 661 6244
Restaurant €€Book - 30 min by tram
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4
Rudas Baths, the 16th-century Turkish bath and the rooftop jacuzzi
tram 2 along the Pest bank and Elisabeth Bridge on foot · on Sunday 15,000 Ft; closes at 20:00
+36 1 452 4500
Activity company With Budapest Gyógyfürdői és Hévizei (Budapest Spas) From €12,000 adult, in forintsBook - 15 min on foot
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5
One-Hour Danube Cruise with Legenda
Legenda, Danube Legend with a drink · €25 · pier 7
+36 30 944 5216
Approximate cost
About €12050 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
A Walk Around Buda Castle District
If you have only one day in Budapest, this is the one that gives the most without rushing: Buda Hill in the morning, before the groups arrive; an old-recipe Hungarian lunch beside the Parliament; the afternoon in the hot water of the Rudas Turkish bath, under a dome from 1550, and an hour on a boat on the Danube as the bridges light up. Everything is done on foot, by metro and by tram.
The day, hour by hour
9:30 · Castle District. Go up from Clark Ádám tér on the funicular, which has its own ticket, or on bus 16. At the top, the royal palace terrace looks over Pest; from there walk north along Úri utca or Tárnok utca, between coloured Baroque houses.
11:30 · Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion. The coronation church, with the ceramic roof you recognise from afar, opens from 9:00 to 17:00. In front, the neo-Gothic bastion with the Parliament on the other side of the river. If you climb the tower, it is 197 steps.
13:00 · Lunch at Hungarikum Bisztró. Go down the bastion steps to Batthyány tér and cross by M2 metro, one stop to Kossuth tér. It is a family bistro two streets from the Parliament, with old-style Hungarian cooking: Hortobágy pancake, duck leg with cabbage. Open every day at midday, by reservation only on its website.
15:00 · Rudas Turkish bath. Tram 2 takes you along the Pest bank to Elisabeth Bridge, which you cross on foot. Inside, the octagonal Ottoman pool with four pools at different temperatures, saunas and the rooftop jacuzzi with a view of the bridges. On Sunday general admission costs 15,000 Ft and the bath closes at 20:00. Under-14s are not admitted.
18:00 · Danube cruise. Walk back to Pest across Elisabeth Bridge and go down to pier 7, on Jane Haining rakpart. Legenda's Danube Legend lasts an hour, with an audio guide at your seat and a drink, and in winter it leaves roughly every twenty minutes until 21:00. From the water you see the Parliament and the castle lit up.
What does it cost?
| What | How much |
|---|---|
| Funicular | Own ticket, one way |
| Matthias Church | 3,400 Ft; with the tower, 4,000 Ft more |
| Lunch at Hungarikum | Mid-range price |
| Rudas baths, Sunday | 15,000 Ft |
| Night cruise | €25 with a drink |
Distance2.5 km
Time2 h 30
Change the route
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Frici Papa
What to order: Order the set menu of the day and a főzelék, the thick vegetable pottage that is Hungary's everyday dish.
No reservations; closed on Sunday.
Café Gerbeaud
What to order: The Gerbeaud cake, with layers of walnut, apricot jam and chocolate, with a coffee from the house blend.
No reservations; tables are taken in order of arrival.
Borkonyha Winekitchen
What to order: The four-course menu with the Hungarian wine pairing, to try wineries from Tokaj, Eger and Villány.
A 15% service charge is added to the bill.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Budapest
All year. From November to February the 18:00 cruise is already after dark and Rudas's hot water is all the more welcome; in summer, put the boat back until it gets dark.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book Hungarikum before you set out
It only works with a confirmed reservation on its website, and on Sunday it fills up.
- 2Bring a swimsuit and flip-flops from the hotel
That way you go straight from lunch to the bath. Towels can be rented there.
- 3Go up the hill before 10:00
After that the coach groups reach the bastion.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can you see Budapest in a day?
The essentials, yes: the Castle, the Parliament from outside, a thermal bath and the river. For museums and districts you need three or four days.
Which bath should I choose if I only go to one?
Rudas, if you want the Turkish bath with an Ottoman dome; Széchenyi, if you prefer the outdoor pools in the park. Both are for over-14s only.
Is everything open on Sunday?
Yes. The Castle, Matthias Church outside mass, Hungarikum Bisztró, Rudas until 20:00 and the Legenda cruises.
Do I need to buy the cruise in advance?
It is not compulsory, but on its website you choose a time and don't queue at the pier.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/hungary/budapest/itineraries/castle-turkish-bath-and-cruise
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.