# A Day in Budapest: Castle District, Rudas Turkish Bath and a Danube Cruise at Dusk 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. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/hungary/budapest/itineraries/castle-turkish-bath-and-cruise · Revisado: 2026-11-12 ## El día - 09:30 · 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 - 11:30 · Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion (church 3,400 Ft; the tower, 4,000 Ft more) - 15 min by metro - 13:00 · Hungarikum Bisztró (you go down to Batthyány tér and one stop on the M2 to Kossuth tér · book online) · Hungarikum Bisztró, €€ - 30 min by tram - 15:00 · 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) · Budapest Gyógyfürdői és Hévizei (Budapest Spas), From €12,000 adult, in forints - 15 min on foot - 18:00 · One-Hour Danube Cruise with Legenda (Legenda, Danube Legend with a drink · €25 · pier 7) · Legenda, From €20 adult 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? WhatHow much FunicularOwn ticket, one way Matthias Church3,400 Ft; with the tower, 4,000 Ft more Lunch at HungarikumMid-range price Rudas baths, Sunday15,000 Ft Night cruise€25 with a drink ## Cómo llegar ### Without a car It is the only sensible way: central Budapest is covered by metro, tram and on foot, with BKK tickets or passes. From the airport to the centre, 100E bus in about 40 minutes. ### With children Swap Rudas for the Parliament or the Central Market Hall on a weekday: the Rudas and Széchenyi baths do not admit under-14s. The cruise is free for under-10s. ## Consejos ### Book Hungarikum before you set out It only works with a confirmed reservation on its website, and on Sunday it fills up. ### Bring a swimsuit and flip-flops from the hotel That way you go straight from lunch to the bath. Towels can be rented there. ### Go up the hill before 10:00 After that the coach groups reach the bastion. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### 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.