# Szentendre A Baroque village on the banks of the Danube, 40 minutes from Budapest by suburban train: little lanes, Serbian churches, galleries and an open-air museum. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/hungary/szentendre · Revisado: 2026-11-12 A day trip from Budapest: Szentendre is about 20 km north of the capital, on the right bank of the Danube, and is the easiest escape from the city. The suburban train drops you ten minutes from the square in about 40 minutes; in summer and during Advent you can also go by boat. It is a small village of Baroque houses, churches built by the Serbs who resettled it in the 18th century and many galleries: since the artists' colony of the 1920s it has been the town of Hungarian painters. ## Getting there from Budapest By HÉV, the H5 suburban train: it leaves from Batthyány tér, in Buda (metro M2), and takes about 40 minutes. If you have a Budapest travel pass, buy a supplementary ticket for the section outside the city. Details in the HÉV H5. By boat, with Mahart, from Vigadó tér: an hour and a half upriver, in summer and on Saturdays and Sundays during Advent (29 November to 27 December 2026). Go by boat and come back by train. Everything about the boat from Budapest. By car, on road 11, about 30 minutes. Park before the centre. If you are coming from Spain, you land in Budapest and reach Szentendre in a little over an hour and a half: 100E to the centre, metro to Batthyány tér and the HÉV. ## What to see in a day Start with the old town and Fő tér, the square of merchants' houses with the cross in the middle and the Serbian Church of the Annunciation on one corner. Climb Church Hill to see the rooftops and towers, wander back down Bogdányi út, between galleries and workshops, and finish on the Danube promenade. For lunch, Teyföl, with seasonal Hungarian cooking, is also open on Sunday at midday; Adria Café, with Balkan cooking, is open every day. If you go between spring and early November, spend the afternoon at the Skanzen, the open-air ethnographic museum, about 4 km away: Hungarian villages rebuilt house by house. In 2026 it closed in early November and reopens in spring 2027. ## How long? Half a day is enough for the centre. A whole day if you add the Skanzen or combine it with Visegrád, half an hour upriver by bus, to see the castle above the curve of the Danube: it is the start of the Danube Bend. To stay overnight, the Mathias Rex guesthouse, between the station and the square, or the Bükkös Hotel & Spa, for adults. ## When to go From April to October, with the terraces open and the open-air museum. In December, for the Advent market, which in 2026 opens on 29 November and runs from Dumtsa Jenő utca to Lázár cár tér. On summer and Advent Saturdays it fills up with people from Budapest: if you can, go on a weekday or arrive before 11:00. ## Dónde está - Zonas: Danube - Cerca: Vác and Nagymaros (a 12.7 km), Danube Bend (a 17.6 km), Budapest (a 19.3 km), Gödöllő (a 22.0 km) ## Qué hacer - **Szentendre Old Town and Fő tér** (2 h · 2 km · All ages; slopes and cobbles, better a backpack than a pushchair): The walk Szentendre grew in the 18th century with Serbian and Dalmatian merchants fleeing the Ottomans, and its centre preserves that layout: narrow streets that climb and descend, courtyards, seven church towers and coloured houses around Fő tér, the main square, with the merchants' cross in the middle. From there, Dumtsa Jenő utca runs down towards the station and Bogdányi út runs parallel to the Danube, full of galleries and craft shops. Where to go Fő tér and the lanes leading from it towards the river. The Serbian Orthodox Church of the Annunciation (Blagoveštenska), on the same square. The climb up Church Hill, with views of the rooftops. The descent to the Danube promenade. Two hours at a leisurely pace is enough for the centre; with museums and a meal, the whole day. - **Skanzen, the Open-Air Ethnographic Museum** (4 h · All ages; a lot of walking): What it is The Skanzen is Hungary's Open-Air Ethnographic Museum: houses, churches, mills and workshops brought from the different regions of the country and reassembled by area, each like a small village. You enter the furnished houses, see how people lived in the Hungarian countryside in the 18th and 19th centuries and, in season, there are crafts, animals and folk festivals. It is the outing with children in Szentendre. When it opens The season ends in early November. In 2026 the museum closed on 2 November, opened only on the weekend of 14 and 15 November, and reopens in spring 2027. Check the dates and prices on its website before you go. Getting there It is about 4 km north-west of the centre, at Sztaravodai út 75. From Szentendre bus station, next to the HÉV station, local buses run; by car, it has parking. Telephone: +36 26 502 501. - **Church Hill (Templom-domb)** (30 min · All ages; steps from the square): Church Hill is the rise that stands above Fő tér, with the Catholic parish church of St John at the top. You climb it by steps and alleys from the square in five minutes. From the esplanade you see the red rooftops, the towers of the Serbian churches and, behind, the arm of the Danube that separates Szentendre from the island of the same name. It is free and open all day; the light is best at sunset. - **Danube Promenade (Duna-korzó)** (40 min · 1.5 km · All ages; flat, suitable for pushchairs): The Duna-korzó runs along the Szentendre arm of the Danube, with trees, benches and terraces, from the landing stage where the Budapest boats dock to beyond the centre. It is flat, so it is the way to see the village with a pushchair or tired legs. Go down to it from Fő tér by any of the alleys that look to the river and come back along Bogdányi út. - **Boat from Budapest to Szentendre on the Danube** (1 h 30 · All ages; children aged 2 to 14 at a reduced rate · One way 5,000 Ft · return 7,000 Ft · children aged 2 to 14, 4,000 and 5,500 Ft): The journey The boat is the slow and pretty way to reach Szentendre: you set off from central Budapest, pass under the bridges and in front of the Parliament, and go up the Danube between Óbuda Island and the Buda bank. It takes an hour and a half upriver; the return, with the current, an hour and a quarter. Times and prices In summer 2026 (29 June to 30 August) it left Vigadó tér at 10:30, Tuesday to Sunday, with more departures from Thursday to Sunday, and stopped at Batthyány tér. The return from Szentendre was at 17:00, with more times on some days. One wayReturn Adult5,000 Ft7,000 Ft Student4,500 Ft6,000 Ft Child aged 2 to 14 and pensioner4,000 Ft5,500 Ft In Advent, from 29 November to 27 December 2026, there is a boat on Saturdays and Sundays: it leaves Vigadó tér at 10:30, reaches Szentendre at 12:00 and returns at 15:30, in time for the Christmas market. When the Danube is low, Mahart suspends the line: in mid-November 2026 it announced that it was not sailing. Buy your ticket in advance on its website or at the ticket office: on the morning of departure they do not guarantee a place. - **Szentendre Advent Market** (1 h 30 · All ages): In Advent, Szentendre sets up its Christmas market through the centre: it starts at the beginning of Dumtsa Jenő utca, crosses Fő tér and reaches Lázár cár tér. There are craft stalls for gifts, mulled wine, roast chestnuts, concerts and nativity scenes, with programmes for children. In 2026 it opens on 29 November. Arrive on the weekend Advent boat or on the HÉV, which runs every day. ## Dónde comer - **Adria Café** (Restaurant, Szentendre, €€). Qué pedir: A dish from the Balkan grill on the terrace, recalling the Serbian merchants who founded the village. - **Teyföl** (Restaurant, Szentendre, €€€). Qué pedir: Let them recommend the seasonal dish; the menu changes with what their producers bring. ## Car-free: Szentendre Without a Car, by HÉV or Boat Szentendre is the car-free excursion par excellence from Budapest: the HÉV suburban train leaves you ten minutes from the square and the centre is covered on foot. In summer and Advent you can go by boat and return by train. The budget is per person per day, with a night in the village, meals and transport. Presupuesto orientativo: 70–130 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir without a car - **Bükkös Hotel & Spa** (Spa hotel): The place The Bükkös is a four-star boutique hotel beside the Bükkös stream, which crosses Szentendre before reaching the Danube, a few minutes' walk from the centre. It defines itself as an adults' hotel and is designed for couples' breaks: boutique-style rooms, a restaurant, a bar and a spa with a sauna and relaxation area. From the terrace you see the village rooftops. Who it is for For those who want to spend the night in Szentendre rather than return to Budapest, with a massage and the spa at the end of the day. It is not for families with children. It publishes half-board packages and direct-booking offers on its website. Getting there On foot from the HÉV station in about ten minutes; by car, on road 11 from Budapest, in half an hour. - **Mathias Rex Panzió** (Small hotel, desde 26500 € / night): The place Mathias Rex is a guesthouse with a restaurant on Kossuth Lajos utca, the street that links the HÉV and bus station with the main square, five minutes' walk from both. Next to the guesthouse, the Beatrix apartment house opened in 2020. In total it has places for 29 people, in rooms and apartments of 20 to 35 m² for 1 to 4 people, all non-smoking, with a bathroom and television. Prices and services Its website lists the single room from 26,500 Ft a night and the double from 40,000 Ft. Continental breakfast is served on the ground floor or, in good weather, in the garden. Wi-fi is free. With advance booking they give free parking in the courtyard, with few places; otherwise, on Lövész utca and Petőfi utca, behind the building, parking is free. Arrival Reception handles check-ins from 14:00 to 19:30; let them know if you will arrive later. Check-out is from 7:30 to 10:30. They ask for ID or a passport from all guests. ### Servicios - **HÉV H5, from Batthyány tér to Szentendre**: The suburban train from Budapest to Szentendre in about 40 minutes · Leaves from Batthyány tér, in Buda · BKK ticket plus a supplement outside the city ## By plane: Fly to Budapest and Go Up to Szentendre by Suburban Train Szentendre has no airport: you fly to Budapest-Ferenc Liszt (BUD), with direct flights from Madrid and Barcelona, and from there it is two journeys. The 100E bus takes you to central Budapest in about 40 minutes and the HÉV H5, from Batthyány tér, to Szentendre in another 40. Almost everyone comes for the day from Budapest and sleeps there. ### Dónde dormir if you're flying - **Bükkös Hotel & Spa** (Spa hotel): The place The Bükkös is a four-star boutique hotel beside the Bükkös stream, which crosses Szentendre before reaching the Danube, a few minutes' walk from the centre. It defines itself as an adults' hotel and is designed for couples' breaks: boutique-style rooms, a restaurant, a bar and a spa with a sauna and relaxation area. From the terrace you see the village rooftops. Who it is for For those who want to spend the night in Szentendre rather than return to Budapest, with a massage and the spa at the end of the day. It is not for families with children. It publishes half-board packages and direct-booking offers on its website. Getting there On foot from the HÉV station in about ten minutes; by car, on road 11 from Budapest, in half an hour. - **Mathias Rex Panzió** (Small hotel, desde 26500 € / night): The place Mathias Rex is a guesthouse with a restaurant on Kossuth Lajos utca, the street that links the HÉV and bus station with the main square, five minutes' walk from both. Next to the guesthouse, the Beatrix apartment house opened in 2020. In total it has places for 29 people, in rooms and apartments of 20 to 35 m² for 1 to 4 people, all non-smoking, with a bathroom and television. Prices and services Its website lists the single room from 26,500 Ft a night and the double from 40,000 Ft. Continental breakfast is served on the ground floor or, in good weather, in the garden. Wi-fi is free. With advance booking they give free parking in the courtyard, with few places; otherwise, on Lövész utca and Petőfi utca, behind the building, parking is free. Arrival Reception handles check-ins from 14:00 to 19:30; let them know if you will arrive later. Check-out is from 7:30 to 10:30. They ask for ID or a passport from all guests. ### Servicios - **HÉV H5, from Batthyány tér to Szentendre**: The suburban train from Budapest to Szentendre in about 40 minutes · Leaves from Batthyány tér, in Buda · BKK ticket plus a supplement outside the city ## By car: Szentendre by Car, First Stop on the Danube Bend By car, Szentendre is the first stop on road 11, which follows the Danube to Visegrád and Esztergom: you can see the village in the morning and continue upriver. Park outside the centre, which is paid and has narrow streets. The budget is per person per day, with accommodation, food and petrol. Presupuesto orientativo: 80–140 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're driving - **Bükkös Hotel & Spa** (Spa hotel): The place The Bükkös is a four-star boutique hotel beside the Bükkös stream, which crosses Szentendre before reaching the Danube, a few minutes' walk from the centre. It defines itself as an adults' hotel and is designed for couples' breaks: boutique-style rooms, a restaurant, a bar and a spa with a sauna and relaxation area. From the terrace you see the village rooftops. Who it is for For those who want to spend the night in Szentendre rather than return to Budapest, with a massage and the spa at the end of the day. It is not for families with children. It publishes half-board packages and direct-booking offers on its website. Getting there On foot from the HÉV station in about ten minutes; by car, on road 11 from Budapest, in half an hour. - **Mathias Rex Panzió** (Small hotel, desde 26500 € / night): The place Mathias Rex is a guesthouse with a restaurant on Kossuth Lajos utca, the street that links the HÉV and bus station with the main square, five minutes' walk from both. Next to the guesthouse, the Beatrix apartment house opened in 2020. In total it has places for 29 people, in rooms and apartments of 20 to 35 m² for 1 to 4 people, all non-smoking, with a bathroom and television. Prices and services Its website lists the single room from 26,500 Ft a night and the double from 40,000 Ft. Continental breakfast is served on the ground floor or, in good weather, in the garden. Wi-fi is free. With advance booking they give free parking in the courtyard, with few places; otherwise, on Lövész utca and Petőfi utca, behind the building, parking is free. Arrival Reception handles check-ins from 14:00 to 19:30; let them know if you will arrive later. Check-out is from 7:30 to 10:30. They ask for ID or a passport from all guests. ### Servicios - **Getting to Szentendre by Car and Parking**: 20 km on road 11 from Budapest · The centre is a paid zone; there are free streets behind Kossuth Lajos utca ## As a family: Szentendre with the Family Szentendre is a comfortable excursion with children: a short train ride, a small village with no traffic in the centre and, in season, the open-air museum, where they go into real houses. ### What works best The Skanzen, from spring to early November, with houses, animals and crafts The boat from Budapest, with a reduced rate from 2 to 14 years The Danube promenade, flat and with benches The Advent market, with programmes for children ### Sleeping Mathias Rex Panzió, with apartments for up to four people ### Eating Adria Café, open every day Teyföl, on Sunday at midday ### Bear in mind The centre has slopes and cobbles: better a baby carrier than a pushchair The Skanzen is closed in winter The Bükkös is an adults-only hotel ### Qué hacer as a family - Szentendre Old Town and Fő tér - Skanzen, the Open-Air Ethnographic Museum - Church Hill (Templom-domb) - Danube Promenade (Duna-korzó) - Boat from Budapest to Szentendre on the Danube - Szentendre Advent Market ## With young children: Szentendre with Small Children For children up to the age of six, the journey is already part of the plan: train or boat, river and small squares. ### What works best The Danube promenade, flat The summer or Advent boat Church Hill, a short climb with views The Skanzen, in season ### Sleeping Mathias Rex Panzió, with a garden ### Eating Adria Café, with a terrace ### Bear in mind Cobbles and steps in the old town In winter it gets dark before 16:30 ### Qué hacer with young children - Szentendre Old Town and Fő tér - Skanzen, the Open-Air Ethnographic Museum - Church Hill (Templom-domb) - Danube Promenade (Duna-korzó) - Boat from Budapest to Szentendre on the Danube - Szentendre Advent Market ## With teenagers: Szentendre with Teenagers For teenagers, Szentendre works in half a day, better combined with something else: the Skanzen in season or continuing to Visegrád Castle. ### What works best The Skanzen, with houses you can enter The boat on the Danube from Budapest The Advent market Wandering the old town freely ### Sleeping Mathias Rex Panzió ### Eating Adria Café, Balkan grilled cooking ### Bear in mind Combine it with Visegrád by bus to fill the day ### Qué hacer with teenagers - Szentendre Old Town and Fő tér - Skanzen, the Open-Air Ethnographic Museum - Boat from Budapest to Szentendre on the Danube - Szentendre Advent Market ## Consejos ### Boat there, HÉV back The boat is the pretty journey; the train is the one that doesn't depend on a timetable. ### Buy the HÉV supplementary ticket The Budapest travel pass does not cover the section outside the city. ### Book Teyföl on Sunday It is one of the few well-kept tables open on Sunday at midday. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### How do you get from Budapest to Szentendre? On the HÉV H5 from Batthyány tér, about 40 minutes. In summer and during Advent, also by boat from Vigadó tér. ### Is it worth going by boat? Yes, if it coincides with the season: an hour and a half on the Danube. Come back on the HÉV so you don't depend on the timetable. ### How much time do I need in Szentendre? Half a day for the centre; a day if you add the Skanzen or Visegrád. ### Is the Skanzen open in winter? No. It closed on 2 November 2026 and reopens in spring 2027. ### Can you eat on Sunday? Yes: Teyföl is open from 12:00 to 17:00 and Adria Café all day.