Straddling the River Danube, Hungary’s capital city has culture, history, nightlife, thermal spas – you name it, Budapest has it. This mix of interests means that it has something for everyone, from stag parties to culture vultures. Read on to learn about Budapest in brief: a short history, suggestions for what to see, and some tips for getting around.
A history of Budapest in brief
Budapest has had a turbulent history, and this is visually evident visually in its museums and landmarks. Before you visit Budapest, I recommend reading a bit about its history so that you have the necessary information to give context to the city. Here’s as brief a history of Budapest as I could write.
Budapest was united as a single city when the cities of Buda, Óbuda and Pest were combined in 1873.
Hungary had been founded in 896 (more on this significant number later). Buda became its capital in 1361. Buda was conquered and ruled by the Ottomans who were responsible for establishing the thermal baths for which Budapest is known today.
After a brief period as part of the Holy Roman Empire, Hungary and Austria formed Austria-Hungary. This collapsed after the First World War and Hungary became independent.
During the Second World War, Hungary was ruled by a fascist government controlled by the Nazis. After the war, Hungary was occupied by the Soviet Union and became a communist republic, controlled by a terrifying secret police force. The Hungarian Revolution against the communist regime began in Budapest on 23 October 1956 and was brutally crushed by Soviet forces. For any bookworms visiting Budapest, I recommend reading Goodbye to Budapest by Margarita Morris. This is a fantastic fictional account of these turbulent events.
Hungary saw further upheaval at the end of the Cold War with the Soviet Union’s collapse. It joined the European Union in 2004 and it has become an increasingly popular tourist destination since then.
What to see in Budapest
As you might expect from a city with such a turbulent history, Budapest is crammed with interesting attractions, from historical sites to nature spots.
Viewpoints
When I visit a city, I always like to find a viewpoint to see the city from above. In Budapest, you can try Fisherman’s Bastion or Buda Castle. Fisherman’s Bastion does get very busy – it’s rather an Instagram hotspot due to its stunning view of the Hungarian Parliament. I recommend going early in the morning if you can.
Religious buildings
Whilst you’re at Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, with its colourful tiled roof, is well worth a visit. Inside, its soaring arches and detailed stone carvings make it a gothic masterpiece.
If you’re interested in seeing other churches in Budapest, visit St Stephen’s Basilica whose reliquary houses the right hand of the first king of Hungary. On the Jewish side, Dohány Street Synagogue is the largest synagogue in Europe.
Parliament
You can’t visit Budapest without a tour of the Hungarian Parliament Building.
The building’s exterior is impressive in itself, with its intricately-carved pale stone walls and reddish domed roof dominating Budapest’s skyline. But the inside is equally impressive. Its pristine red carpets lead you down panelled corridors, through debating halls and to a chamber containing the Holy Crown of Hungary, which is kept under constant military guard.
Try and catch a glimpse of the Parliament Building at night. It’s illuminated with warm yellow lights which reflect brilliantly in the Danube.
Museums
Budapest’s museums are also a must, providing essential context to its more recent history in particular.
The House of Terror Museum is a sobering account of the city’s fascist and communist regimes during the twentieth century. It includes a memorial to those who suffered and/or lost their lives as a result of those regimes.
In a similar vein, the Holocaust Memorial Centre is one of the most informative, honest Holocaust museums I have visited. It’s not for the faint-hearted, as details are not spared or toned down. But it’s an incredibly important reminder of the devastating consequences of the Holocaust for Hungarian Jews.
On a smaller but no less horrifying scale, the heartbreaking Shoes on the Danube monument commemorates an incident where Hungarian Jews were lined up beside the Danube, told to remove their shoes, and then shot into the river by the Nazis.
On a much lighter note, classical music fans will want to visit the Franz Liszt Memorial Museum. This contains Liszt’s piano, furniture and personal possessions. The museum hosts classical music recitals every Saturday – it’s spoilt for choice of performers as the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, of which the museum forms part,is just down the road. Then try and squeeze in a performance at the Hungarian State Opera House.
Did I mention Budapest has a museum for almost everything? In addition to the museums mentioned above, you can visit Roman ruins at the Aquincum Museum, the Szamos Chocolate Museum and even the Cat Museum.
Outdoors
Budapest doesn’t stop at indoor museums. Heroes’ Square commemorates the thousandth anniversary of the Hungarian conquest. The square is adorned by arches, statues and colonnades.
Heroes’ Square in in the middle of City Park, a refreshing green space with a castle beside a serene lake. A memorial to the Hungarian Revolution stands at the edge of the park.
Within City Park are the Széchenyi Thermal Baths, an enormous complex of natural hot springs. These baths date back to the Roman period and visitors to Budapest are just as enthusiastic for them today.
Walking around Budapest you will find countless brass statues depicting all sorts of people, from famous Hungarians to everyday citizens enjoying the city.
Unique features of Budapest
Budapest is uniquely famous for its ruin bars: abandoned buildings turned into bars. Although arguably part of the wider gentrification movement, Budapest’s ruin bar trend started in the early twenty-first century and they have become a staple for tourists visiting the city.
Another quirk of Budapest is that no building in the city can be taller than 96 metres. Only the Hungarian Parliament Building and St Stephen’s Basilica are this height. The number 96 is a reference to the year 896, in which the Hungarian conquest took place leading to the foundation of Hungary.
How to get around
If you’re arriving in Budapest by air, you can get into the city centre either by airport bus or by taxi. You can ensure you’re travelling with a licenced (yellow) taxi by buying a ticket from the booth on the left as you exit the airport building.
I’ve written about travelling from Budapest to London by train. Obviously you can do the journey the other way round and arrive in Budapest by train.
As for getting around Budapest itself, it’s largely walkable, although parts of it are paved with Europe’s typical cobbles, making parts of the ground uneven. There are also some steep climbs, particularly on the Buda side of the river which take you up to Buda Castle and Fisherman’s Bastion.
Budapest has a bus service and a metro. It’s on Citymapper which will give you information about live arrival times and delays.
Enjoy Budapest
So that’s Budapest in brief! I hope you love Budapest as much as I do!