3 Days in Budapest: Itinerary & Things to Do

3 Days in Budapest Itinerary

Budapest is split into 2 parts by the River Danube (Buda & Pest), and this itinerary includes one day exploring the Pest side, another day exploring Buda, and Day 3 is spent visiting a charming small town, Szentendre, just 30 minutes outside Budapest.

This itinerary is based on my recommendation and top places to visit in Budapest. It can serve as a guide to help you plan your trip and feel free to adjust it based on your preferences.

DAY 1: EXPLORE PEST

What to See in Pest:

• Parliament
• St. Stephen’s Basilica
• Great Synagogue
• Széchenyi Thermal Bath
• Ruin bars (Instant or Szimpla Kert)
• Shoes on the Danube
• Heroes’ Square
• City Park

MORNING

The first day of this 3-day itinerary is about exploring Pest. I recommend starting the day early and have an early breakfast at New York Cafe, the most beautiful cafe in the world.

After breakfast, start off by exploring major attractions in the city center: St. Stephen’s Basilica, Parliament, Shoes on the Danube, Heroes’ Square, and the Great Synagogue.

Budapest is walkable, and many tourist attractions are in walking distance of each other. I recommend starting the sightseeing with the landmarks closest to your hotel (if you stay on the Pest side). You’ll be doing a lot of walking, so make sure to pack comfortable walking shoes!

One option is that you start from visiting the St. Stephen’s Basilica (very central), then walk to the Parliament. The Parliament is very beautiful from outside, and most people just take photos of the building. They also have Parliament tours, but you have to book it well in advance. 3 days is a short time in Budapest, but if you want to go for the tour, you can skip some other activities listed in this guide.

After visiting the Parliament, walk down to the Danube riverbank and go for a walk along the river. From the Parliament building, walk south along the river, and you will pass by the Shoes on the Danube (memorial set up for Hungarian Jews murdered during WWII).

After visiting the Shoes on the Danube memorial, you may be hungry, so it is a good time to take a break and go for some food.

Lunch at (my recommendation): Hungarikum Bisztró, Menza Restaurant

AFTERNOON

After lunch, take the M1 metro to Heroes’ Square. The Heroes’ Square is an iconic monument in Budapest, and it was built to commemorate the 1000^th anniversary of the Hungarian tribes settling down in the Carpathian Basin.

Right next to the Heroes’ Square is the City Park, which is a nice place to hang out in the summer or to go ice-skating in the winter. Just walk through the City Park and you will end up at the Széchenyi Thermal Baths.

The Széchenyi Thermal Baths is the biggest and most popular thermal bath in Budapest. It has the most pools and can get pretty busy. Visiting the thermal baths is very relaxing and is the perfect day to chill after spending the morning exploring Pest.

2 hours is a good amount of time to explore all the pools. When I go to the thermal baths, I usually spend half a day here, but if you are only in Budapest for 3 days, then you have to cut it shorter to make sure you have time for other activities too!

Pro tip: Make sure to bring your own swimsuit, flip-flops and towels to the thermal baths! There is no option to rent these. You can buy towels, but they are double the cost.

After the thermal baths, head to District 7 and check out the Jewish Quarter. You can use Bolt or Uber to take a taxi to the Jewish Quarter. As the day goes on, you’ll be tired, so taking the taxi is a good option. Uber and Bolt are easy to book, and the prices are fixed.

Dinner at:

• Paprika Vendéglő: traditional Hungarian food (close to Heroes’ Square)
• Gettó Gulyás: traditional Hungarian food (Jewish Quarter)
• Karaván: street food (Jewish Quarter)

EVENING

It is perfect to end the day at the Jewish Quarter as it is full of life: bars, restaurants and vintage shops.

The Great Synagogue is one of the major attractions in the Jewish Quarter but if you want to go for a tour inside, check the opening times as they usually close by 6 pm.

Budapest is famous for its ruin bars (funky bars) and they are also located in the Jewish Quarter. The ruin bars were established in run-down buildings but have become popular among both locals and visitors. They are colourful bars, decorated with funny furniture, like bathtubs for chairs. The best ruin bars to visit at Szimpla and Instant.

Just make sure not to drink too much, otherwise, you’ll not be able to explore Budapest the next day!

For safety at night, Budapest is safe but make sure to remain cautious. I often went home alone and have always felt safe – just make sure to stick to well-lit areas.

DAY 2: EXPLORE BUDA

What to See in Buda:

• Fisherman’s Bastion
• Matthias Church
• Buda Castle
• Citadella (Liberty Statue)

MORNING

Breakfast: at your hotel (if included), New York Café, or at Párisi Passage Restaurant

Start the day off by having breakfast. Day 2 also includes a lot of sightseeing, so you’ll need energy to keep exploring the city.

Many hotels include breakfast, but there are two places that are a must for breakfast in Budapest: New York Café and Párisi Passage Restaurant. Both have beautiful interiors, and New York Café has become massively popular. Due to its popularity, it is now slightly overpriced. The Párisi Passage is a good alternative to the New York Café, it has beautiful interior but less busy.

Day 2 is about exploring the Buda side of the city, so after an early breakfast, take M2 metro line to Batthyány Square in Buda. I recommend coming here as it is right by the River Danube and you get one of the best views here of the Hungarian Parliament.

After you check out the Parliament from the Batthyány Square, you can walk up to the Buda Castle District in about 15 minutes. The Buda Castle District is the old town in Budapest with cobblestone streets and famous monuments, such as the Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, and the Buda Castle.

The view is pretty nice from the Fisherman’s Bastion, and I love to take photos from here. From the bastion, you can see over to the Pest side. Right next to the Fisherman’s Bastion is the Matthias Church. Then if you walk a bit, you get to the Buda Castle.

Lunch at: Aranybástya: Hungarian food + views of the Danube and Parliament

AFTERNOON

After lunch, walk from the Buda Castle to the Citadella (Liberty Statue) on Gellért Hill. It’s a nice walk, and Gellért Hill is a good place to be away from the noise of the city.

Once you get down from Gellért Hill, you are near the Gellért Thermal Baths (second most popular thermal baths in Budapest). If you visited Széchenyi Thermal Baths on Day 1, then I recommend skipping the Gellért Baths and visit other parts of Budapest instead.

After you explore the Castle District and Gellért Hill, you have pretty much covered the most iconic spots on the Buda side of the city. So, I recommend that from Gellért Hill you walk down to Gellért Square. Then from Gellért Square, you can cross the Liberty Bridge back to Pest.

The walk across the Liberty Bridge is pretty nice, and lots of people hang out by the bridge and have drinks in the summer. After crossing the bridge, you get to the GreatMarket Hall in Budapest.

The Great Market Hall is the oldest and biggest Hungarian market in Budapest selling Hungarian delicacies. It is a great place for snacks and even to buy some souvenirs. Hungary is famous for salami, paprika powder, wine and Pálinka (strong liqueur) – you can get all these at the market!

Dinner at:

• Gettó Gulyás: traditional Hungarian food (Jewish Quarter)
• Karaván: street food (Jewish Quarter)
• TATI Farm to Table: vegan options available

EVENING

I recommend going on a River Danube Cruise in the evening on Day 2. The river cruise is one of the best ways to see the city. You can decide to have dinner before or after the cruise – depending on the time of your cruise.

One of the best times to go for a sunset cruise, so you can see the city at sunset. It is also pretty cool by night, as then you get to see the city with the lights on.

Some cruises also offer dinner, so alternatively, you can also book a dinner cruise. They serve Hungarian food, and some cruises also have live music and dance performance.

The cruises last between 1-3 hours – depending on the type of the cruise. The basic cruises are generally for 1 hour and they serve some drinks.

During the Budapest river cruise, you get to see the Parliament, Fisherman’s Bastion, Buda Castle, and pass by famous bridges.

A river cruise is the perfect way to end the day. In case you want to switch up the activities. You can also go on a cruise in the evening in Day 1, and then visit the ruin bars in the evening on Day 2.

As you end Day 2, consider if you visited all the major places you wanted to. If you didn’t have time to explore all the major attractions in Budapest within the first 2 days, then I recommend staying in Budapest and complete visiting the attractions on Day 3.

In this case, you could take it easy on Day 3. Visit the thermal baths on the morning of Day 3, have lunch, go for a walk along the river, and then go on a sunset cruise.

DAY 3: DAY TRIP TO SZENTENDRE

If you could do all the activities you planned in Day 1 & 2, then day 3 gives you the time to explore Szentendre, a small town just outside Budapest.

Szentendre is famous for its cobblestone streets, museums and art galleries. It is around 30-40 minutes from Budapest and you can take the HÉV train from Batthyány Square to get there.

Szentendre is a great place to visit if you want to go for a day trip from Budapest and see a different side of Hungary. Budapest is busy, but Szentendre is quieter. You can go for a walk along the Danube, chill in cute cafés or shop for Hungarian souvenirs.

I recommend visiting Szentendre for a short visit outside of Budapest. 3 days is short, but a day trip to Szentendre is a great way to conclude your trip!

There are many cafes and restaurants in Szentendre, so you can try Hungarian dishes and snacks on your trip. After you explore Szentendre, you can head by to Budapest by late afternoon.

If you want to spend some more time in Budapest in the evening to see some sites, pack your bag, or buy some last-minute souvenirs – you’d still have time.

Other Things to Do in Budapest

There are so many things to do in Budapest, but the above itinerary highlights the major attractions and must-see places! Here are some other places to visit in Budapest if you have more time in the city:

• Margaret Island
• Museums: House of Terror, Music Museum, Museum of Ethnography, Museum of Fine Arts, Hall of Arts
• Thermal baths: Gellért Thermal Baths, Rudas, Lukács, Dandár
• Hungarian folk dance show
• Hungarian State Opera
• Funicular: short and somewhat overpriced but a quick way to get up to the Buda Castle District
• Rooftop bars: Leo Rooftop Bar, High Note Skybar, 360 Bar
• Trips from Budapest: Gödöllő, Esztergom, Visegrád, Lake Balaton, Eger, Cave Bath in Miskolctapolca, Lake Tisza, Aggtelek cave

Getting Around Budapest

Getting around Budapest is pretty easy. The city center of Budapest is walkable, and the public transport is safe, affordable and well-connected.

My advice for taking taxis in Budapest is to always book a taxi through an app (Bolt, Uber), rather than hailing a taxi. It’s one of my Budapest travel tips for visitors, as taxi drivers you hail tend to overcharge foreign passengers.

Hungarian Food in Budapest

While visiting Budapest, make sure to try lots of Hungarian food. Hungarian food is known for its meat dishes and the use of paprika powder.

I always believed that one of the best ways to explore a new place is through its food, and Hungarian food don’t disappoint!

Must-try Hungarian Dishes:

• Goulash soup
• Pörkölt (beef stew)
• Chicken Paprikash
• Stuffed Cabbage
• Hortobágyi Pancake (savoury crepe filled with meat)
• Lángos (deep fried dough with sour cream and cheese on top)
• Chimney Cake (sweet dessert)

Hotels in Budapest

The best districts in Budapest are District 5, 6 and 7. I recommend staying in District 5 for first-time visitors as it is the city center/downtown of Budapest.