The 8 Best Day Trips from Budapest (That Are Actually Fun!)

Best Day Trips from Budapest

Szentendre

Szentendre is the best place to go for a day trip from Budapest. You can visit it as part of a group tour or take public transport from Budapest. The public transport is reliable, and the HÉV train is a great option to get to Szentendre.

It is such a cute little town, it may seem touristy but lots of locals also love to visit Szentendre for a day trip. This means that in peak seasons (summer, Christmas) it may be busy with both domestic and international tourists.

Szentendre is worth a trip as you get to see a small town outside of Budapest with its cobblestone streets and cute little houses. It is by the River Danube, and I love to go for a short walk along the river.

There are lots of art galleries and museums (Marzipan Museum), but the best thing to do is to relax in outdoor cafes and restaurants, have Hungarian food and drinks, and just relax!

As Szentendre is very close to Budapest (only 40 minutes by HÉV train from Batthyány Square), you can even visit it if you are short on time, like 3 days in Budapest.

Danube Bend: Visegrád & Esztergom

The Danube Bend is just north of Budapest and the major places along the river can be visited in a day. Szentendre is also located here but you can easily spend a whole day there, while for other major places on the Danube Bend, I would visit them in one day.

Visegrád and Esztergom are two places on the Danube Bend that are great for a day trip. I would visit Szentendre as the first option, but if you have more time, then you can spend one more day exploring other places around the Danube Bend.

Visegrád is a significant place in Hungarian history as it used to be royal seat in Hungary. The major attractions in the town are the Visegrád Castle where you can also learn a lot about Hungarian history.  It is right by the River Danube, and there are also some hiking routes from where you get nice views of the river.

Esztergom is also a great place to visit on the Danube Bend. It is famous for its Basilica, which is the largest church in Hungary. From Esztergom, you can even walk across the bridge to Slovakia for a brief walk and coffee. The Basilica is right by the river and you get beautiful views of the Basilica from the other side of the river in Slovakia.

Lake Balaton

Lake Balaton is the largest lake in Central Europe and it is a popular place to visit in the summer. It is ideal to spend a couple of days here, but if you are short on time, you can visit it in a day from Budapest.

The lake is pretty big, and it is surrounded by holiday towns all around. If you only have one day to visit Balaton, then it is best to visit place which is closest to Budapest, such as, Balatonfűzfő, Balatonalmádi or Siófok. Siófok is like a party town and is one of the busiest places along the lake.

In the summer, the temperature of the lake is great to go for a swim, plus, there are also lots of water sports that you can do, like sailing, kayaking and paddle boarding.

The best places around the lake are a bit further, so if you have more time, I recommend visiting Badacsony, Tihany or Keszthely. The northern side of the lake is known for its wine, and you can go on wine-tasting tours. Badacsony is one of my favourite places, when I was a kid, we used to visit it almost every summer.

Eger

Eger is a laid-back town located about 130 km (81 miles) east of Budapest. Eger is one of the best day trips from Budapest and it can be reached by train (Keleti Railway Station) in about two hours.

It’s a cool place to visit because there’s a bit of everything — history, thermal baths and great wine. The must-see sites are the Castle of Eger, Basilica of Eger, Minaret, and the Old Town. There’s even a Beatles Museum packed with photos, instruments, and old recordings.

Eger isn’t very big, so the town center and major attractions can be walked. In case you plan to go further out, there are public buses and taxis.

A bit outside Eger, there is the Valley of the Beautiful Women (in Hungarian Szépasszony-völgy). It’s a place full of wine cellars and you can go wine tasting. I recommend trying the Egri Bikavér (red wine) and Egri Olaszrizling (white wine) which are two of the best wines in the region.

Gödöllő

Gödöllő is a charming town located just outside Budapest, making it an easy option for a day trip. Its main highlight is the Gödöllő Royal Palace, once a favorite residence of Empress Sisi.

In addition to the palace, there are many museums and parks that are perfect for a relaxing stroll. Less people visit Gödöllő so it is a great choice if you’re looking for a quieter, more local experience in Hungary.

Getting to Gödöllő is also pretty easy from Budapest: you can take the HÉV train from Örs vezér tere station, and it takes around 45 minutes to get there.

Lake Tisza

Lake Tisza is a quieter alternative to Lake Balaton, and in recent years it has been gaining more attention from travelers. The area has seen major improvements, and they also built a cycling path around the lake so lots of visitors come for a cycling trip.

Even if cycling isn’t your thing, it’s still a lovely spot to relax by the lake. Lake Tisza is mostly visited by domestic tourists, and you won’t find big crowds here like at Balaton.

Some of the most visited towns around the lake include Abádszalók, Poroszló, Tiszafüred, and Kisköre—each offering a relaxed, small-town atmosphere.

If you’re choosing between Lake Balaton and Lake Tisza, go for Balaton if you’re after vineyards, well-known beaches, and hiking trails. Lake Tisza, on the other hand, is perfect if you’ve already explored Balaton or if you’re simply looking for a peaceful escape.

Miskolctapolca Cave Baths

💡 Important: The cave bath is temporarily closed for restoration. Other pools are open but not the one inside the cave. Check their website for updates.

If you are looking for a unique experience in Hungary, then visiting the Miskolctapolca Cave Bath is a must!

Budapest is famous for its thermal baths, and you can find many in Budapest (such as the Széchenyi Thermal Bath). The cave bath in Miskolctapolca is unique as the bath is inside a cave.

It is a little bit further from Budapest, so you’d need to start your trip early, or if you have more time, then expand it to a two day trip.

The great thing about visiting the Miskolctapolca Cave Baths is that it is less touristy compared to the thermal baths in Budapest – most of the visitors are locals and you’ll find less international tourists.

Vienna

Budapest is small country, and you can even travel to neighbouring countries for a day trip. The best day trip outside of Hungary is to visit Vienna from Budapest.

Budapest and Vienna are well-connected by trains and buses. I recommend taking Flixbus to Vienna. The bus service is pretty good and also affordable. It takes 3 hours to get to Vienna, so it is good to take an early bus, and then come back in the evening. Alternatively, if you have more time, you can stay in Vienna for a few days.

Visiting Vienna from Budapest is very popular in Hungary. I have visited Vienna many times from Budapest, and while it is nice to stay 2-3 days, I also enjoyed just going for a day trip.

If you are visiting Budapest around Christmas, Vienna is one of the best day trips from Budapest in winter. My favourite time to visit Vienna is during Christmas as you can also visit the Christmas markets, and eat and drink till you get full!

Getting Around Hungary

Trains

The best ways to get around Hungary is either by car or trains. The trains take longer but are still a viable option for day trips.

The main train stations in Budapest are Keleti Train Station, Nyugati Train Station, and Déli Train Station. For buying train tickets, you can buy it online or go directly to the train station. If you want to buy it at the train station, make sure you go to the station that operates the trains to your destination.

For online ticket booking, check out the MÁV website, they sell train tickets all over Hungary.

In general Hungary is safe, and it is also safe to take trains. Just make sure to watch out for your belongings as pickpocketing can happen.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the best day trips from Budapest are Szentendre, Esztergom and Visegrád if you are looking for a trip closest to Budapest.

For trips a bit further from Budapest, check out Lake Balaton, Eger, or Lake Tisza. Lake Balaton and Tisza are best if you can spend 2-3 days at least, but can also be done in a day.

From Budapest, you can even visit cities in neighbouring countries, such as Vienna in Austria or Bratislava in Slovakia.