Sightseeing & city tours in Budapest

Read and then see more on your Hungary holiday breaks

In this section of the website, you will read about the most interesting Budapest tourist landmarks, streets and museums which all have there own special history and magical culture. Exclusively throughout the year, Vamos Travel can provide private guided Budapest city tours, to gain a deeper insight into the capital and to guarantee a fabulous sightseeing adventure. “Let’s Go!”

Budapest was originally two cities built on either side of the Danube, ‘Buda & Pest’ and were officially merged in 1873. Today, it is regarded as one metropolis, but the two districts are very distinct from one another, with many contrasting features and unique attractions. Among the hills of the west bank, is the old & charming Buda district and is characterized by its old city features, colourful town house and the famous Castle Hill. To the East is the Pest district, Budapest’s commercial core, characterized by bustling shopping streets, leafy boulevards and the well known ‘Heroes square’. Having a short break in Budapest almost feelings like visiting two cities in one weekend. Two for the price of one!

The most important part of Buda is the area called Castle Hill. It is here, where guests will discover the most historical monuments & most interesting museums. The most exciting way to get to the top of castle hill, is by taking a ride on the funicular railway. Located at the top of Castle Hill, is the picturesque Royal Palace, which was first inhabited by King Béla in the 13th century who, after the Mongol invasion, turned it into a fortified stronghold. The castle has a mixture of architectural styles, ranging from Gothic to Baroque. Today it is the country's most important cultural centre housing numerous museums and can’t be missed during a stay in Hungary. Within the palace, one can expect to find: the Hungarian National Gallery, the National Library and the Ludwig Museum. As well as the major museums housed in the Royal Palace, there are numerous of other interesting collections. For example, there’s the Medieval Jewish Prayer House, which displays documents and objects recalling the life and culture of the Jewish community of Buda and there’s the Golden Eagle Pharmacy Museum, which has items showing the development from a Medieval alchemist's workshop-laboratory to a Baroque pharmacy. Undoubtedly, the Royal palace is one of the most impressive monuments in Hungary and is a major landmark to visit on any luxury or budget Budapest city break holidays.

The next major tourism focal point is the Castle district. This medieval old town area is totally pedestrianized and the cobbled stone streets, colourful houses, gas lamps & monuments make for a very romantic setting. It’s within the castle district that the narrow houses have many decorated Sedilias on the outside walls, which allowed visitors to rest and shelter from rain or sun. These Sedilias are totally unique to Buda and are a lovely Hungarian holiday attraction for the area. We advise our clients to take their time and absorb the historical surroundings and take some memoriable snap shots, to remember Budapest’s most ancient grounds.

At the centre of the castle district is Trinity square and it is here where you’ll discover the Holy Trinity Column that serves as a lasting memorial to those who died in the devastating plague of 1691. At the foot of the column, is King David praying for an end to the plague. Close to Trinity square is the Matthias Church, formerly known as the Buda Castle Church of Our Lady and is the spiritual heart of Hungary. The Matthias Church is open daily and is the most wonderful church to be enjoyed as part of your holidays in Budapest. Sightseeing in Hungary’s capital wouldn’t be complete without a viewing of this 700 year old church. Inside, you will find the Ecclesiastical Art museum which begins in the medieval crypt and leads up to the St. Stephen Chapel. The gallery contains a number of sacred relics and medieval stone carvings, along with replicas of the Hungarian royal crown and coronation jewels.

The Fisherman’s Bastion was built in 1905 on the site of a former fish market. The guild of fishermen were responsible for defending this part of the defensive wall in the Middle Ages. The Fisherman’s Bastion offers amazing panoramic views over the capital, where a lot of major land marks can be seen, from Margaret Island and Parliament to St Stephen's Basilica and the Chain Bridge. The Bastion itself is a UNESCO listed monument and spectacular landmark to view & visit during a tour of the city. The main features of the neo-Romanesque Fishermen's Bastion, is the white stone walls, its seven turrents and the bronze statue of St. Stephen, Hungary's first king. Fisherman Bastion is one of the main images people associate with Budapest. It’s an attractive site to visit and must be made part of your imperial cities tours.

On the corner of Orszaghaz & Kapisztran street is the Mary Magdalene Tower, part of a 13th-century Franciscan church used by Hungarian speakers. Under Turkish rule, this was the only church allowed to remain Christian. However, the church was destroyed during WWII, but the Tower survived almost intact. The Tower was restored in the 1990s and is a popular tourist site attraction, where people can climb the tower and reward themselves with some magnificent views.

There is a network of medieval underground tunnels & caves below the Castle district. Almost every house in the old town has cellars which run deep into the hill side. In the middle ages this underground labyrinth, was used to defend Castle Hill from invaders, today the cities visitors can take an official tour and explore around 1.5 Km of this network. Contact the Hungary travel specialists today and we’ll provide information on tours & day trips.

The Vienna Gate is one of the main entrances to the Castle District and from the top of the Vienna Gate, you can look out onto the fashionable Rose Hill neighborhood in the Buda Hills. Although the gate standing today is a replica of the 16th century original, it is still remarkably beautiful. The historic importance of the gate is reflected even in everyday Hungarian life, as a popular saying amongst parents of naughty children is ‘your mouth is as big as the Vienna Gate’. From the Vienna Gate, most people head up Fortuna Street to see one of the most photographed houses in the Buda district, Fortuna U.10. Make the effort to see the Vienna Gate and take some memorable Budapest holidays snapshots.

"In Budapest you have two cities for the price of one"

Pest’ on the east side of the Danube River is like arriving in another capital city, totally contrasting to its (un)identical twin sister ‘Buda’. Pest is a vibrant commercial metropolis and is characterized by its wide boulevards, famous squares and leafy parks. Continue your sight seeing adventures in Buda-PEST.

The must-see attraction whilst on a short break holiday of Budapest is the Millennium Monument on Heroes’ Square. This is the capital’s grandest square and found at the end of Andrassy Boulevard. The Millennium Monument is a massive semi-circular structure and is a memorial dedicated to the history of Hungarians in Europe. There are statues of Hungarian Kings & leaders between the pillars and on a 36m high column, stands the bronze statue of Archangel Gabriel. Beneath this majestic column, there are seven bronze horsemen and the National War Memorial. Another important place to visit is Vorosmarty Square and is usual a good place to start your explorations of the Pest district. The city centre starts from Vorosmarty Square and most of the major shopping streets are all connected with it, like the pedestrianized Vaci Street. The square is always busy with activity and interestingly, the two most popular cafes of the capital are located here, Old Gerbeaud and Art Café. The Ferenciek Square in downtown Pest is another beautiful sight to capture on any weekend breaks trip to Budapest and is well worth seeking out, during your imperial tour excursions. Situated around what is known as the ‘office quarter’ of Pest, you can discover Liberty square. Here you’ll find some splendid buildings & Hungarian landmarks, from the former Stock Exchange and the National Bank of Hungary to the fallen hero’s war memorial and surprisingly a Soviet-style sculpture.

The worlds second biggest and Europe's largest synagogue, was constructed in the 19th century for the large Jewish community of Pest. The Great Jewish synagogue is situated in the Old Jewish quarter and can hold an impress 3000 people. The synagogue is quite dazzling, with its exquisite patterned brick work, intricate archways and beautiful domed towers, it makes for a real Hungary holidays treat. Next door to the synagogue, weekend break guests can visit the Jewish Museum, which contains many interesting relics from the Hungarian Jewish Community, including religious objects from festivals, and the Holocaust Memorial room.

The Basilica of St. Stephen is Budapest's largest church holding more than 8000 worshippers and took over 60 years to build. The church is named after King St. Stephen, who was the founder of the Hungarian State and Christian Church in Hungary. Inside the church tourists can find the mummified right hand of St. Stephen, one of the holiest relics of Christian Hungary. Although the Basilica has been criticized for being too dark, due to the apparent lack of windows, it is still a must-see tourist attraction in the Pest side of the capital. Also worth noting, there is a 360 degree look out post in the church, where amazing panoramic views can be enjoyed. Take a look for yourselves and mark Basilica of St. Stephen on your tourist map, as part of your Imperial city break tour.

The title to the largest building in the country belongs to the Hungarian National Parliament. When it was first built in 1902, it was the largest building in the world and today, it is still the most dominant sight in Budapest. The Parliament stretches across 250 metres along the River Danube embankment and was designed in a neo-gothical style and is the most decoratively constructed building in the capital. The building is made up of 691 rooms, over 12 miles of corridors and has a central dome of 96-metres. We suggest to our Hungary breaks clients to take a tour of Parliament, which last just under 30 minutes. Beautiful architecture and interiors can be witnessed and you can actually sit on the members benches when Parliament is not in session.

One of the most beautiful buildings in Budapest and perhaps the most attractive looking market hall in Europe, is the ‘Grand Market Hall’. This is the largest and most extensive indoor market in the country and was first opened in 1897. Originally the Grand Market Hall incorporated an indoor canal by which goods were delivered to the market's traders. It is still a very busy and vibrant market, definitely worth a visit if you wish to get a glimpse of the everyday life of ordinary Hungarians. The sheer size of the market and its beautiful décor and intoxicating smells, makes the Grand market another major Hungary holiday hot spot.

The Inner City Parish Church is another stand out attraction during a short break in Budapest. It’s the oldest building in Pest, but only just, as the church was scheduled for demolition in the late 19th century, to make room for the Erzsebet Bridge. Fortunately, the Inner City Parish Church was saved from demolition by protestors and the new bridge had to work round this unique 14th century Gothic church. Although the church has undergone many reconstructions, it is still a fine display of architectural styles of the ages, giving a true representation of Pest's stormy history.

Among the many treasures of UNESCO World Heritage sites that can be found in this city, the building of the Hungarian State Opera House is worth seeing from the outside and the in. It is internationally appreciated that, this is one of the most spectacular opera houses in the world. Whether you have an appreciation for opera or not, it is well worth visiting this neo-Renaissance building, to marvel at the stunning marble Royal Stairway, beautiful paintings and intricate furnishings. It really will be an extraordinary place to see and even better if you capture a performance here. If you have a particular passion for Opera, please take note that Vamos Travel can tailor make any kind of citybreak stay in Budapest to fit around any specific Opera program. We can organise your tickets, transfers, pre-evening dining reservations and anything else to make your evening one to never forget. The Pest Concert Hall, is also another architectural masterpiece and has see many masters perform their work here, from Brahms & Richard Strauss to Bartók and Franz Liszt. It’s the second largest concert hall in Budapest and has an excellent programme throughout the whole year, involving opera and classical concerts. Speak to the opera & ballet holiday specialists and let us design a suitable trip for you.

One of the largest parks is the City Park, which lies just north of Heroes' Square. Here you’ll find an artificial lake, Vajdahunyad Castle and even a funfair. Close by are the Széchenyi baths, Zoo and the famous Gundel restaurant. The most rewarding aspect of the city park, is located in the middle on a little Island. Here you’ll find the ‘Dracula-style’ Vajdahunyad Castle, which was loosely modeled after a Transylvanian fortress of the same name. Vajdahunyad is a must-see holiday attraction, this has to be on your list ‘of what to see & do’. The castle was originally built out of wood for a World Exhibition in 1896, to illustrate the different styles of Hungarian architecture. The Hungarian public loved it so much; it was later rebuilt in stone. The attention to detail has been painstaking and the structure of the castle has three distinct wings, one Gothic, one Romanesque and one Baroque. Vajdahunyad Castle can only be described as exquisite and must be visited during a Budapest break. Today, it is home to the agricultural museum.

The first stone bridge to be constructed over the Danube to connect Buda & Pest was the Chain Bridge, completed in 1849. The bridge is one of Budapest’s proudest symbols and is a magnificent sight and even more so when it’s illuminated at night. Today there are nine bridges that span the Danube, but the Chain bridge is the pride of the city.

In short, other great citybreak attractions to consider are: the Zoo, which is one of the oldest Zoos in the world, The Hungarian National museum and the Szechenyi Baths and Swimming Pool. Nobody loves Budapest, as much as we do! For a more detailed enquiry for holidays in Hungary, call the short breaks specialists: Vamos Travel on 0870 762 4017.