Must-see attractions in Budapest

  • Top Choice
    Pesti Vigadó

    This Romantic-style concert hall, built in 1865 but badly damaged during WWII, faces the river to the west of Vörösmarty tér. Reopened in 2014 after a…

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    Heroes' Square

    Heroes’ Sq is the largest and most symbolic square in Budapest. It is dominated by the Millenary Monument (Ezeréves emlékmű), a 36m-high pillar topped by…

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    Váci utca

    The capital’s premier pedestrian shopping street is crammed for the most part with chain stores, touristy restaurants, ripoff bars and a smattering of…

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    Pálvölgy Cave

    This 29km-long cave – the second-largest in Hungary – was discovered in 1904 and is noted for both its spectacular stalactites and rock formations. Tours…

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    Fishermen’s Bastion

    The bastion, a neo-Gothic masquerade that looks medieval and offers some of the best views in Budapest, was built as a viewing platform in 1905 by Frigyes…

  • Top Choice
    Palace of Art

    The Palace of Art, reminiscent of a Greek temple, is among the city’s largest exhibition spaces. It focuses on contemporary visual arts, with some three…

  • Top Choice
    Vörösmarty tér

    At the northern end of Váci utca lies Vörösmarty tér, a large square surrounded by smart shops, galleries and cafes. In the centre is a statue of Mihály…

  • Museum of Applied Arts

    Housed in a gorgeous Ödön Lechner–designed building (1896) decorated with Zsolnay ceramic tiles, this museum was closed for renovation at the time of…

  • Liszt Music Academy

    The art nouveau Liszt Music Academy, built in 1907, attracts students from all over the world and is Budapest's top classical-music concert hall. The…

  • Szabadság tér

    This square, one of the largest in the city, is a few minutes’ walk northeast of Széchenyi István tér. As you enter you’ll pass a delightful fountain that…

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    Gödöllő Royal Palace

    Gödöllő Royal Palace, the largest baroque manor house in Hungary, was designed by Antal Mayerhoffer for Count Antal Grassalkovich (1694–1771), confidante…

  • Matthias Church

    Parts of Matthias Church date back 500 years, notably the carvings above the southern entrance, but essentially the church (named after King Matthias…

  • Holocaust Memorial Center

    Housed in a striking modern building, the centre opened in 2004 on the 60th anniversary of the start of the Holocaust in Hungary. The thematic permanent…

  • Andrássy út

    Andrássy út starts a short distance northeast of Deák Ferenc tér and stretches for 2.5km, ending at Heroes’ Sq (Hősök tere) and the sprawling City Park …

  • Castle Garden Bazaar

    This renovated pleasure park dating from 1893 has added a whole new dimension to Tabán district in recent years. The complex comprises over a dozen neo…

  • Széchenyi Chain Bridge

    Arguably the most striking of all the bridges in Budapest, twin-towered Széchenyi Chain Bridge, which is named in honour of its initiator, István…

  • Zwack Museum & Visitors' Centre

    Unicum, the thick medicinal-tasting aperitif made from 40 herbs and spices, is as bitter as a loser’s tears and a favourite drink in Hungary. To delve…

  • Gül Baba’s Tomb

    This renovated tomb contains the mortal remains of one Gül Baba, an Ottoman dervish who took part in the capture of Buda in 1541 and is known in Hungary…

  • Ervin Szabó Central Library

    Southeast of the Hungarian National Museum is the main repository of Budapest’s public library system, which holds some 2.4 million books and bound…