Perfect pairings of Budapest

Budapest’s most picturesque thermal baths sit in City Park, an oasis of healthy relaxation comprising three outdoor pools and many more indoors, alongside saunas of varying temperatures.

Fun in summer when the spa doubles up as a family-friendly lido, magic in winter when snowflakes flitter over bathers bobbing in the warm water, the Széchenyi offers a range of massages, both classic and thalasso. Don’t be surprised to see a small group gathering in one corner of the main pool – games of alfresco chess attract onlookers and fellow players, a Széchenyi tradition dating back many generations.

Perfect pairing: Gundel
What better dining destination after Budapest’s most iconic historic spa than its most iconic historic restaurant? The venerable Gundel echoes the city’s Golden Age, when it spearheaded the development of Hungarian cuisine. Look out for classic Hungarian dishes, on offer as part of the daily menu until 6pm.

It took a five-year overhaul to return Budapest’s ornate Opera House to its former glory, a suitably prestigious gala celebrating its reopening in 2022. It was one of the star architects of the city’s Golden Age, Miklós Ybl, who created the original landmark, unveiled in the presence of Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph in 1884 – but its reputation was built by giants of classical music such as former director Gustav Mahler and Hungarian composer Franz Liszt, whose statue stands outside.

The newly renovated Opera House can best be appreciated by attending a performance or taking a tour of the building, guided by an English-speaking expert.

Perfect pairing: Bigfish Seafood Bistro
Before attending a performance at the Opera House, enjoy a pre-show meal at Bigfish Seafood Bistro further along the showcase boulevard of Andrássy út – pair Rockefeller oysters or grilled lobster with an award-winning Hungarian wine.

One of the city’s prime sights dominates the Pest skyline, its dome reaching up to 96 metres, equal in height with the Parliament building. Named in honour of the first king of Hungary, whose mummified right hand sits in the reliquary, the Basilica took more than half a century to build. Scene of state funerals and atmospheric concerts, Hungary’s third-largest church contains statues of the most venerable figures in Hungarian history, including St Stephen himself. The dome can be accessed for wonderful panoramic views across Budapest, particularly at Christmastime when a festive market sets up in the square below.

Perfect pairing: Essência
Michelin-starred restaurants dot the business quarter close to St Stephen’s Basilica – one is Essência, a marriage of Hungarian and Portuguese cuisine resulting from an actual marriage, between chef Tiago Sabarigo and hospitality professional Éva Jenei. The Chanfana lamb or Açorda cod from the à la carte lunchtime menu provides a welcome reward after a hard morning’s sightseeing.

Much more than just the nation’s prime collection of Hungarian art across a millennium from the eleventh century onwards, the National Gallery features paintings by Monet, Gauguin and Cézanne as well as other key genres of European art. Of the Hungarians, look out for the major names of the mid-1800s, such as Mihály Munkácsy and Pál Szinyei Merse.

Guided tours are offered in English, or follow one of the recommended walks if you’re short on time. Admission includes entry to the dome, reached by a series of stairs and provides outstanding vistas of the city spread out below.

Perfect pairing: Baltazár
Across the Castle District from the former royal palace where the National Gallery is housed, Baltazár focuses on Hungarian classics – goulash, chicken paprikash, Transylvanian sausage – as well as grilled favourites such as barbecue pork ribs and rib eye steak. Quality Hungarian wines from Eger, Etyek, Balaton and Villány complete the picture.

Europe’s largest synagogue dominates a major junction near Astoria, its Moorish-style towers guarding the gateway to the Jewish Quarter behind. Some 3,000 worshippers can gather in the main building, surrounded by a Jewish Museum, cemetery, Heroes’ Temple, Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park and the Emmanuel Memorial Tree.

Admission includes a free guided tour lasting 45 minutes, offered in eight languages, running every 30-60 minutes during opening hours. More specialised guided walks can also be arranged through the Synagogue website, one covering the main sights of the Jewish Quarter as a whole. 

Perfect pairing: Mazel Tov
A short walk through the Jewish Quarter from the Dohány Street Synagogue, Mazel Tov specialises in the contemporary cuisine of the eastern Mediterranean, in laid-back surroundings reminiscent of the ruin bar genre which first took root nearby. Brunch of shakshuka or merguez and eggs is a popular speciality.

One of Budapest’s most original attractions, the House of Music Hungary forms part of the transformation of City Park into a cultural quarter. A radical and award-winning work by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, the building features a signature roof of multi-sized holes, through which trees poke up into the sky.

Within, a permanent hands-on exhibition dedicated to the history of sound in all its forms, as well as live concerts at the sound dome, talks and film screenings that fill out a varied agenda. There’s also a brilliant line-up of exciting music education workshops, lecture courses, and many opportunities to sing, dance and play music together. Kids will love the playground alongside, jumping on things that beep and squawk. 

Perfect pairing: Szaletly
A pleasant stroll through City Park takes you to Szaletly, where chef Dániel Bernát creates modern takes on revered Hungarian cuisine. Don’t miss the breaded mangalica, featuring a revived and revered local pork.

Integral to Budapest’s superb urban transport network, tram 2 hugs the Pest embankment, passing iconic sights, key bridges and the historic cityscape of Buda’s Castle District. For the modest price of a transport ticket or pass, you can gaze at the Parliament building, the Gresham Palace and the Vigadó concert hall as you tick off the main bridges one by one.

Just before the southern terminus, you’ll see the Palace of Arts (Müpa), the National Theatre and Ludwig Museum, comprising the millennial arts centre of south Pest. 

Perfect pairing: Babel Budapest
Tucked in from the Március 15. tér stop on the tram 2 line, Michelin-starred Babel Budapest showcases the wide-ranging culinary delights of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, with particular emphasis on Transylvania.

Start planning your Budapest holiday now.