Jennifer Walker

Budapest is a city that’s packed with stuff to see and do – at all times of the day and night. Ruin bars, rooftop spots and late-night clubs mean you’re going to want to pack a lot in while you’re here, especially if your days will be filled with the city’s best things to do. To get a good night’s sleep, you’ll need a great hotel – and Budapest has them in spades. From budget hostels to lavish five-star spa resorts, here are our favourite hotels in Budapest right now.  What's the best area to stay in Budapest? The Jewish Quarter is crammed full of great bars and the fun goes on late into the night. For a more chilled-out stay (and proximity to the city’s main sights), try a hotel in the city centre. For panoramic views and romantic sojourns, head over to Buda. If these don’t float your boat, we’ve got plenty more recommendations for Budapest’s best areas in our neighbourhood guide.  📍 Discover our ultimate guide to hotels in Budapest Peterjon Cresswell is a writer based in Budapest. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. We may not have stayed at every hotel featured, but we use our local expertise to curate this list to the absolute best. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

Nightlife is why so many beat a path to Hungary’s capital. Budapest is known for its ruin bars (quirkily furnished party places filling entire apartment blocks) while its gorgeous cityscape provides the backdrop for atmospheric rooftop bars blessed with wonderful views. We’ve got both on our list of the city’s best bars, along with cocktail bars, wine bars, pubs and more. If you’re drinking in Budapest, this is the place to start.  What is the main street for bars in Budapest? The nightlife zone centres on the ruin-bar scene in the Jewish Quarter, District VII, around Kazinczy utca (this is here you’ll Budapest's best ruin bar, Szimpla Kert), Dob utca and Wesselényi utca. Packed with young party-seeking foreigners at weekends and all summer long, this may be just what you’re after – or what you'd really rather avoid. Hungarians tend to do their drinking around Madách tér, referred to on maps as Madách út, just off the touristy stretch of Gozsdu udvar. In Buda, the terraces of Bartók Béla út, behind the Gellért Hotel, are lively by day, while a more recent scene is emerging on this side of the river along Margit körút. Are you catching our drift? In Budapest, you’ll find something fun on pretty much every corner.  📍 Discover our ultimate guide to bars and drinking in Budapest 🏨 Ready to book? Here are Budapest’s best hotels and best Airbnbs, selected by our editors Peterjon Cresswell is a writer based in Budapest. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local

Quirky, design-conscious Budapest is brimming with markets and boutiques, bookstores and retro troves. The city has also recently welcomed the opening of the gastro-focused Time Out Market Budapest and turns its main squares over to festive gifts when its Christmas markets open from mid-November. Where should I shop in Budapest? Global chains line Váci utca, fashion brands Deák Ferenc utca, and luxury labels characterise grand Andrássy út. For niche, try Király utca beyond the Nagykórút, source of secondhand vinyl, picture frames and diving gear to name but three. For secondhand books, rare maps and vintage posters, antiquarians line up opposite the National Museum. RECOMMENDED:🚋 How to spend the perfect weekend in Budapest🏛️ The best spas and baths in Budapest🥨 The best restaurants in Budapest🏰 The best things to do in Budapest🏘️ The best Airbnbs in Budapest Jennifer Walker is a Hungarian writer based in Budapest. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

Budapest tele van olyan boltokkal és piacokkal, ahol könnyen találhatsz valami olyat, ami egyszeri és megismételhetetlen: kézzel készült tárgyakat, kincsvadászós vintage darabokat, bakelitet, posztereket vagy épp apró dizájnkedvenceket, amik magukban hozzák haza a város hangulatát.  Nemrég a Time Out Market Budapest is megnyitotta kapuit, és ahogy közeledik az ünnepi szezon, sorra indulnak a karácsonyi vásárok is, hogy még könnyebb legyen ráhangolódni az ajándék- és élményszerzésre. Hol érdemes vásárolni Budapesten? A legismertebb bevásárlóutcát keresed? Irány a Váci utca, ahol a nemzetközi márkák sora vár. Ha ennél kifinomultabb, elegánsabb világra vágysz, lépj át a Deák Ferenc utcára, a „Fashion Streetre”. A nagynevű, ikonikus luxusmárkák pedig a Andrássy úton sorakoznak, ahol a kirakatok is külön műfajt képviselnek. Ha viszont valami személyesebbet, kézműveset vagy hazai tervezőt keresel, érdemes kicsit letérni a „főösvényről.” A Király utca Nagykörúton túli része, a környező kis utcákkal együtt, igazi felfedezős terep: vintage ruhák, bakelitboltok, design-üzletek, kerámiák, apró kincsek – minden, ami egy kicsit extrább, mint amit megszokhattál. Ritka könyvekre, térképekre, esetleg plakátokra vadásznál? Akkor Astoria és Kálvin tér között, a Nemzeti Múzeummal szemben érdemes körbenézned a régi vágású antikváriumokban. Itt tényleg bármire rábukhatsz: első kiadásokra, különleges képeslapokra, metszetekre, vagy egy olyan plakátra, ami végül az otthonod falán lesz statement dar

Nueva normalidad. Probablemente hayas escuchado mucho esa frase durante los últimos 18 meses. Cuando la pandemia golpeó el año pasado, la humanidad entró en una nueva era. Y la vida cotidiana de los habitantes de la ciudad, tan acostumbrados al aspecto social de la vida urbana, cambió con ella. Pero ahora, muchos de nosotros hemos logrado deshacernos de esos grilletes. Las restricciones fronterizas se están aflojando. Se reabren bares, restaurantes e incluso clubes. Y mientras la pandemia aún continúa, todos estamos tratando de llegar tentativamente a algo que se asemeja a una mejor normalidad. Entonces, ¿qué es eso exactamente? Para averiguarlo, debes mirar lo que sucede a tu alrededor, en la calle, en el parque, en tu patio trasero. A lo largo de 2020 y 2021, nuestras ciudades han prosperado. Contra todo pronóstico, las comunidades se unieron, pasaron el rato, hicieron cosas. Mostraron la misma energía, resistencia e ingenio de base que les permitió surgir en primer lugar. Ellos sobrevivieron. Y ahora llegamos a nuestra clasificación anual de los vecindarios más geniales del mundo. Este año, no pudimos evitar cambiar nuestras prioridades. Comida, bebida, vida nocturna, cultura: importante. Espíritu de comunidad, resiliencia, sostenibilidad; igual de importante, especialmente si vamos a salir de esta pandemia con cosas de las que podemos estar orgullosos y contarle al resto del mundo. Al igual que lo hemos hecho durante los últimos tres años, llevamos los resultados de nue

What is it? The second-largest synagogue in the world, the Nagy Zsinagóga on Dohány Street is easily one of Budapest’s most spectacular sites. Is it worth visiting? Blending cathedral-esque proportions with neo-orientalist features, the 1,200-square-metre hall is a kaleidoscope of coral reds and gold leaf split into sections with 1,472 seats for women in the galleries and 1,497 for men downstairs. The large rose window with the Star of David motif is the interior’s centrepiece, while outside a mass grave commemorates the 2,000 Jews killed here during the Holocaust. Next to it, the smaller, simpler Winter Temple looms in grey, and behind it you’ll find the Raoul Wallenberg Park with its metal Memorial Tree bearing the name or number of a Holocaust victim on each leaf. You can only visit the synagogue on a guided tour, and it’s closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays. Ticketing info Ticket prices have skyrocketed in recent years, but the synagogue is definitely worth it. Adult tickets cost 13,000 HUF (around €31), and student tickets are 10,500 HUF (€25.50). The opening times vary throughout the year, but the synagogue opens between 10am and 8pm between May and September. This review was fact-checked and updated in 2025. 📍 Discover the best things to do in Budapest

What is it? A poignant museum commemorating the victims of the fascist and communist regimes, open since 2002. The museum is housed at Number 60 Andrássy Avenue, which has lived many lives; notably when it was used to inspire fear as the headquarters of the secret police.  Is it worth visiting? The museum spans four floors and contains a curious collection that blends installations with interactive screens that allow you to listen to first-hand accounts from survivors. The exhibition on the second floor takes you on an immersive, chronological journey from the Nazi era through communist rule. The most fascinating part of this museum is the basement, where the fascist Arrow Cross Party once interned political prisoners, but all of it is pretty fascinating.  Plus, it’s almost impossible to miss. Look up as you stroll down Andrássy Avenue and you’re immediately struck by its metallic panels with the word ‘terror’ cut out in huge letters. On ground level, meanwhile, portrait photographs in frames stare back at passersby from the drab stone walls.  Is the House of Terror free? Sadly not, apart from on the first Sunday of every month, if you’re a citizen of the EEA (European Economic Area). Book a standard ticket or a guided tour to really get stuck into the history.  This review was fact-checked and updated in 2024.  📍 Discover more of the best things to do in Budapest

What is it? Not only a brilliant, 150-year-old zoo for kids and adults, but a seriously nice botanical garden too, set on the fringes of City Park.  Is it worth visiting? Its striking art nouveau entrance with elephants flanking the gate and polar bears climbing over the arch is a visit-worthy attraction in itself. Once you’re inside, get ready to immerse yourself in a wonderland that’s home to 500 animal and 4,000 plant species. But the real highlight – both inside and out – is the beautiful, temple-like elephant house. How long will I spend there? You could spend a good two or three hours exploring enclosures like the 19th-century greenhouses designed by Gustave Eiffel, currently filled with tropical plants and birds, the butterfly house that flutters with a colourful cast of characters, or the ’Australia area’ where boinging wallabies cause havoc.   This review was fact-checked and updated in 2024.  📍 Discover more of the best things to do in Budapest

What is it and why is it famous? Crowning the city atop Castle Hill, Buda Castle is one of the city’s most recognisable monuments. It dominates the cityscape with its neoclassical Habsburg-era grandeur and reconstructed copper-green dome (the original was damaged during the Second World War). After being razed and rebuilt over the centuries, you can see history written in Buda Castle’s walls and rooms with traces of its Renaissance, Ottoman, Habsburg and Communist past. Is it worth going inside? It’s worth setting aside a few hours to really soak up the vibes at the castle, both in and out. Even just for the views alone – fittingly for such a grandiose landmark, the castle terrace boasts sweeping views over the Chain Bridge, Hungarian Parliament and the rooftops of Pest.  Is it free to visit? It’s completely free to walk the grounds and soak up the views. The complex is split up into a handful of excellent museums, which both have an entry fee; the Hungarian National Gallery occupies the main wings facing the river and displays an extensive collection of Hungarian art from Medieval triptychs to avant-garde 20th-century works. The southern wing is home to the Budapest History Museum which charts the city’s tempestuous past from prehistory to communism, while the western wing encloses the National Széchényi Library. Time Out Tip Have a look at Buda Castle’s festival schedule before you go – throughout summer, you’ll find everything from a Wine Festival to a Sausage Festival her

Set in the southern part of the city, in a formerly industrial area just next to the Millennium Cultural Quarter, Budapest Park is one of the capital’s most happening open-air venues. Take the tram 2 to the end of the line in the southern direction, and you’ll find it just across the road. The venue stretches out over 11,000 square metres and can hold up to 10,000, with headliners a mix of big-name Hungarian and international artists. Get there before the show, and you may have time to check out a seasonal exhibition or play. If you want to avoid the crowds (and have plenty of cash to spare), you can book the raised Sky Box which fits up to 30. It has AC, a bathroom, comfy couches, and even comes with its own bar.

Just off the Grand Boulevard in the Újlipót neighbourhood, Budapest Jazz Club brings the best in local and international jazz to the Hungarian capital. You enter this converted cinema space through a cosy bar and bistro area with art deco accents and a warm red hue (plus a very decent menu). Inside, the auditorium draws big jazz, blues and world music names, with gigs from Tuesday to Sunday covering everything from bossa nova to big band. Come on Wednesdays, Fridays or Saturdays after the main event for free jam sessions featuring up-and-coming musicians from around Budapest.

Keleti Train Station is one of Budapest’s busiest transport hubs, offering regular connections to destinations in Austria, Serbia, Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The grand 1890s building is flooded with light thanks to the enormous arched window at the entrance. Though a little run-down in places, the station boasts an exquisite old-world restaurant with corinthian columns, chandeliers and marble tables, plus a main hall lined with refined embellishments. It may not be a conventional tourist attraction, but next time you’re passing through, do take the time to admire this most magnificent of layovers.