If you have only 24 hours in Budapest and want to see all the major Budapest attractions…. This detailed Budapest itinerary is for you.
We covered a synopsis of our 24 hour Budapest itinerary in our earlier post. For a quick overview read, ‘Things to do in Budapest in one day’.
Our detailed step by step travel guide to see Budapest in a day:
In our 24 hours in Budapest itinerary we will cover : St. Stephen’s Basilica, Andrássy Avenue, Opera building, Heroes Square, parliament building, Shoes on the Danube, Margaret Island, Fisherman’s Bastion, Royal Palace and ruin pubs.
First things first, you have only one day in Budapest and loads to cover. So, buy a 24 hour public transport card from any ticket machine. It would cost you 1650 HUF per 24 hour travel pass.
We covered most of the things to do in Budapest in one day by efficiently using Budapest’s public transport system. Since we were staying on the Pest side of the city, we started our sightseeing tour by visiting the St. Stephen’s Basilica. It is a well-known attraction and is also the starting point for many Budapest tours.
Then we walked till the Opera building on the famous Andrássy Avenue. This road is full of old buildings and it is a fulfilling walk with a lot to explore. Even though the avenue ends at Heroes’ Square, we opted to use our Budapest card and took the underground metro (Line 1) from Opera as Heroes Square is another 2 kilometres walk from here.
Once you reach Heroes Square do roam around the area as there is a beautiful park right behind it and so is the famous Budapest attraction Szechenyi Bath. We enquired about entry prices and did peek into the popular Budapest bath. Now you can choose to take the metro back from the Szechenyi station or walk a bit on this side of Andrássy Avenue and take the metro at the next station.
Wherever you choose to board the metro, just get off at the last station on Line 1. You will reach the main active city centre which happens to be just a few meters away from the Danube (river) which separates Buda from Pest. Walk around the city centre for a while and you will come across a flee market for sure. Some of Budapest’s famous bakeries like Gerbeaud House also have outlets in the area. If you are hungry, do stop by for some cake and coffee.
Pro Travel Tip: A better option would be to get a cake parcelled and sit at a bench along the river and enjoy the yummy dessert and the heavenly view (you can see the famous chain bridge from here). Takeaway cakes are cheaper than dine-in.
Budapest’s public transport is comprehensive and connects all the parts of the city. Walk towards the river and take the tram 2 going towards the Budapest Parliament Building. This tram runs along the river and has some spectacular views. Little wonder then that you will find it full of tourists during the day. Get off at the parliament building and spend some time taking in its grandeur. Don’t miss the ‘Shoes on the Danube Promenade’ which is close by (just walk along the river). It is a sculpture built to honour the memory of jews killed during World War II.
Again hop on to tram 2 or walk till the ‘Jaszai Mari ter’ tram stop where you can change the tram line to tram 4 and get off at the bridge if you are interested in visiting ‘Margaret Island’. The musical fountain at Margaret Island is free for visitors. Even if you don’t plan to visit the island, the view from here is worth a stop and you can catch the next tram after admiring the view. This is one of the advantages of buying a 24 hour Budapest card with unlimited public transport access.
Now get off at ‘Szell Kalman ter’ which is a public transport interchange for the tram, metro and buses. Take the bus 16 from here which connects Buda with Pest and on its way has stops at Matthias Church or Fisherman’s Bastion. After clicking some pictures you can again board bus 16 till the Royal Palace.
After spending some time roaming around the Royal Palace, you can either opt to take the Bus 16 again to go down to Pest or walk down towards the Chain Bridge. We opted to walk and got to experience some stunning views of the city. There are many pedestrian paths from the Budapest Royal Palace which lead to Danube. The Chain Bridge is the iconic image of Budapest. If you have little energy, we would highly highly recommend walking down and then crossing the Chain Bridge on foot.
It should be early evening by now, so relax at some pub or sit next to the river or go back to your hotel or eat dinner.
Once it’s dark, make use of your 24 hours Budapest public transport travel pass again. Take the tram 2 and enjoy the beautifully lit palace and government buildings along the river. Do stop at the parliament to click some night shots. If you are not on a budget then sunset boat tours at the Danube are also a popular way to witness the famous Budapest landmarks in the night.
End your day at a ‘ruin pub’. Even if you are not into drinks and nightlife a visit to a few ruin pubs in Budapest is a must. They quirky bars built in abandoned or old buildings, majorly located on the Pest side of the town.
Hope you enjoy this packed day and fall in love with the beautiful city of Budapest just as we did.
Pro Travel Tip: If you have another day in Budapest, you can head to the Central Market Hall for some food and then spend some time at one of the thermal baths in Budapest.
