Three days in Budapest, routes and impressions.

15 June 2026 • Travel time: with 17 May 2026 on 21 May 2026

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Panoramic view of the Danube and Budapest from Buda Hill.

The desire to visit Budapest for tourist purposes had been accumulating in my plans for quite some time, over the past two years this desire has turned into a concrete intention, and finally came to life in May of this year. Initially, the plans included visiting not only Budapest, but also Debrecen and Hajdú szoboszló , with their thermal pools, but since after Hungary we were waiting for a health vacation in Transcarpathia, it was decided to focus on the Hungarian capital. I will not tire of analyzing all the logistical options for getting to Budapest from Ukraine, there are quite a few of them, we chose the Kharkiv-Mukachevo train, with a subsequent transfer to the Mukachevo-Budapest train. The only thing that caused anxiety was the one-hour interval between trains, and when it was time for the trip, this anxiety turned into very big "nerves". The trip fell during the period of maximum UAV activity over Ukraine, the flight schedule was disrupted, there were unplanned stops, in fact we arrived in Lviv with a delay of four hours, the remnants of hope of catching the train from Mukachevo were long lost, a backup plan was needed. Getting into the Mukachevo-Chop-Zá hony-Budapest logistics chain by train on the same day was no longer possible, the only option left was a car transfer, which we took advantage of, although also with nervousness and, of course, financial costs. I omit all the nuances of the adventures on the way from Kharkiv to Mukachevo, then we drove in a comfortable minibus, crossed the border without queues and problems, delivered directly to the apartment address.

Before the trip to Budapest, some preparatory work was carried out. After getting acquainted with some thematic sites and videos on youtube, a list of the main attractions of the city, recommended restaurants and cafes was compiled, all of this was plotted on Google Maps with the subsequent development of plans and routes for exploring the capital of Hungary. After arriving in Budapest, despite the cool and damp weather, we hurried to our first acquaintance with the city. I chose an apartment within walking distance of the Nyugati train station, to which we had to arrive and go home. Leaving our things in the apartments, we hurried to the nearest Hungarian restaurant marked on the map. It turned out to be Lecso Hungarian Restaurant, where we got acquainted with Hungarian goulash and local beer. Dinner well relieved the tension after the road, then there was a walk along the Danube and the famous Hungarian Parliament. During the walk, we got acquainted with the Margaret Bridge, the Imre Nagy monument, the Olympic Stadium, the monument to Istvá n Tisza, and on the other side of the parliament, the monument to Ferenc 2 Rá kó czi. But, of course, the main impression is left by the Hungarian Parliament building, so impressive and monumental that at first you do not perceive what you see as reality. Every tourist, being in Budapest, will see the parliament from different places in the city, in different lighting, but you will not stop admiring and admiring it. Not far from the parliament are also the beautiful buildings of the Palace of Justice and the Gresham Palace with the National Martyrs Memorial. When in Budapest I saw interesting buildings that were not marked on my maps, Google Lens came to the rescue, and you get comprehensive information. In fairness, I want to say that next to the parliament there are not only exquisite historical buildings, but also Soviet heritage with rather primitive architecture.

The Hungarian Parliament from a cruise ship.

View to the Parliament from Margit Bridge.

Parliament building at night.

The first full day of our stay in Budapest began with a trip on the second tram along the Danube, bypassing the parliament, to the next stop after the central market. We passed the balna Budapest shopping and entertainment complex, Corvin University and cruise river ships, and went out onto the Liberty Bridge. The bridge is very beautiful, the mythical Turula birds sit on the tops of the pillars, and the bridge offers wonderful views of both Buda and Pest. After crossing the bridge towards Buda, we got to know the Gellé rt Hotel better, the Gellé rt Bathhouse of the same name, and went to the St. Gerard's Cave Church on Gellé rt Hill. The Gellé rt Bathhouse, along with the hotel, are currently under renovation. Since the main acquaintance with Buda was planned for the next day, we walked back across the Liberty Bridge, straight to the Budapest Central Market building. After numerous videos on youtube, I was already ready to visit this place, knowing that the central market is a tourist attraction, where Hungarian delicacies, paprika and souvenirs are sold at astronomical prices, the food court on the second floor is also not the best place to get acquainted with Hungarian cuisine. And the numerous nesting dolls can hardly be considered a Hungarian souvenir. The market building is undoubtedly extraordinary, but personally I was more interested in the metal structures of the market, created by the famous Eiffel.

Leaving the central market, tourists immediately find themselves on the famous pedestrian street Vaci, whose popularity is more due to PR than to real values. This is a street of numerous souvenir shops, although the prices for goods are more mundane than on the central market. Our further acquaintance with Budapest, in chronological order, looked like this: exit to the Erzsebet Bridge and the Inner Church of Budapest of the Assumption of Our Lady, the Clotilde Palaces (those who wish can visit the Pá risi Passage Restaurant), St. Peter's Church, moving to the Jewish Quarter with a tour of the Great Synagogue, visiting the street of ruin bars (the ruin club was closed), lunch at the Fat Mama restaurant, exit to Ferenc Deá k Square with the metro station of the same name. All our movements in Budapest were more like an excursion to an open-air museum. Just have time to turn your head in different directions, documenting what you see with photos and video. Various images of the city flash in your memory like frames from a beautiful movie, and you can't figure out what you liked more, something specific or the atmosphere of the city in general.

After a short rest, it was decided to devote the rest of the day to well-deserved relaxation and get to know the baths of Budapest. Having passed across the Margaret Bridge towards Buda, we found the location of the Lukacs and Veli Bey baths, but stopped at the first one and did not regret it. Visiting the baths brought peace and vigor at the same time, as well as a desire to get to know Budapest further without drowning, but with pleasure immersing ourselves in the atmosphere of the city.

The Liberty Bridge with Gellé rt Hill in the background.

Goel Gelert.

Budapest Central Market.

Central Market from the middle.

Tourist street Vaci.

Erzsé bet Bridge and the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

A building next to the Clotilde Palaces.

A monument next to the Synagogue, dedicated to the memory of Hungarian Jews who died during the Holocaust.

Street of ruined bars.

Anker Palace.

The Hungarian restaurant Tü kö ry É tterem is located not far from Freedom Square, but not on the most crowded streets, a place where you can get gastronomic pleasure. To reduce the load on your legs, a boat trip along the Danube was planned after lunch, but we still had to walk quite a bit in search of the nearest flight and the dock from which the departure was. Walking along the Danube, every tourist involuntarily passes by the monument to the victims of the Jewish people during World War II - the shoes on the Danube embankment, the place of execution of Jews.

When going on a trip along the Danube, you should know that despite the commonality of the route, different companies organize different content of the trip. Ours did not include either drinks or food, cost 13 euros, the duration of the trip is exactly one hour, during which time you sail under five bridges across the Danube, admiring the iconic sights of Budapest on both sides of the ship. I want to warn you that if you buy this format of a river cruise, be sure to stock up on the drinks you want, because the prices at the bar on the ship are draconian.

That same day, an evening walk along the Danube was planned, so that there would be an opportunity to take photos of night Budapest and its main attractions under electric lighting, which already look like scenery for a movie. The atmosphere of evening Budapest is special and there are enough people who want to enjoy it. By the way, a few words about security in the Hungarian capital. I don't know how public order is maintained in Budapest, but during my four days in the city, I didn't see any police officers on the streets of the city, or rather, I did see one, but he was bronze. At the same time, we did not observe any manifestations of crime. Yes, homeless people on the streets of the city are not uncommon, but there were no problems with them. Also, I practically did not feel any sight or smell of "waste products" of humans and pets near the main tourist attractions. But I saw how the streets of Budapest are washed, and how special areas for walking dogs are arranged - I also saw. So the stories of some travel bloggers about specific smells on the city streets should be divided by ten.

Statue of King St. Stephen next to Matthias Cathedral.

Fragment of the Fisherman's Bastion.

St. Matthias Church.

The Holy Trinity Column, dedicated to the victims of the plague.

View of Budapest from the Fisherman's Bastion.

During an organ music concert in St. Matthias Church.

Altar of St. Matthias Cathedral.

Facade of the Royal Palace building.

Views to Budapest from observation deck near the Royal Palace.

Park area near the Royal Palace.

Sechenie chain bridge.

Royal Palace, Szechenyi Bridge and cruise ships from the Pest side.

Shoes on the Danube embankment.

Greetings from the author and Ronald Reagan.

Multilingual passengers on a sightseeing boat.

Evening atmosphere of Budapest.

By the way, a few words about public transport in Budapest. It is mainly represented by trams, buses and the metro. The period of free use of public transport for Ukrainians has already ended, but this right is enjoyed by persons over 65 years of age, with a document, regardless of nationality. Tram number two is of increased interest among tourists, since its route runs along the Danube embankment, and during the ride you can see many of Budapest's attractions. For all types of public transport, there are single tickets or general travel cards with different validity periods. We bought travel cards in blocks of 10, so the price of one ticket is 450 forints, the full price is 500 forints. Locals more often use the Budapest Go application or travel cards. We used public transport in Budapest a little, since the city encourages slow walks more. Controllers were seen only at the exit from the metro, according to reviews, the fines are significant, there are no usual turnstiles at the entrance to the metro, tickets must be validated at the entrance, at special machines.

For the evening of the last day of our stay, we planned to explore Margaret Island. We lived within walking distance of it, so we followed a familiar route. The Margaret Bridge of the same name has the shape of an obtuse angle, and its angle approaches the beginning of the island, with a pedestrian and car descent to it. Margaret Island is about 3 km long, its entire territory is almost completely occupied by a park area, it is a real oasis of a large metropolis, which is very popular with both the local population and tourists. Running and cycling paths are located along the shores of the island, but there is also a road for one bus route and a car entrance to the Palatinus swimming pool health complex. This is the most budget swimming pool in Budapest, with elements of a water park in the summer, and is very popular with locals. Not far from the descent to the island there is a musical fountain, near which we spent our last minutes on Margaret Island, exchanging impressions of our visit to Budapest.

A good start to the day.

The building of St. Stephen's Basilica. The decoration of Bvzilika is impressive.

Budapest Opera House.

General view of the Basilica from the inside.

Fragment of the monument on Heroes' Square.

Castle Vaidukhunad

The Secheni Baths from the outside.

Pleasant impressions have accumulated enough, some even exciting. Periods of realizing one's plans and dreams bring a feeling of deep satisfaction, especially if it is accompanied by positive emotions. Our stay in Budapest was one of such periods. The Hungarian capital is a self-sufficient city with its own history, magnificent architecture, many attractions, and a beautiful urban landscape. But besides this, Budapest has a number of features that are attractive to tourists. Firstly, of all European capitals, it is the only resort city that has a whole range of thermal spas, some of which also have historical and architectural value. Secondly, in terms of the cost of living and staying in it, Budapest can be considered a "budget" city. Although, judging by the reviews, the situation in this regard is not changing for the better. In addition, for Ukrainians, Budapest has recently become an important transport hub, from where major low-cost airlines fly throughout Europe and beyond. The fairly well-developed logistics when visiting Budapest, as listed above, make it a desirable tourist destination.

In addition, there is no overtourism in Budapest yet, it is realistic to get to all the sights, it is better to arrive earlier for the iconic ones.

I believe that the three days we spent in Budapest are the minimum time to get acquainted with the main sights of the city and immerse yourself in its atmosphere, and if time and budget allow, you will have something to fill your stay in the Hungarian capital for a much longer period. Knowledge of English, even at the A1 level, will be enough to visit the city's sights, restaurants, shops and markets.

We did not practice active shopping in Budapest, but how could we not buy Hungarian sausages, Tokaj wine, paprika and some souvenirs before returning home. We were waiting for a train transfer to Mukachevo from Nyugati station, and already in the train car I learned that tickets purchased in the application of our UZ are subject to printing in paper form, and this applies to all trains heading to Budapest, Vienna and back. Fortunately for us, the controller was sympathetic and limited herself to the data in the smartphone.

After returning to Ukraine, we were waiting for a health vacation in Shayan, but that's a completely different story. I hope my story about my stay in Budapest will be useful for visiting this wonderful city, and I myself anticipate new meetings with it. I wish everyone pleasant and trouble-free travels, peaceful skies and a return to a peaceful life.

To new pleasant travels.

Translated automatically from Ukrainian. View original