A Complete Guide to 48 Hours in Budapest

Budapest had never been on my Europe bucket list. I didn't know how charming and what an architectural jewel it was. That was until a childhood friend moved there with her Hungarian fiance. She had told me many times that I had to visit and finally we took the plunge and booked a trip to spend two days in Budapest without knowing what to expect. We couldn't be happier with our decision. Budapest has become one of our favorite cities in Europe. It's a true hidden gem.

What we loved the most about Budapest after spending 48 hours in it was its architecture. There's a mixture of western and eastern European influence that makes it really special. Never have we seen a bigger amount of majestic buildings in one city. Everywhere we looked there was a beautiful building! My favorites are the ones I call "candy houses" because of their colorful roof tiles. They are Art Nouveau buildings that  reminded me a lot of Gaudi's masterpieces.

On this post I'm sharing with you our itinerary, a complete guide to 48 hours in Budapest, and lots of photos to fall in love with Budapest just like we did. Two days packed with the best things to do, restaurants to eat, lots of tips and even the map of our itinerary. Let's get started!

The best way to get to the city center from the airport is taking a combination of bus and metro. We took bus 200E to the last stop and then metro line 3 (the blue one) to Nyugati station. You have to get a transfer ticket which was 1060 HUF (3€). The ticket machine accepts credit cards and is available in many languages which makes it really easy to use.

Tip: the currency is the Hungarian Florin. We didn't change or withdraw any money from ATM machines. We payed everything by credit card or euros which are accepted in many places.

After checking-in at the NH Budapest City Hotel, we met my dear friend for drinks at the rooftop of the President Hotel. Their Bubble Bar has spectacular views of Pest. I chose this place because of the view of the breathtaking Hungarian State Treasury.

DAY ONE 
Wake up call at 7am. We had tickets for the Parliament tour at 9 o'clock. If you only have time to visit one place in Budapest, make it the Parliament. This magnificent neo-Gothic building is the third largest parliament in the world. The guided tour is offered in many languages, make sure you book in advance because tickets sell out quickly. The tour lasts for 45 minutes and costs 10€. They only show you 20% of the building but the gorgeous interiors, all gilded in gold, make it totally worth it.

From there we strolled along the river to see the Shoes on the Danube, one of Budapest's most moving memorials to the atrocities of the Holocaust. There are 60 pairs of rusted iron period shoes that represent men, women and children who were shot into the Danube in 1944-5.

After marveling at the beautiful views of Buda accross the Danube, we continued our itinerary to Saint Stephen's Basilica. We were greeted by a lively square full of terraced cafes packed with people enjoying the view and the gorgeous weather. Szent Istvan Bazilika is the largest church in Hungary and is dedicated to Hungary’s first king: St. Stephen. In the Basilica you can see one of Hungary's greatest treasures: St. Stephen’s mummified hand.

It was around noon and time to get to one of Budapest's most famous neighborhoods, the Jewish Quarter. Here, Dohany Street Synagogue, also known as the Great Synagogue, is a must. It is the largest synagogue in Europe and the second largest in the world.

We had reservations for lunch at New York City Cafe, the self-proclaimed "most beautiful cafe in the world". The decoration is exquisite. It's expensive but if you are a foodie or you want to give yourself a treat, go for it! They serve both international and Hungarian cuisine and have a big selection of desserts. We had the traditional Hungarian soup, goulash, a salad and chicken with carrot puree. For dessert we had cheesecake with apricot jam and the New York ice cream cup. Everything was delicious -check out that ice-cream cup!- and the service was kind and attentive. There was live music, with a trio of musicians playing at the top of the stairs, and we felt as if we were having lunch in the middle of Vienna New Year's Concert. A truly unforgettable experience. I strongly advise you to make reservations, we had to queue anyways, but you have to wait longer if you haven't booked a table.

After lunch we took a walk to the Central Market, a spectacular building where you can find produce on the ground floor and traditional Hungarian products on the top floor. Then we crossed Liberty bridge and went up hill to see the Citadella. The Citadella is a fortification located upon the top of Gellért Hill and is a favorite spot to watch the sun set over the city. Here you can also find a rock chapel but unfortunately it was closed when we got there.

With all this walking we deserved a nice dinner. On the way back to the hotel we stopped at Gerbeaud Cafe, one of the most famous confectioneries in Hungary.

Tip: if you like pretty cafes, you can't miss Parisi Cafe, Central Cafe and Vintage Garden.

DAY TWO 
Let's go to Buda! On our second day we crossed the famous Chain Bridge -Szechényi Bridge- on our way to some of the city's numerous landmarks. We started by going up to see Matthias Church and the Fisherman's Bastion. Matthias Church is Budapest's most famous Catholic church. This spectacular temple is surrounded by the fairy tale turrets of the Fisherman's Bastion. This is one of the most popular places in Budapest, therefore very crowded. It's open 24/7 so if you don't mind getting up at the crack of dawn, go there as early as you can. The construction of this modern day structure began in 1895 as part of the millennial birthday celebrations for Hungary. The purpose was to have a place for citizens to appreciate the views over the city and the Danube. And the views are indeed spectacular. Expect to spend a lot of time here to explore every corner and see the views from every angle.

Tip: for a taste of luxury, check out the Four Seasons Gresham hotel before you cross the Chain bridge.

Next stop: Buda Castle. This massive Baroque castle and palace can be seen from everywhere. The castle includes Budapest history museum, two other museums and the national gallery.

Tip: Pest may be flat as a pancake, but Buda is known for its hills. There is a funicular that can take you up the hill but I advice you against using it. First, there are long queues. Second, there are many paths that make the climb up easy. In fact, there are even a couple elevators along the way.

We had made reservations for lunch with our friends at Mazel Tov, another popular restaurant in Budapest. In the heart of the Jewish Quarter, this place serves Mediterranean and Jewish dishes with affordable prices.

Mazel Tov is one of the famous Ruin Bars of Budapest but a fancy one. Regular ruin bars are unique pubs and bars built with...junk. They are inside dilapidated pre-war buildings. It's hard to describe what I felt when I arrived at the most popular one: Szimpla Kert. I'd say it's a mixture of amusement and slight disgust. Still, this is a place in Budapest you cannot miss, I'm sure you've never seen anything like it. Szimpla Kert consists of different rooms, all of them with a theme. There's live music and a variety of cocktail bars to order your drink.

If you like food trucks, you will find Karavan in the same street as Szimpla Kert. An alley turned food court which serves local delicacies.

The evening was spent relaxing at a completely different place: Szechenyi Thermal Baths. We had the wonderful experience enjoying the steaming, mineral-rich thermal water of Budapest under a pink sunset. The temperature of the water is 28ºC (82ªF), just perfect. For 17€ you get access to the thermal baths and pool and a locker. For a little bit more you can also rent a cabin to change your clothes and keep your things.

Tips: the place is very busy, especially during the weekends, it's better to go in the morning. It's open form 6 am to 10 pm. All you need are a swimsuit, a pair of flip-flops and a towel. Photos are permitted in the baths and you only need a swimming cap if you use the pools.

Szechenyi Baths are located in City Park (Városliget), here you can also find Heroes' Square which is the largest and most impressive square of the city, Vajdahunyad Castle which is a replica of a Transilvania castle, and Budapest Zoo.

Getting around: Budapest offers a wide variety of transport: trolleybus, bus, tram and metro. You can buy single tickets, a group of 10 tickets, a 24-hour pass, a 72-hour pass, or a 7-day pass. However, it's possible to walk everywhere like we did. Here's the map we used during the trip.
Warning: In April 2019 the following landmarks were under construction: Opera House and Museum of Applied Arts. The Opera can be visited inside, but the museum is completely closed.

I hope you enjoyed this complete guide to 48 hours in Budapest. If you liked this post, pin and share it!