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Budget

Budapest

Bohemian Budapest is an elegant city with

a junkyard heart that combines centuries of

history with charming ‘ruin pubs’, socialist

leftovers and plenty of cheap attractions.

Landmarks

Activities Nightlife

MEMENTO PARK

Home to more than 40 statues,

busts and plaques of Lenin, Marx,

Béla Kun and others, Memento

Park is a socialist Disneyland.

Don’t miss the exhibition on

Hungary’s socialist era. The park

lies six miles southwest of the

centre; take metro line M4 to

Kelenföld Pályaudvar, then bus

101B or 101E (mementopark.hu;

Balatoni út & Szabadkai utca;

10am–dusk; £4).

BATHING & SWIMMING

With hundreds of natural thermal

and mineral springs, Budapest is a

major spa centre and ‘taking the

waters’ is a truly local experience.

Some spas date from the 16th-

and 17th-century Turkish era;

others are Art-Nouveau marvels.

The most astounding, such as the

Gellért Baths, can be expensive

though. The Turkish Veli Bej Baths,

dating to 1575, offer a more

affordable option (irgalmas.hu/

veli-bej-furdo; Árpád Fejedelem

útja 7 & Frankel Leó út 54; 6am–

noon & 3pm–9pm; from £6).

FREE BUDAPEST TOURS

No matter what day you’re in

Budapest, this outfit will have one

of its innovative walking tours

running. Its three-hour Budapest

overview takes in city highlights

such as Széchenyi Square and

Chain Bridge, the exteriors of

the Royal and President’s Palaces,

and Neo-Gothic Matthias Church.

Another 2½-hour amble covers

the historic Jewish district. Tours

are technically free, though

guides work for tips only

(freebudapesttours.eu; Deák

Ferenc tér; 10.30am & 2.30pm).

ROYAL PALACE

Razed and rebuilt at least half a

dozen times since King Béla IV

established a royal residence here

in the mid-13th century, the Royal

Palace is the focal point of Buda’s

Unesco-listed Castle Hill. Today, it

contains the Hungarian National

Gallery and a branch of the

Budapest History Museum. Both

cost to get in but the statue- and

monument-filled grounds are free

to wander (Szent György tér).

DANUBE BRIDGES

Budapest’s bridges are the stitches

that have bound Buda and Pest

together since well before the two

were linked politically in 1873.

There are eight in total, at once

landmarks and delightful vantage

points over the river. The four in the

centre outshine the rest. Széchenyi

Bridge is arguably the most

beautiful, especially when lit up at

night; Elizabeth Bridge has a higher

arch, offering dramatic views of

Castle and Gellért Hills.

MARGARET ISLAND

Margaret Island is neither Buda nor

Pest, but its shaded walkways,

swimming pools and gardens offer

refuge to citizens of both sides of

the river. Stroll from the ruins of the

Franciscan monastery, past the

one-time Dominican convent

where the island’s namesake

St Margaret is buried, to the

Romanesque Premonstratensian

church (all free). Or rent a bike from

Bringóhintó (bringohinto.hu; 30/60

minutes £2/£2.80).

ÉLESZTŐ

Budapest’s ruin pubs began to

appear during the city’s sweltering

summers from the early 2000s,

when abandoned buildings were

turned into pop-up bars. Some are

now permanent fixtures, but most

retain their rough-and-ready

atmosphere. In southern Pest,

well-priced Élesztő is popular for its

on-site brewery and unrivalled

craft-beer selection (elesztohaz.hu;

Tűzoltó utca 22; 3pm–3am).

CSENDES

The name of this bohemian café,

in the heart of untouristy Pest,

translates as the ‘Quietly’, and

the place is just that until the DJ

arrives and cranks up the volume.

There’s great food from Csendes

Társ around the corner, plus

reasonably priced drinks and a

vintage-clothing store (facebook.

com/csendesvintagebar;

Ferenczy István utca 5; 10am–

midnight Mon–Wed & Sun, to

2am Thu–Fri, 2pm–2am Sat).

An outdoor thermal pool at the

lavish 1913 Széchenyi Baths

Lovely, leafy Margaret Island

sits between Buda and Pest

The quirky vintage-style interior

at Csendes café-bar

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MINI GUIDE

GRANDIO

Many of Budapest’s ruin pubs and

garden clubs are huddled together

in Erzsébetváros and the Jewish

Quarter, including this large kert

(outdoor garden club) below

Grandio Party Hostel. What sets

Grandio apart are the hearty urban

weeds that have taken back their

share of space and created much

more than a garden, rather a

‘forest club’ with copious drinks

(budapestpartyhostels.com;

Nagy Diófa utca 8; 11am–3am).

Széchenyi Bridge

sparkles above the

Danube at night