Hungary

architecture | arts & culture | food & drink | day trips

Hungary

ost Americans visiting Europe focus first on capital cities like London, Paris and Rome—but we're here to tell you that Budapest should be included on that list of must-sees. Commemorating its 150th anniversary in 2023, Hungary’s capital is a dazzling gem full of architectural wonders, tastebud-delighting foods, a buzzing arts and culture scene as well as relaxing natural spots. Plus, it’s easy to take day trips to nearby towns and immerse yourself even more in the Hungarian way of life. No wonder Condé Nast Traveler named Budapest one of the best places to go in 2024. This area of the Danube River was populated for centuries, but it wasn’t until 1873 that Buda and Óbuda (Old Buda)—the hilly, residential side on the west bank—and Pest, the touristy side on the east bank, unified to form present-day Budapest. While there are no nonstop flights to Budapest from the U.S., this Central European city is well connected to other European gateways. Read on to discover all that the “Queen of the Danube” has to offer throughout the year.

Budapest is one of those places where your brain can hardly keep up with what your eyes are seeing, particularly when it comes to its jaw-dropping architecture. Despite their close proximity to each other, Buda developed a Baroque style while Pest is more Art Nouveau. One way to get a feel for both sides is to take a Danube River sightseeing cruise. For a bird’s-eye view, head to the Castle District, where you can take the Buda Castle Funicular—a UNESCO World Heritage site—up Castle Hill to Buda Castle, a Neo-Baroque royal palace. Destroyed during World War II and hastily rebuilt after the war, the castle is currently undergoing reconstruction to its former glory. (You can see the full reconstruction plans in the visitor center in Hunyadi Court.)

The Castle District, itself another UNESCO World Heritage Site, is full of cobbled streets and medieval buildings. Stroll over to Fisherman’s Bastion, a neo-Romanesque landmark with fairy-tale towers and panoramic terraces for perfect viewing of the Danube. Steps away is Matthias Church, first founded on the site in 1015 in Romanesque style, destroyed in 1241 and rebuilt in neo-Gothic style later that same century.

Stop for a picture with the lions and then treat yourself to a walk along the impressive Széchenyi Chain Bridge, the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Hungary, as you head to the Pest side. Straight ahead is Hungary’s largest building and the third largest parliament building in the world. Built in the late 1800s, Parliament has a Baroque base, a neo-Gothic façade and a Renaissance ceiling. Here is where you can see the Holy Crown, dating back to the 1100s, as well as about 90 pounds of 22-23 karat gold used in the building’s ornamentation. Climb up the dome at St. Stephen’s Basilica, Hungary’s second tallest building, for a panoramic view of the city. Named after Stephen I, the first king of Hungary, the basilica contains one of the country’s most significant holy relics, that of St. Stephen’s mummified right hand (and on display for the public). The neoclassical cathedral is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Treasures of Budapest & beyond

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One of only three world capitals with thermal springs (the others being Iceland’s Reykjavik and Bulgaria’s Sofia), Budapest is home to approximately 80 of them. In the late 1500s, the Turks created Budapest’s spas, some of which are still in use today. In the 1800s, spa tourism became a significant attraction to the city and lavish baths with Art Nouveau décor—things like porcelain tiling and stained-glass windows—were created as a result. Most spas have an outdoor element, while some offer late-night bathing. One of the most famous spas is Gellért Thermal Bath, founded in 1918, which has 10 pools of various sizes and temperatures. At the aforementioned Széchenyi Baths, older regulars play chess in the water. Rudas Bath has a hot tub on the rooftop. The grounds at Lukács Baths have memorial plaques offering gratitude to the water for its healing. No matter which one you choose, your muscles will thank you.

Built in neo-Renaissance style, the Hungarian State Opera House oozes opulence from its spot on Andrássy Avenue. After an extensive refurbishment and modernization that lasted nearly five years, the Opera House reopened in March 2022. The update decreased the capacity of the auditorium by 200 people, but made it more comfortable for patrons, with larger seats and more legroom. Ornate structures are part of the every day here, and that’s most obvious when heading to a historic coffeehouse where writers and artists used to convene for hours. This is not your local Starbucks; it’s almost like a house of worship for coffee. Even if you don’t bow down to the bean, make a stop at New York Café to see the gold leaf, crystal chandeliers, red velvet and intricate woodwork.

At 1.5 tree-lined miles, Andrássy Avenue is Budapest’s version of the Champs Élysées. Dating back to 1870, this elegant UNESCO World Heritage Site (you may be sensing a pattern) is full of museums and high-end shops, connecting Elizabeth Square with Heroes’ Square and ending at the City Park (Liget). Home to cultural institutions such as the Budapest Zoo, Botanical Garden and Széchenyi Baths, the 247-acre City Park is currently undergoing renewal into a museum district, while still maintaining its green space, thanks to the Liget Budapest Project. This initiative won a World Travel Award in 2023 as a Leading Tourism Development Project in Europe. Part of this project has been the opening of the futuristic-looking House of Music, Hungary in 2022, designed by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto and which includes exhibition space, performance halls and an open-air stage.

The 2023 Michelin Guide recommends 75 restaurants in Hungary; 28 of them are located in Budapest. Stand received two Michelin stars, for the second year in a row, with its take on modern Hungarian cuisine. The 8-course dinner menu includes items like homemade pasta stuffed with smoked cottage cheese, mushroom ragout, sour cream and spring herbs as well as charcoal grilled saddle of venison, fondant potato, forest Cornelian cherry jam and barbecue jus. Budapest restaurants receiving one Michelin star include Babel, Borkonyha Winekitchen, Costes, Rumour, Salt and essência.

When it comes to cuisine, Hungary goes all in from start to finish. Many restaurants feature goose liver; Hungary is one of the world’s top producers of foie gras. Goulash (gulyás) is probably the country’s most famous export, with savory beef cubes and vegetables seasoned with paprika. Another signature dish is csirkepaprikás, or chicken spiced with paprika. Stuffed cabbage, or cabbage rolls filled with minced pork, is a popular meal in the colder months. Speaking of pork, you might see mangalica on the menu; that is a Hungarian breed of domestic pig that resulted from cross-breeding with a wild boar. For dessert, choose from dishes like Dobos torte (sponge cake layered with chocolate buttercream and topped with caramel), Gundel pancakes (a crepe that’s filled with walnuts, raisins and rum and smothered in dark chocolate sauce), or túrógombóc, cottage-cheese dumplings served with sour cream and powdered sugar.

Holding deep-rooted traditions in wine-making that date back to Roman times, Etyek is about an hour’s train ride southwest from Budapest. With rolling green hills and quaint tiled-roof houses in this region, don’t be surprised if you come across a movie being filmed, thanks to nearby Korda Studios. (The Korda Film Park Visitor Center also runs tours of its soundstages, which have been used in movies like "The Martian" and "Blade Runner 2049.") The village itself is full of Baroque and Roman churches and worth biking or walking around. At any rate, this is Hungary’s version of Napa Valley, so leave some room in your suitcase for all the wines you’ll inevitably bring home.

The biggest draw of Gödöllő, about 20 miles northeast of Budapest, is the Royal Palace of Gödöllő, the summer residence of Emperor Franz Joseph I and his wife, Elisabeth, the subject of Netflix’s “The Empress”. Beloved by the Hungarian people for helping to advance their cause for freedom and respect (as in, creating the Austro-Hungarian Empire), Empress Elisabeth, or Sisi, as she was known, would use her favorite palace’s sumptuous rooms and expansive gardens to retreat from the demands of royal life in Vienna. Sisi attempted to learn the language and culture of Hungary and to this day, she is still one of the most revered women in the country. Visitors can learn more about her history as well as stroll the grounds at this incredible Baroque castle.

It’s about an hour’s train ride north from Budapest to Szentendre, a riverside town full of colorful houses, winding cobbled streets and towering Serbian churches. (From May to September, you can take a river cruise to the town as well.) Over the course of history, this part of Hungary served as refuge for different nationalities, most notably Serbians; in the past century, it’s become an artist enclave, with lots of art galleries and museums to visit. The Hungarian Open Air Museum treats visitors to an experience of epic proportions; 312 buildings are spread out over 148 acres, all organized into seven regions of the country so visitors can see the different architectural styles and ways of life in each one. Head to the Szamos Marzipan Exhibition and Workshop, where the exhibits literally are good enough to eat; picture everything from a life-sized Princess Diana to miniature biblical scenes to Budapest’s Parliament, all made of sweet almond paste.

The Castle District

Heroes' Square

Architecture

Arts & culture

Food & drink

Day trips

Buda Castle

City Park (Liget)

House of Music, Hungary

Plan your trip

Budapest

House of Music, Hungary

Párisi Passage

Visegrád Castle

Gellért Thermal Bath

Stuffed cabbage

Goulash at Stand

Etyek vineyard

Royal Palace of Gödöllő

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Buda Castle

Fisherman's Bastion (left); Matthias Church (right)

St. Stephen's Basilica

Széchenyi Chain Bridge

Parliament

St. Stephen's Basilica

The Zsolnay rooftop of Matthias Church

Széchenyi Thermal Baths

Hungarian State Opera (left); New York Café (right)

Széchenyi Baths

Tokaj wine region (left); wine from Tokaj (right)

Six wine regions contain a total of 22 wine districts in the country, making it easy to pick a Hungarian wine to wash down your meal. The most well-known is Tokaji, both sweet and dry white wines hailing from the Tokaj Wine Region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in northeast Hungary. France’s Louis XIV even called Tokaji’s sweet aszú “the wine of kings and the king of wines.” Red wine production began in the 17th century with kadarka, which has a red fruit and spicy flavor. Kadarka grapes can also be found in the most renowned red blend: Bikavér (bull’s blood) wine. Every September, Buda Castle hosts the prestigious Budapest Wine Festival, when wine lovers around the globe descend on the city. For an after-dinner digestif or a nightcap, ask for Unicum, a dark liqueur that contains more than 40 herbs and spices aged in oak. The Zwack family has been producing this 80-proof drink since 1790 when it was first served to the emperor.

Szentendre

Tokaj Aszú sweet wine

Gödöllő Royal Palace

Margaret Bridge

Dobos torte (left); csirkepaprikás (right)

Andrássy Avenue

architecture | arts & culture | food & drink | day trips