Budapest Weekend: Castle Views, Thermal Baths and Cafés

Begin Saturday on Castle Hill. Fisherman’s Bastion looks across the Danube to Parliament. Walk the lower terraces for the view; the upper lookout has a separate ticket. Have breakfast around the square, then visit Matthias Church beside the bastion.

The coloured roof tiles stand out from the square; inside, painted walls and patterned columns give the church much of its character. Visit the interior, then walk south along Tárnok utca. Lunch in the Castle District puts you on the way to the palace terraces.

Walk through the palace courtyards and terraces for views over the Danube and Pest. This stop takes in the castle grounds; the National Gallery is a separate museum visit. From the terraces, continue downhill towards Clark Ádám tér and the Chain Bridge.

Cross the bridge on foot from Buda to Pest, then turn left along the river towards Parliament. Stop at the Shoes on the Danube memorial along the embankment. Finish with dinner in central Pest, with the Jewish quarter nearby for an evening drink.

Spend Sunday morning in the indoor thermal rooms and outdoor pools. Two or three hours makes a good visit. Book ahead and bring swimwear, a towel and flip-flops; the lap pool also requires a swimming cap. The baths admit visitors aged 14 and over. Afterwards, walk through City Park towards Heroes’ Square.

Walk from the baths through City Park to the Millennium Monument, with the Museum of Fine Arts on one side of the square. For the café stop, take Metro M1 from Hősök tere to Opera. The walk down Andrássy Avenue is another good way to see the city’s grand apartment buildings.

Finish with an early-evening drink at this ruin bar on Kazinczy utca. Wander through the mismatched rooms and courtyard before finding a seat. It gets louder later in the evening; coming before dinner gives you a look around without making it a late night.