The Best Beaches in Budapest for a Quick Cooldown

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As you probably experienced yourself by now, Hungary has very hot summers. It is still worth walking around during the morning with an ice cream. Budapest is getting better at fighting the heat with steam gates and free cold water, but it is a landlocked city. While it does not have natural beaches, there are some artificial beach areas and waterfront locations where you can enjoy sunbathing, swimming, and other recreational activities.

Here are the 2 best beaches in Budapest if you need to cool down:

 

Római Part

The Római Part (Roman Embankment) is a hidden jewel of the city. This recreational area is situated along the Danube River. Here it is possible to bathe for free under organized conditions and with continuous water quality control. You can enjoy a natural environment, a clean and well-kept beach, colorful sunbeds, and free bicycle storage. 

It takes 35 minutes by the suburban train (H5) from Batthyanyi tér metro station. (This place is also the meeting point of our daily FREE BUDA CASTLE TOUR, starting at 2.30 pm.)

Furthermore, the riverside promenade is part of the EuroVelo 6 international bicycle route, so you can get there by bike easily. 

 

Palatinus Beach

It is located on Margaret Island in the middle of the Danube River. This beach is one of the most well-known and largest outdoor pool complexes in Budapest. It offers various pools, slides, and sandy areas where you can sunbathe and relax. You can find sun beds easily. You can also swim laps in the swimming pools. Bring your pool shoes and swim cap for the swimming pool and do not forget to bring towels as they do not provide them. It is always worth booking the tickets online here because the line for offline tickets can be extremely long. Be aware it is a very popular place amongst the locals as well so it sells out on the weekend afternoons regularly. 

Kids will have a great time in the kids’ area. There are many pools and slides and other fun activities to choose from. You can find a good selection of food on-site too. 

 

While these locations provide beach-like experiences within Budapest, if you’re specifically looking for natural beaches, you may need to venture outside the city to Lake Balaton, which is the largest freshwater lake in Central Europe offering numerous beaches and resorts. You can get there by train in 1,5 hours from the Déli Pályaudvar.

 

Take our daily FREE BUDAPEST TOURS starting at 10.30 am and 4.30 pm for further recommendations on how to spend a hot day in Budapest beyond checking out all the must-see landmarks and hidden gems with us.

One Day Itinerary in Budapest for a Hot Summer Day in July

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If you have just a short time to explore our beautiful town, it is important to make the most of your stay and focus on the must-see iconic sights. That is why we made a perfect one day itinerary in Budapest, especially for a hot summer day in July. 

First and foremost, get a 24-hour Budapest Travel Card (2500 HUF) or Budapest 24-hour Group Travel Card (up to 5 people traveling together) so you can reach everything quickly. You can use all means of public transportation with the time-limited tickets and you don’t have to worry about validating them.

So here it goes:

Morning 

Start your day early and time your outdoor programs for the morning to avoid the heat. If you want to see most of the beauty of the city in 2 hours and want to get further recommendations from locals for the rest of your day, join our 2-hour Free Budapest Tour which covers the major signs of downtown Pest side of the river Danube. The tour includes St. Stephen’s Basilica, the Hungarian Parliament, the Shoes on the Danube Monument, the Chain Bridge, and Danube Promenade. Our leisurely walk is an excellent opportunity to learn about Hungarian history, culture, and Budapest’s architecture.

Dome of Parlament - one day itinerary in Budapest

Dome of Parlament – one day itinerary in Budapest

Noon

After our free tour, take the Panoramic tramline along the Danube river from the finishing point of our tour to the Great Market Hall for lunch. The ground floor is all about the ingredients, and it is still a very cheap and traditional market preferred by the locals as well, so you can get some excellent quality fruits, vegetables, and meat products from local producers.

The first floor is for the traditional Hungarian dishes, if you want to get a hot soup or stew our recommendation is the Fakanál restaurant, but if you are after a quick bite there is a great Lángos place on the right side.   Once you have enjoyed your meal, cross the southern side of the green Liberty Bridge ( Szabadság híd) on foot to see the miniature statue of Franz Joseph in a hammock and the picturesque view of Buda Castle Hill behind it.

Lángos in the Central Market Hall - one day itinerary in Budapest

Lángos in the Central Market Hall – One day itinerary in Budapest

Afternoon

As you are now on the Buda side take any of the trams alongside the river (41,19,17) and head to Buda Castle, located on Castle Hill. If you want to skip the hiking up to the Castle check out the stops and the schedule of the Bus nr. 16, which is the only public bus that is allowed to go up to the hill.  It is worth exploring this historic neighborhood which includes the Royal Palace, Matthias Church, and Fisherman’s Bastion. This district is perfect to take amazing pictures because it offers breathtaking views of the city, which are free to enjoy.

If you are a fast-paced, efficient traveler after or before you finished with the Castle the next option for your one day itinerary in Budapest is to discover the further part of the Pest side and check out the Heroes’ Square and Budapest City Park. To reach that part of the town take the Millenium Underground. Heroes’ Square is surrounded by statutes of important Hungarian historical figures. It features the beautiful Vajdahunyad Castle building and most of our art museums. 

Buda Castle Garden - one day itinerary in Budapest

Buda Castle Garden – one day itinerary in Budapest

Evening and Night

For a relaxing and rejuvenating experience, head to Széchenyi Thermal Bath, one of Budapest’s most famous thermal baths.  Unwind in the thermal pools, steam chambers, and other facilities offered by the bath. If you want to mingle with fellow travelers and check out the plenty of sightseeing cruises on the Danube, it is worth timing your cruise around 8 p.m. to have a glimpse of the sunset and see the Parlament lit up. To properly kickstart your night meanwhile, you are enjoying the beautifully lighted sights, I would recommend trying the unlimited prosecco cruise.

After the cruise, you are properly warmed up for the nightlife of Budapest. Now it is high time to check out the Jewish District and take a dive deep into the world of international street food and ruin bars. If you want to experience the essence of a ruin bar, go to the first one, the Szimpla Kert. It is a very cool unique place with a typical ruin bar vibe and right next to you’ll find the Street Food Caravan, which offers you plenty of food trucks if you need a bite between the drinks.  

Szimpla Kert ruin bar - one day itinerary in Budapest

Szimpla Kert ruin bar – one day itinerary in Budapest

 

I hope we could offer some useful tips for your time in our favorite city. Feel free to mix up the schedule of our one day itinerary in Budapest. If you can’t handle the heat of the Hungarian summer it is recommended to start your day with the Buda Castle and come to our Free Budapest Tour later in the afternoon. Some travelers need more time in certain areas, don’t feel bad if you can’t do all of these activities in 24 hours. Just relax, wonder at the breathtaking architecture, and most importantly eat and drink as much you please. That is the local way to enjoy Budapest to its fullest.

Weekend guide 30th June – 2nd July

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Dear Travelers!

Summer is here, it is time for festivals, open-air markets and concerts and so much more… Let us, the Free Budapest Walking Tours / Triptobudapest.hu Team recommend you a few programs for the upcoming days.

  • 2 open air markets with local products: 1. Market on Római part (Roman beach), every Saturday, you can buy your summer fruits vegetables here and also have a nice lunch! 2. Market at Grund, Saturdays 9am-2pm. It is at a more local area of Budapest, for later you can also find bars, craft beer places here, like Élesztő.
  • Danube Beach opening on Római part this weekend: close to the mentioned market until the 20th of August they launch an open-air beach with toilettes, showers, sunbeds, life guards. The address is 15-17 Kossuth Lajos üdülőpart, you can get there by bus 34, get off at Szent János utca.
  • Fény street market 25th Birthday weekend: a less known market for tourists on the Buda side. If you wing by until the 1st of July, you can enjoy live music, welcome champaign and Japanese bolognese 😀
  • Folk concert in the City Park of Pest (Városliget in Hungarian) 2nd of July : The City Park is full of attractions, you can find the Heroes’ square here, museums (old and new), the zoo, the beautiful Széchenyi bathhouse, the Vajdahunyad castle, a natural lake, open-air restaurants and bars… There will be also a folk concert by the band called Erdőfű on the open-air stage of the House of Music Hungary. You can see and enjoy cheerful music and experience how a Hungarian folk dance event is like.

We hope you will enjoy your weekend and your Trip to Budapest and do not forget that we are awaiting you on the Elisabeth square and the Batthyány square with our daily free walking tours in the Hungarian capital! Look for the blue FREE TOUR flag! 🙂

Renovation of Metro 3 finished

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Renovation of Metro line 3  is finished!

It has been quite a long time, the renovation of metro line 3 (or blue line) started almost 6 years ago. But You know the saying, good things come to those who wait! :)) From the 22nd of March 2023 the whole line is in operation after the renovation project. Budapesters and travelers can now travel without having to use replacement buses, which is a big ease finally.

Metro lines of Budapest

Let us, the Free Budapest Walking Tours Team / Triptobudapest.hu Team share a quick history of the metro lines of the Hungarian capital.

  • in 1896 Hungary celebrated the 1000th anniversary of the Hungarian tribes land taking in Europe (which happened in 896 AD). There were a lot of constructions in Budapest for the celebrations, they build the Heroes’ square, the Fishermen’s Bastion, and the Metro line 1 (yellow line) as well, which makes it the first metro line of continental Europe and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is definitely worth a ride!
  • Metro line 2 (red line) was built after World War 2. The construction started in 1950 and finished in 1972.
  • Metro line 3 (blue line) is the longest and busiest. They started building it in 1970.
  • Metro line 4 (green line) they started planning it already in the 1970s, but started the construction only in the 2000s. Finally finished the first part of it in 2014.

That is it, only 4 metro lines are in Budapest, nothing difficult to figure out! Budapest is not a huge city, the city center is quite walkable, but if you are using public transport, it is worth to buy the 24 hour pass, which is about 6,5 euros (2500 Hungarian forint) and you can use buses, trams, metro, every vehicle with it.

We wish you an easy and happy travel and nice free tours with our company in the Hungarian capital city!

Sights worth visiting in Old Buda – Óbuda

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Sights of Óbuda – recommended by the Free Budapest Walking Tours Team

Besides taking some of our free tours in Budapest, it is also worth to wander around some areas where walking tours do not go very often. Let’s see the sights of Old Buda (Óbuda in Hungarian which is also known as the 3rd district of the Hungarian capital).

  • Roman amphitheater and Aquincum Museum: before the Hungarians settled down in this area, there used to be a Roman settlement here called Aquincum. The Aquincum Museum, which has huge a collection (objects and finds), presents the heritage of ancient Rome to those interested in a unique way. Next to the museum is the Romkert, one of the largest Roman archaeological parks in Hungary. During the tour of the area, visitors can get to know a part of the civic city of Aquincum, as well as the most typical public buildings and private houses of the city center, which were built in the 2nd-3rd centuries AD.

 

  • Kiscelli Museum: the building was originally built as a monastery, and was later bought by the furniture manufacturer Miksa Schmidt, who gave the building and its park to the capital. Today’s museum presents the history of Budapest and also has a significant fine art collection. The courtyard of the building complex, reminiscent of the Romantic era, is also a kind of exhibition space where you can see sculptures and works of art. The museum is surrounded by the Kiscelli park forest, recently renovated and expanded with a modern forest playground, where from spring to autumn we can take really pleasant walks and even have a picnic.

 

  • Roman beach (Római part in Hungarian): After Óbudai Island to the north, Római-part is a popular spot for those who want to relax after the hustle and bustle of the city. This stretch of the Danube coast is busy with visitors all year round, whose souls and bellies are taken care of by the cozy restaurants, stalls, and open air places that offer excellent gastronomic experiences. If you can, spend as much time as possible on the Római coast walking, running, cycling, or enjoying the waters of the Danube, you certainly won’t regret it.

Programs for the rest of April in Budapest

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Program recommendations for the rest of April by the Free Budapest Walking Tours Team (Triptobudapest.hu Team)

  • Opening of Budapest Garden, 21st-23rd April: Budapest Garden opens the season with varied and free programs for the whole family between April 21 and 23. This weekend, the Fröccsbár awaits wine lovers (fröccs in the Hungarian wine spritzer = wine and soda water), but you can also tune in to the seaside feeling at the cocktail-making workshop with the panorama of the Danube. On Saturday, you can get to know the world of whiskey, gin and rum at a tasting combined with a performance, and on Sunday, once you’ve set the mood, the Keep Swinging team will teach you a couple of jazz and Charleston steps. Meanwhile, the little people won’t be bored either: a sports field, a fire park and many guided games await them. Location: Buda side, Árpád Fejedelem útja 125.
  • Modern, Gastronomical and Musical Celebration of the 1st of May, 30th April – 1st of May: The following places (restaurants and bars) will have and extended Labor Day celebration starting earlier than the 1st of May: Nemdebár, 101 bistro, Pigrumba, Sárkány, Easy. They will have their stands on the street, on a quite local square on the Buda side, the Széll Kálmán square (on the metro line number 2). There will be good food and music, plus your kids and pets will not be bored either!
  • Budapest Spring Festival (Budapesti Tavaszi Fesztivál) 20th April- 2nd May: In the spring, Budapest’s cultural diversity is again in the spotlight. On the occasion of the 43rd Budapest Spring Festival, programs are organized at nearly 30 locations. The center of the event series, which features more than 50 programs, is the constantly changing artistic and cultural life of the city. You can expect an exciting line-up: the repertoire includes theater performances, round table discussions, digital art reviews, photo exhibitions, film screenings and big band concerts. Here is their website with the programs!

Also, Do not forget to join our daily free tours in Budapest! We are looking forward to seeing you! 🙂

2023 Easter in Budapest

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Dear Travelers,

Let us, the Free Budapest Walking Tours Team (Triptobudapest.hu Team) tell you about what is coming up next weekend (from 7th of April, Friday till the 10th of April, Monday), at Easter time in our capital city 🙂

First of all, OUR FREE WALKING TOURS IN BUDAPEST RUN AS USUAL! Even though on Friday the 7th of April on Sunday the 9th of April, and on Monday the 10th of April it will be a holiday, so banks, shops, shopping malls, markets will be closed, we do not stop! 🙂

Some smaller 0-24 supermarkets will be open, museums (except on Mondays), bathhouses and restaurants will be open, so do not worry, there will be things to do over the holiday as well.

What is more, there is a nice Spring Market (Budapesti Tavaszi Vásár in Hungarian)  going on from the 24th of March till the 16th of April, on Városháza Park (City hall park in English) and Deák Ferenc square. Spring comes to 150-year-old Budapest with colorful music programs, a craft fair, an egg museum (we paint eggs in Hungary  at Easter as a tradition) and a nostalgia carousel. In the heart of the city center, family and children’s programs, a craft fair and gastronomic specialties await you!

See you soon on our free and private tours in Budapest and all the best for the upcoming Easter holidays!

15th March – National Holiday in Hungary

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The 15th of March – National and Bank Holiday in Hungary

Let the Free Budapest Walking Tours Team (a.k.a. Triptobudapest.hu Team) introduce you to the first National Holiday of the year.

First, let us inform you that on this day bigger shops, grocery stores, shopping malls, markets, banks will be closed.

However, tourist attractions, bathhouses, museums, most of the restaurants, smaller non-stop supermarkets will be open and our free tours in Budapest run as usual!

There will be commemorations all over the city center that you can see for free and some museums are also free on national holidays like the 15th of March, for example (including but not limited to): Hungarian Agricultural Museum in the City Park, inside of Vajdahunyad Castle, Hungarian National Museum, Ludwig Museum of contemporary art, Museum of Military History in the Buda castle district, Hungarian Natural History Museum.

What Hungarians commemorate on the 15th of March in a nutshell

For a long time, from the end of the 1600s until the end of the First World War Hungary was part of the Austrian Empire. We organized a number of revolutions and freedom fights to get more rights inside of the empire. In 1848 the biggest and most important revolution happened in Budapest and Hungary. The 15th of March was the day when the freedom fight broke out. Even though this revolution failed, we can say that it is one of the most significant events in Hungary’s modern history, and it forms the cornerstone of modern Hungarian national identity.

You can also find a square in Budapest named after this day of commemoration, in Hungarian it is called Március 15. tér, and its a nice place next to the river Danube, on the Pest side of the city.

Hope to see you soon on our free walking tours in Budapest where you can learn more about Hungarian history! 🙂

 

Programs in Budapest for the rest of February 2023

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Dear Travelers,

let us, the Free Budapest Walking Tours Team (Triptobudapest.hu Team) recommend you a few things to do before/after taking some of our free tours in the Hungarian capital after the 18th of February 2023.

  • Indoor Beer Festival (24-25th February): Once again, unlimited beer will flow from the beer taps at Hungary’s only winter beer festival, the Indoor Beer Festival (link of the Facebook event). In addition to the Danube panorama, the organizers promise a truly multicultural environment: you can celebrate the last weekend of February with Hungarian, Czech, German, English and Belgian beers. The festival experience is rich in effervescent pleasures and is completed by cultural & historical additions, beer gastronomy delicacies, beer dinners and beer drinking competitions. With the tasting glass included in the ticket, this year you can also request as many tastings of the more than 100 types of small and large-scale beer on tap as you can.
  • Plants & Grooves: The Bazaar (25th February): Exhibitors and sellers bring a wide selection of spring flowers and indoor plants as well as plant-based, nature-related designer products, fashion and interior design goods to the Plants & Groove plant fair (link of the Facebook event), and visitors can take part in a florarium workshop, too. The Groove Cartel DJ duo will be responsible for the atmosphere and the good mood of the plants and the visitors and guests; they will provide the audience with music in association with a surprise musician. The event is free and will take place in the place called MANYI.
  • MentesFeszt (25-26th February): The Mentes Festival, which will be held on the weekend of February 25th, welcomes new and returning visitors to the first all- free (gluten free, lactose free, vegan etc…)  meeting of the Carpathian Basin. The health-conscious festival waits for you to the ELTE Gömb Hall with various professional presentations, a small market, a gastropub, vegan wines and cheese specialties.
  • Jazzation – Carnival concert (20th of February): Anything can happen at Jazzation’s carnival concert (link of the Facebook event): the band’s singers know no limits in terms of musical virtuosity, so this time they are pushing the boundaries of effective stage appearance.

Have a nice rest of February & See you soon on our private of free walking tours in Budapest! 🙂

Unique places and programs in Budapest inspired by real cult films

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Besides our free tours in Budapest check out these programs inspired by cult movies

  • Travelling Galaxy: Kecskeméti street 5., till the end of March 2023. This interactive exhibition called Traveling Galaxy in Kecskeméti Street, on the Pest side of the river, which opened in mid-December 2022, is a must-see for Star Wars fans. Hundreds of authentic relics and models from the original (IV, V, VI) parts of the Star Wars trilogy, well-known to many from the films, are presented to the public on site. The rooms, scenery, lighting, interactive equipment and detailed installations evoking movie scenes are of an outstanding standard in Central Europe. In its current form the exhibition can be visited until the end of March 2023, just look for the helmets known from the world of Star Wars before entering.

 

  • Locked Room: Székely Mihály street 4.,  on the Pest side of the Danube. In this new generation escape room called Locked Room, you can participate in the Heisenberg Project, but this time you have to take the role of the bad guy. Now you can finally experience the most shocking situations of the Breaking Bad series in exciting locations. According to the story, your days are numbered, as the police organised a raid on the suppliers of all the notorious drug empires. You get a hint in time, so you have the opportunity to eliminate all incriminating evidence and then escape in time before the commandos get there. An engaging story and lifelike scenery – this will surely make you enjoy yourself!

 

  • Flying broom Experience and Magic Café (Repülő seprű Élmény és Varázs kávézó in Hungarian): Pacsirtamező street 36., on the Buda side. The magical world of The Flying Broom will astonish even the biggest Harry Potter fans with its impressively detailed interiors that almost completely evoke the atmosphere of Hogwarts. Harry Potter relics are everywhere, one shelf holds dragon eggs, while another holds a Sorting Hat or Hedwig. In addition to the breathtaking sight, the restaurant also has other surprises, they complete the experience with color-changing drinks, smoking glasses and magical dishes. And if you arrived at the right time, you can also catch their periodic programs, games, and quizzes.

Hope you enjoy these places and see you soon on our free walking tours in Budapest despite of the chilly weather!

With kind regards: The Triptobudapest.hu – Free Budapest Walking Tours Team