If you are looking to visit a European country packed with history, culture and fun things to do that won’t break the bank – Hungary and its capital Budapest should be close to the top of your bucket list. It may be a bold claim to make but we think that Budapest just might be our favourite city break in Europe. From luxury hotels and excellent restaurants to thermal baths and wine tasting caves, Budapest has something for everyone.
But what really makes Budapest the perfect weekend getaway? Well for starters, the flight only takes a couple of hours from the UK which is ideal for those of you who are short on time and don’t want to travel too far. Once you arrive in Budapest you will also realise that the city centre is quite compact so you will be able to cover most of the city during your weekend away. Finally, there are is so much to see and do that is unique to Budapest like the famous natural thermal spas across the city. Our favourite are the Széchenyi Baths which are the largest medicinal baths in Europe.
Matthias Church
Hungarian Parliament
Currency – Hungarian Forint.
Best Time To Visit – Budapest is fantastic all-year round but for the best weather and without the crowds we would recommend visiting between April and June. That said we last visited in November and the Christmas markets were fantastic.
Accommodation – Whether you are looking for a life of luxury or a budget weekend base, there are fantastic options in Budapest to suit all budgets. However, our top tip is to keep a look out on Voyage Prive who seem to almost always have an incredible hotel deal in Budapest. On our last visit we booked through Voyage Prive and stayed at the incredible Corinthia Hotel. Our executive room was discounted by 80% which made it incredibly good value. Read our review to find out why we think you would love the Corinthia Hotel too.
Food – One of the best surprises that Budapest has to offer is its fantastic food scene. Every time we have visited we have discovered so many great places to eat with the added bonus that eating out in Budapest is incredibly cheap. It felt like a real luxury to be able to eat out in a nice restaurant and really not pay attention to the prices in the menu! In terms of Hungarian cuisine, expect lots of the hearty, meaty dishes that are typical of Eastern Europe.
Transport – We found the public transport in Budapest to be very easy to use. To get from the airport into the city centre we took the 200E bus from outside the aiport to Nepliget tram station and then a tram into the centre. The transport network is very easy to navigate and you can pick up a bus ticket in Budapest airport once you arrive. Budapest is a very walkable city once you are in the city centre but we did use the tram a few times after a long day exploring. The tram can be especially useful instead of taking the long walk up to Hero’s Square and the Széchenyi Baths.
How much will it cost me – Budapest is cheap – I mean really cheap. Our five night stay at the Corinthia Hotel in Budapest was incredibly reasonable as we received an 80% discount for booking through Voyage Prive. A pint costs around 550Ft or £1.35 and a meal for two in a nice restaurant will set you back around £30-40.
Budapest…is in fact almost ludicrously beautiful.
If you can’t wait to start planning your next trip to Budapest – we don’t blame you! Hungary is one of our favourite destinations so check out these posts for the rest of our top tips on how to make the most of a long weekend in Budapest.
We had such a good time in Budapest we had to do two lists! From unbelievable views to relaxing in the spa, here's 5 more things to do in Budapest.
Located on the Pest side of Budapest, the Corinthia Hotel is a fantastic base from which to explore if you are new to Budapest.
Budapest is one of our favourite cities and one of the cheapest places that we have visited in Europe. Here are our top 5 things to do in Budapest.
September 10, 2018