How to Spend 1 Day in Budapest: A Practical Guide 2024

We’re all short on time, especially when traveling. There is so much to see and never enough time to see it all! If you find yourself with only one day in Budapest, this is everything you need to know to make the most of it.

We’ll cover getting around, where to sleep, and what to see. I’ll drop some suggestions for restaurants, too. You can always skip ahead if you’d like.

This itinerary covers the things at the top of my Budapest bucket list. It’s cut way down to use time efficiently and see as much as you can!

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1 Day in Budapest: The Itinerary

Being short on time means getting an early start. My goal with this itinerary is to optimize the experience at each location and not necessarily the most direct line through the city. The travel card is your friend!

Morning – Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, Thermal Baths, Optional: Take a quick walk through City Park & Vajdahunyad Castle

Lunch- Eat Lunch in Vörösmárty Square and then stroll down Andrassy Avenue

Afternoon– Optional: Central Market Hall, Tour Hungarian Parliament, Shoes on the Danube

Buda Castle and Looking at Chain Bridge

After breakfast, start your morning at Buda Castle. As long as it’s light out, try to be there by 7:45 am so you can walk around the walls. If not, be there at sunrise!

Buda Castle is not, in fact, the same thing as Fisherman’s Bastion. It was confusing for me, so I thought I’d clear that up.

Buda Castle provides exceptional views of the water and Chain Bridge.

Cross the Széchenyi Chain Bridge if you’d like, but seeing it is enough on a short day.

But, from Buda Castle, you’re able to admire the chain bridge and snag a photo of the bridge and the parliament building.

Buda Castle is worth admiring, but it’s a museum now, and you won’t have time to go inside.

By 8:15 am start your walk to Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion. It’s about a 15-minute walk.

Fisherman’s Bastion

Much of Fisherman’s Bastio is free to access. After walking over from Buda Castle take a few minutes to look around at what you can see without a ticket.

The upper part of the walls and the turrets open at 9:00 am. A ticket is 1,000 Hungarian Forints (Ft) ($2.75). Buy your ticket and head up on the walls when they open. Go ahead and purchase your ticket to go inside Matthias Church, too (more on that soon).

You’ll be surprised that the crowds are pretty thin at this time. It makes the early wake-up call before a long day worth it.

Take in the grandeur of Matthias Church from the outside while you’re exploring.

Matthias Church

This church used to be the site of the coronation of Hungarian Kings. The over-the-top decoration inside makes it obvious why.

Pay attention to what day of the week you’re in the city. Matthias Church is still functioning as a church, and that impacts the hours. Monday through Saturday the church opens at 9:00 am (so you’ll be fine for this itinerary).

But if you’re visiting on Sunday, it doesn’t open until 1:00 pm. You’ll need to skip entering the church or move this itinerary around.

Tickets are 2,500 Ft ($6.83) and are purchased at the same window as the fisherman’s bastion tickets. Buy them at the same time so you don’t wait in line twice.

It is a bit pricier than most things in Budapest, but it’s worth it.

Széchenyi Thermal Baths

Thermal baths are an iconic part of a trip to Budapest, and Széchenyi is the most popular. So, be prepared for it to be busy.

Try to be heading to the Thermal Baths by 9:30 a.m. Earlier is better if you can do it without rushing through the rest of your morning. It takes 30 minutes to get to the baths from Buda.

At 10:15 a.m. in the winter, there was no wait. I imagine you wouldn’t have the same luck in the summer. Buy your tickets online early so you don’t have to wait in line. You don’t have time to waste standing in line for 1 day in Budapest!

Rent a cabin instead of just a ticket so you have an easy place to change as well as store your things.

There are showers, but the baths are a bit confusing, so you may have to hunt around a bit for showers and hair dryers. Since you only have a day, bring everything you need to feel put together.

There are 2 outdoor pools (plus a lap pool if that’s your thing) and multiple indoor pools. You can hop around to as many as you’d like. The most iconic pools are the ones outside.

Plan to spend at least a couple of hours at the pools to account for time getting ready to head back out and explore.

City Park & Vajdahunyad Castle

Spend a quick minute wandering around City Park. It’s nice to be out of the city and to see some locals using their park.

Be sure to check out Vakdahunyad Castle. It was never used as a castle but was built to honor the castles throughout Hungary. Still, it’s pretty to walk through and experience. There are also some great photo ops with the moat and the castle.

Stop by the Heroes Square part of the park. There is an imposing monument and the tomb of the unknown soldier.

It will take you about 15 minutes to walk from the baths, through the castle, to Heroes Square.

Lunch at Vörösmárty Square

To get to Vörösmárty Square from Heroes Square, take the M1 (yellow) metro line. It’ll take 15 minutes instead of a 40-minute walk.

Vörösmárty square is the most well-known square in Budapest; if a festival is happening, it will likely be happening here.

One of the most popular Christmas Markets is in Vörösmárty Square.

There are high-end shops and lots of restaurants, so take your pick for lunch!

Celiac-Safe Lunch Option-

Take a detour here and head to Kata Restaurant near the Budapest Opera House. Make a reservation though. It fills up fast but it’s amazing and it’s worth the time. You’ll still be able to see everything. Just do this next part of the itinerary in reverse (start at the opera house and end in Vörösmárty Square).

Andrássy Avenue and the Surrounding Area

After lunch, explore this area of the city on foot. The walk I’ve laid out will take around 30 minutes plus time to visit anything you’d like to visit.

Check out Erzsébet Square and the Budapest Eye. It’s the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe. If you have a quick lunch, you may find yourself with time for a ride!

St Stephen’s Basilica is an interesting contrast to Matthias Church in Buda. If you have time and enjoy churches, you can pop in to visit. But don’t feel like you have to if you’re short on time.

Take some time to walk up Andrássy Avenue to the Opera House. Andrássy Avenue is a beautiful tree-lined street with some pretty incredible buildings. It’s worth walking down part of the street to take in the aesthetic.

Walk down the opposite side of the street and head toward the stop for the 47 Tram at Városház Square.

Central Market Hall

Take the 47 tram to Central Market Hall. This is the largest market in Budapest.

The first level is mostly food. Some food for the locals and some souvenir snacks. Smoked paprika is a popular souvenir item.

The second level is Souvenir Central. You can find t-shirts, bags, postcards, trinkets, and anything else you’d like to take home. If there is a souvenir you want then you should spend time looking for it here.

The second level is narrow, so it may take you some time to move around in the crowds.

Visit Hungarian Parliament

This next part is a bit of a traveler’s choice. You should see the Parliament building at least from the outside. There is an option to tour the inside of the building as well.

Guided Tour of Parliament

A guided tour is required and the tickets sell out. So, get tickets for the 3:30 p.m. tour and buy them well in advance.

From Central Market Hall, take the 23 Tram from Fővám Square to the Parliament Visitor Center. It will take 15 minutes, but you don’t want to be late. Leave the market by 2:45 p.m. to have plenty of time.

Be sure to navigate to the Parliament Visitor Center. The building is huge and finding the visitor center is not the most straightforward if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

The tour is 45 minutes and it is punctual. By 4:15, you’ll be done.

Opting out of the Guided Tour of Parliament

You’ll still take the 23 tram but you have more flexibility since you aren’t trying to make a guided tour. Spend time walking around the entire exterior of the building if you can. It’s just worth getting up close, but you won’t need 45 minutes to do that.

Shoes on the Danube

After you visit the parliament building, no matter how you decide to visit, walk down the Danube to the Shoes on the Danube Memorial.

You’ll find 60 pairs of shoes made from iron and situated along the bank of the river. The memorial honors Jews (and others) who were killed in Budapest during World War II.

Dinner

After so much touring, it’s time for dinner. You can head back up to Vörösmárty Square but I’d recommend going to the old Jewish Quarter. There are plenty of restaurants to pick from. Plus, if you aren’t quite hungry yet this part of the city is so fun to explore.

Celiac-Safe Dinner Option:

Monkey’s is hands down the best option for you. It’s incredible. The Mexican burger is the stuff of dreams. Seriously, I’m still dreaming about it. There are a ton of gluten-free options in Budapest.

Cruise the Danube

Finish off your long day of exploring with a cruise on the Danube. A night-time cruise is a perfect way to see the city and a good way to end your 1 day in Budapest. The beautiful architecture is very well lit and the view from the boat makes for some pretty incredible photo ops.

Getting Around Budapest

One of my favorite things about Budapest is how easy it is to get around.

First, it’s easy to walk! Expect to spend some time walking around. Especially when you’re in Pest. It’s the best way to see a city. But, since you only have 1 day, use the public transit options to get around quickly.

Google Maps is so helpful when trying to navigate public transportation so I highly recommend downloading the app and the map for the city before you go.

The public transit system in Budapest is not only extensive, it’s also cheap. One ride is 350 Ft ($1).

Budapest Travelcard VS Budapest Card

If you’re here, you only have 1 day in Budapest (or at least not a lot of time). You may not have time to walk since you’ll want to see as much as possible.

The two transit pass options were honestly more confusing than figuring out the whole system. So, here’s the breakdown.

Budapest Card

The Budapest Card is like most city cards you’ve read about. It includes access to public transit and also has discounts or free access to some attractions. Unlike most city passes, it’s not 100% clear what is included in this one. At least not until you go to the kiosk and start asking for details. The 24-hour card does not include airport transfer.

Is the Budapest City Card worth it for 1 day?

No. You won’t have time to see the museums included in the card. And, the big sites aren’t included on the card (maybe a 10% discount or something but not much).

Budapest Travel Card

The Budapest travel card is for public transit only. A 24-hour pass is 2,500 Ft ($6.50). So, if you think you’ll take more than 6 rides on transit during the day, it’s worth it. If you’re following my itinerary, this is a good option!

Honestly, it’s likely the difference of a few dollars at most. But, for what it’s worth, I used the travel card and it was worth it.

Where to buy the Budapest Travelcard:

• Use the App – With the Budapest Go app you can buy your pass before you arrive.
• Arriving by train – Look for the Keleti Pályaudvar Metro station. Once underground at the station, look for kiosks and ticket windows to buy your pass.
• Arriving by plane – The BKK counter inside the terminal has attendants if you prefer to work with a person. There are also ticket machines at the bus stop at the airport. No metro line runs to the airport so you’ll be taking a bus into the city.

Where to Sleep if You Have 1 Day in Budapest

You’ll see there are plenty of hotel options in Budapest. Since you only have 1 day in Budapest be particular about the location you choose. But, know that this itinerary can work if you’re staying in Buda or Pest.

Staying in Buda

Stay at the Hilton Budapest for the best views of the river and access to some of the best sites in Budapest.

This hotel is next to 2 things that will be on your list: Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion. The bonus is you’re able to see the two at night as well as during the day.

But, staying in Buda pretty much guarantees that you’ll spend some extra time traveling. The hill is quite steep so you won’t want to spend time walking up and down it. The 16 or 16A buses run frequently though so it isn’t hard to catch a ride.

To make it worth it to stay in Buda you’d need to get up early to experience the best of Buda before the crowds show up.

Staying in Pest

Accommodations in Pest would give you the most walkable experience in Budapest. But, since you’re going to be jetting around the city it may not matter too much. Pest is a bit more central and you’d only have to make the trek up the hill once.

The Hilton Budapest City Center is a great option (I love using my Hilton points).

Ultimately, it’s up to you. But, for what it’s worth, I’d stay in Buda if I was doing it again. It was worth all of the hassle of going across the river and up the hill to get home. The area was my favorite part of the city and it was breathtaking at night.

Make Your 1 Day in Budapest Go Smoothly

If you’ve only got one day you’ll need more than a great itinerary. These are the things I’d consider to be sure you’re ready.

• Wear comfortable shoes. This probably goes without saying but you don’t want to spend time worrying about your shoes when you’re speeding around Budapest.
• Have a great day pack. You’ll be carrying a fair bit with you since you’re going to the baths. So, be sure you have a bag that can carry everything comfortably.
• Go through your list of things you need for the baths and be sure you haven’t forgotten anything:
  • Swimsuit
  • Towel
  • Flip flops (or buy them there)
  • Toiletries to shower
• Pack some snacks. It’s a long day of walking and you may get hungry between meals.
• Triple-check your tickets.
• Use Google Maps to navigate transit efficiently.

More than 1 day in Budapest?

If you’re still trying to plan your trip or you find yourself with more time in Budapest, I have a four-day itinerary. This one hits most of the highlights but there is a lot to see and some of this deserves more time than we can give it in one day!

No matter what, enjoy your time in Budapest. It really wasn’t on my list of places to visit until I started looking at advent markets and that was a mistake. It’s an amazing city and an up-and-coming tourist destination.