Hotels in Budapest
Best Time to Travel to Budapest
Rich history, beautiful parks, stunning architecture, underground bars, and centuries-old thermal baths — all this and much is what makes up Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Budapest is made up of two cities bisected by the Danube river — Buda on the west side is hilly, while Pest (pronounced “pesht”) on the east is flat. The cities were merged in the 19th century, with the resulting city almost being named Pestbuda. There was a third city — Óbuda — that was merged with the others in 1873. The 19th-century Chain Bridge was the first stone-bridge connecting Buda and Pest. The historical separation also gave Buda and Pest have distinct identities. Buda is home to grand residential areas and Buda Castle, whereas Pest is a favourite among party people and is known for its ruin bars. The best times to visit Budapest are spring or autumn — March to May or September to November, respectively. Apart from the pleasant weather, the city isn’t overcrowded and, therefore, prices are within budget. Though the summer months — June to August — see a lot of tourists, the heat and excessive crowd may make for an uncomfortable trip. During the winter months there are barely any tourists because the weather is very chilly and public most attractions are shut.
Airport in Budapest
Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, also known as Ferihegy, is the main international airport serving Budapest. It is also the largest of Hungary’s four commercial airports. Located around 15 from the city centre, the airport has two passenger terminals — Terminal 2A handles flights within Schengen area and Terminal 2B serves flights to non-Schengen destinations. The airport is equipped with services such as restaurants and cafés, duty free shops, ATMs, currency exchange and tourist information counters. For getting to Budapest from Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, you can take a taxi, bus or rent a car. A taxi ride costs around £27. If you don’t want to hire a taxi, you can take a bus. Board the 100E Airport Bus. A ticket costs £2.5. There is also a 24/7 bus service, 200E, whose ticket costs around £1. However, it takes longer than 100E to reach the city centre. Your other option could be to rent a car from the numerous rental agencies at Terminal 2B.
Transportation in Budapest
You can discover Budapest by walking, as most tourist sites, restaurants, bars, and thermal baths are within walking distance of each other. If you like biking, you can rent a BuBi bike from over 140 docking stations across the city. Tickets range from £1.3, £2.6 and £5, depending on the number of days you are hiring the bike for. You will be charged a refundable security deposit of £62 that will be returned to you after your ticket expires. To easily get around the city, you can also use Lime electric scooters. The cost consists of a base charge of £0.9. Since Budapest has a good public transportation system, you can opt for buses, trolleys, and trams. If you are over 65 years and from an EU country, all public transport in Budapest is free for you. For others, the fare is £0.9. For directions, rely on Google Maps or download the BKK FUTÁR app, operated by the Center for Budapest Transport. There are also four subway lines in the city that connect most of the tourist attractions. To freely move around, buy a Budapest Card, which can be used for unlimited travel, entry to museums, walking tours, and discounts at baths, restaurants etc.
How to get to Budapest
There are daily flights to Budapest Ferihegy International Airport from major cities of the world. It’s connected to other cities in Europe, Middle East, Africa and international cities such as Cairo, Beijing, Düsseldorf, Paris, Vienna, Munich, Doha, Zürich, Dubai, London etc. The major airlines that serve the airport are British Airways, easyJet, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Qatar Airways, Ryanair and Wizz Air. From London, taking a flight is the best way to reach Budapest. The flight takes about five-and-half hours and the ticket price varies between £54 and £180. You can also take a train, for which you would have to shell out around £190. You can also take a bus. The journey takes around 30 hours and the fare would be in the range of £70. Even from other European cities, you can get to Budapest by bus or train.
How much are hotels in Budapest
Some of the best hotels in Budapest are located in Pest, as most museums, galleries and interesting sites are in that part of the city. However, even Buda has a lot to offer. So, before you look at the best Budapest hotel deals, here are the room charges.
- Prices for the best 5-STAR hotels that have luxurious rooms with scenic city views, fine dining, spas, swimming pools and bars start from around £120 per night and can go up to even £300.
- If you are looking at a 4-STAR facility, be ready to shell out around £85 per night. You’re your pick from Budapest hotels that have been providing accommodation to people for decades, such as Hotel Gellért, or those which were built or refurbished recently, like Hotel Palazzo Zichy.
- Are you looking for a 3-STAR hotel in Budapest? Then you would have a lot of options to choose from that would offer you great savings. Prices start from £55 per night. For the best deals, book Budapest hotels well in advance.
- If you’re looking at further cheap hotels in Budapest, read up a few guest reviews and ratings. Maverick City Lodge in the heart of the Jewish Quarter can be a good choice. Here, rates start from £29 per night.
Budapest Tourist Information
Top tourist attractions in Budapest
Budapest has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, making sightseeing all the more interesting. To visit the most interesting Budapest attractions, about three days is enough, as the sites are bunched together.
- You can start your Budapest tour with a visit to the Parliament building along the Danube. This iconic neo-gothic building is where the Hungarian legislature meets. It took 19 years to build this massive structure. Buy your tickets in advance so that you don’t end up standing in long queues.
- For panoramic views of Pest and Danube, eateries and shops, tour Castle Hill. You can get there either by bus or funicular. Once there, you can explore the Buda Castle, Budapest Torteneti Muzeum, Hungarian National Gallery, Hospital in the Rock, Matthias Church, Hungarian Presidential Palace, Buda Tower and Fisherman’s Bastion.
- South of Castle Hill, you can explore Gellért Hill, a popular sunset spot. Here too, you can appreciate monuments such as Liberty Statue, Queen Elizabeth Statue, statue of King Saint Stephen with a horse and Szent Gellért Monument.
Top food places in Budapest
In Budapest, choosing a place to eat out is not an easy task, as there are so many restaurants. Though the menus are usually meat-heavy, there are many options for vegans and vegetarians too. So, while exploring the best things to do in Budapest, add one of these tip-top restaurants to your list:
- Visit Borkonyha, a Michelin-starred restaurant, where the menu changes every couple of weeks. Try their signature foie gras appetiser with apple and celeriac or mangalica (a special type of Hungarian pork). They also have a five-course tasting menu that comes for £60.
- If you plan to eat at just one fine-dining restaurant in Budapest, make it Baraka. They have a half-open kitchen and specialise in seafood.
- Would you like to dine in an old-world style restaurant with a piano playing in the background? Then visit Múzeum, a restaurant still going strong after 135 years. Don’t miss their goose-liver parfait £9 orgoose leg and cabbage £11.
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