In this post I’m sharing the most instagrammable places in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary.Β
Of course the most famous Budapest landmarks can’t be missed in this list. But it wouldn’t be a list by Yvettheworld if it didn’t include a few hidden gems that are not so instafamous (just yet)…
PS: Are you planning a romantic getaway to Budapest with your loved one? Check out these unforgettable things to do in Budapest, especially for couples.
Map of most instagrammable places in Budapest
To help you plan your self guidedΒ tour of the most instagrammable places in Budapest, I have marked all my favourite places in below map:
List of best photo spots in Budapest:
Fisherman's Bastion
If you only have time to visit one place in Budapest, it has to be the Fisherman’s Bastion. While the Fisherman’s Bastion was built to get the best panoramic views of Budapest, the lookout towers themselves are super pretty as well:
Of course, the panoramic views of Budapest didn’t disappoint either. My favourite view is from the window in one of the towers, where you can see the Hungarian Parliament:
Another cool shot to take is from the balcony of the tower, while the photographer stands on the next balcony. You need to have tonnes of patience to get the balcony to yourself for this shot (it probably didn’t help that we were visiting between 3pm and 4pm). And you’ll also need a camera with a good zoom for this shot – obviously our phone camera at the time didn’t do a great job, but I hope you get the idea:
From the observatory wall, you can see the colourful roof of the Matthias Church and the St. Stephen statue. I had no more patience to pose for another picture while being surrounded by crowds at the time, but I now really regret not having my picture here. So I made a vow to myself to never miss a photo opportunity ever again. Luckily my boyfriend Jordi did pose on the wall, so I can share this amazing photo spot with you:
My boyfriend couldn’t resist to take another picture of me on our way down, and the stairs down actually turned out to be a great photo spot for a portrait:
Szechenyi Thermal Bath
Another must-do in Budapest is the Szechenyi Thermal Bath, the famous outdoor spa that’s also open in winter. With its 15 indoor baths and 3 outdoor pools, it is one of the biggest spa’s in Europe.
At first I was a bit hesitant to go to an outdoor pool while it’s freezing outside, but I’m so glad we did. The water is heated, so you’ll only be cold when you walk towards and in between the outdoor pools.Β Β
There are a few things you should be aware of before visiting the Szechenyi Thermal Baths:
- Opening times – The thermal baths are open 7 days a week. While most facilities are open from 6am – 7pm, the outdoor pools are open until 10pm.
- Tickets – Tickets come in different kinds, so it’s important to know what you’re looking for:
- Full Day Tickets vs entry after 7pm. Tickets purchased for entry after 7pm are slightly cheaper than full day tickets, but that’s because only the outdoor pools are open after 7pm.Β
- Cabin Usage vsΒ Locker Usage. With cabin usage you get your own private changing cubicle which you can lock and where you can leave your belongings inside. Lockers are 120x30x65cm, so big enough to leave your handbag and clothes in. The locker option is cheaper, because you will have to get changed in the women-only / men-only public changing rooms. There are no tickets without cabin or locker usage.
- TowelsΒ – It is not necessary to bring your own towel, because you can rent or buy one in the thermal baths. While you can pay for your rental towel by card at the cashier where you buy your entry tickets, unfortunately they won’t be able to give you a towel. There is a special Towel Rental Station inside the baths (which means you’ll have to queue again). You can also pay for your rental towel at this station, but they only accept cash. Either way, you’ll need to pay for a deposit on top of the rental fee. Make sure to keep an eye on your towel and to return it at the rental station, or else you will lose your deposit money.
- Swimwear –Β It is mandatory to wear swimwear inside the pools. You can bring your own, but it’s also possible to buy or even rent swimwear at the spa.
- Shampoo & Shower gel – There is no free shampoo or shower gel in the showers, so you might want to bring your own or buy some in the spa shop. There are public hairdryers available in the spa which are free to use.
We arrived just before 4pm and bought the “full day ticket with locker usage” and two “rental towels” at the cashier, as we brought our own swim wear. I remember the sky went dark while we were in the outdoor baths, and as we looked up to the sky we could see snow falling down on us. It was absolutely magical!
Vajdahunyat Castle
As if the Szechenyi Thermal Baths aren’t magical enough already, there is more magic to be found inside the City Park where the thermal baths are located. If you just stroll around the park, you’ll come across the Vajdahunyat castle:
A fun fact about this castle is that it was built for the Millennial Exhibition on the 1,000th birthday of the Hungarian State in 1896, and it has never been a residence for any royals.Β
Heroes' Square
Since Heroes’ Square is right at the entrance of City Park – where the Szechenyi thermal baths and the Vajdahunyat Castle are located – this iconic landmark of Budapest cannot be missed from the list of most instagrammable places:
Liberty Bridge
The Liberty Bridge connects “Buda” with “Pest” across the Danube river. It is the shortest bridge of Budapest, so if you want to walk from Buda to Pest or vice versa, I recommend you take this bridge.
For the best pictures of the Liberty Bridge, you should walk to the observation deck at Gellert Hill on the Buda side (marked on the map as “Kilatoterasz”). The views of Pest will not disappoint:
Gellert Hill Cave Church
While you’re at Gellert Hill, you do not want to miss out on the Cave Church. I mean, how many times is it that you see a church built inside a cave?!Β
There is a small entry fee for this cave church, but it’s totally worth it. We even got an audio tour with our entry ticket. The church is open to visitors from Monday to Saturday 9:30am – 7:30pm.
Hungarian Parliament
We didn’t have much time left to visit the Hungarian Parliament, but it is such an iconic landmark of Budapest that we had to at least watch it. From the Fisherman’s Bastion it’s just a short walk along the Danube river to watch the Hungarian Parliament from the other side of the river, so these are the only pictures we got:Β
I have to say that the Hungarian Parliament is beautifully lit up at night π .
Bonus: Ruin Pubs
Now that you’ve seen the most beautiful places of Budapest, it’s time to let your hair down in one of the amazingly decorated ruin pubs. It’s easy to get lost in a ruin pub as there are so many different rooms – each with their own amazing decorations –Β so be careful with the local Palinka π
Here are some pictures of the Szimpla Kert ruin pub:
Add to your bucket list:
Road trip through Central Europe
We visited Budapest as part of our 21 day road trip through Central Europe. Click here to see our full day by day itinerary for more inspiration π
Fisherman’s Bastion was one of my favorite places in Budapest. I loved the thermal baths and the ruin bars too.
Haha. I’m Hungarian and have been to Budapest many times. I would say that you got a lot of great shots. Not sure how you managed to have no people in your Fisherman’s Bastion site as that is always such an overcrowded locale. Nice job! the thermal pools are awesome too and Vajdhunyadvar too. Cute post.
Budapest was on my list for 2020… hopefully this year it will be possible. Those thermal baths look fabulous! And the Vajdahunyat Castle is such a fairytale location π
That view of the bridge is amazing!
Aah I really want to visit Budapest! The architecture looks absolutely stunning!! I’ve not heard of Gellert Hill Cave Church before but it looks like a fascinating place! I’m definitely adding it to the list for when we get there! Thanks for the great guide!
Budapest is so gorgeous! I would love to see all these Instagrammable spots, but I might end up spending all day at the thermal baths instead. π