Our itinerary for spending 3 days in Budapest is filled with amazing sunset spots, a couple of thermal baths, and nice viewpoints at both Buda and Pest. Lots of the places we’ll mention we found by simply getting lost around the Jewish district or the pubs around Pest, so I invite you to do the same! With this itinerary, we get you covered with the best things to do in Budapest in 4 days but get lost around the city to discover the local gems this city has to offer.
Overview of our 3 Days in Budapest Itinerary:
- Day 1: Buda
- Day 2: North Pest
- Day 3: South Pest
Day 1 in Budapest: Buda
The perfect start to your 3 days in Budapest is to visit Buda’s District. Our first stop was the Chain Bridge, as you will need to cross the legendary Danube River.
Széchenyi Chain Bridge
The place is absolutely gorgeous and worth stopping for a few pictures. We recommend you take your time at the Széchenyi Chain Bridge and admire the views while crossing to the other side of the river: Buda.
Btw, we chose to stay in Pest. If you visit Budapest with friends, expect to go out at night, and the place for that is Pest. You can start searching for where to stay in Pest here.
Matthias Church
Head North keeping the river to your right. Matthias Church is located in Holy Trinity square right in front of the Fisherman’s Bastion at the center of the Castle District.
Watch the sunset at Fisherman’s Bastion
Right around the back of the church, you will find Fisherman’s Bastion. It’s easy to understand why this place is so popular. It really looks like you’re in a Disney movie! It’s also a very popular place to watch the sunset in Budapest, but it’s 100% worth it. The balconies are free and there is a small fee of 3€ to go to the upper towers or turrets. If you want to escape the crowds, a good idea would be to start this day by watching sunrise instead of sunset at Fisherman’s Bastion.
It’s definitely our favorite place to watch the sunset in Budapest!
Day 2 in Budapest: North Pest
You’ll visit the Hungarian Parliament, walk along the Danube’s riverside, admire the impressive buildings of Budapest and end the day pub crawling in Pest, which is an amazing experience when visiting Budapest with friends.
Hungarian Parliament Building
We spent the morning visiting the Hungarian Parliament, as it’s one of the best things to do in Budapest. I’m not a big fan of architecture, but it’s been one of the biggest surprises of the trip. It’s the third-largest Parliament building in the world and a must-see recommendation for your 3 days in Budapest itinerary.
Watch the sunset at Shoes On The Danube Memorial
After the Parliament tour, you can have lunch in the area and head towards the river bank to the Shoes On The Danube Memorial. During the time of the Holocaust, several Hungarian Jews were lined up along the bank and forced to take their shoes off. They were shot into the river. The shoes on the Danube memorial are an honorable tribute to remember those who lost their lives during the Holocaust.
The Ruin Pub Craze At Szimpla Kert
At night, I recommend you discover the Jewish Quarter, as it’s home to Budapest’s famous ruin pubs. There are lots of them, but don’t miss the original Szimpla Kert. Those old buildings that have been transformed into cool bars are the perfect way to spend a night with friends in Budapest. In case you want to read more about our trips with friends, I recommend you take a look at my friends travel section.
Day 3 in Budapest: South Pest
After a night of pub-crawling in Budapest, you’ll want to wake up late, believe me. That’s why our itinerary starts around 12:00 am. The Great Market Hall is a great way to taste the local cuisine. After that, you can head to Géllert Hill, which is the spot locals in Budapest go to catch the sunset and end the day at Géllert Thermal Bath. That’s the perfect plan for spending a day in Budapest.
Great Market Hall/Central Market Hall
Having lunch at the Central Market Hall is a gastronomic experience! Take into account that weekend hours differ as the market closes at 3 pm on Saturdays and it’s closed on Sundays. If you’re spending a weekend in Budapest, I’d recommend you switch Day 3 for the Day 2 itinerary.
Watching the sunset at Géllert Hill
Géllert Hill is a well-known place to catch the sunset in Budapest. Nevertheless, it’s mainly frequented by locals. We loved to spend some time on the hill, walking through the area and admiring the views of Budapest and the Danube river.
We decided to bring a little picnic to have dinner here and capture the moment when the city lights come on at night. Having a picnic is a great way to visit Budapest on a budget.
Spending some time on Buda’s side of the Danube river is also a great spot to photograph the magic of Budapest at night.
Géllert Thermal Bath
Have you ever experienced swimming in a thermal bath at night? It’s a magic experience and there’s no better place for that than Budapest! We chose Géllert Thermal Bath because it’s less touristy than Széchenyi Thermal Bath.
Extra: 4 Days in Budapest
If you have an extra day to spend 4 days in Budapest, I recommend you visit Margaret Island to enjoy some time in this gorgeous park and relax on your last afternoon at Széchenyi Thermal Bath. It depends if you travel to Budapest in winter (as we did) or in summer. In my case, I visited Budapest during Christmas time and it was a great experience that I highly recommend.
Margaret Island
In the morning, visit Margaret Island. The island is like a green oasis in this bustling city. A great way to discover the area is to rent a quad or a bike to discover Margaret Island on your own. You’ll find a musical well, a Japanese garden, and even a hidden monastery.
Széchenyi Thermal Bath
In the afternoon, you can go to Széchenyi Thermal Bath, which is arguably one of the best Thermal Baths in the world and the largest medicinal bath in Europe. It’s also the most visited thermal bath in Budapest, so expect it to be crowded on weekends. A cool thing about Széchenyi Thermal Bath is how big it is, as there are 15 indoor baths, 3 outdoor pools, 10 saunas, and even a beer room! If you want to party, you must know that Széchenyi Thermal Bath is open on Saturday nights until 3:00 am, as it turns into a nightclub!
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