I couldn’t have imaged spending my 21st birthday anywhere else but Budapest. This city is so beautiful, I was truly swept away by the stunning views, architecture and friendly locals.
There is so much I wanted to see and do, but knowing that I only had 3 days in this stunning city, I wanted to make sure that I didn’t try cramp everything in, and just enjoyed myself.
A few people have asked how much I spent in total. Well let me tell you a little secret…
Before booking my trip, I did a lot of research for the best deals (just like any other person would). I found that the flights were cheap, but hotels not so much.
So… I decided that the easiest and most convenient way to book this trip was as a package – rather than buying everything separately. We did this through British Airways which worked out to be £211 per person. The package included: return flights, accommodation (4* hotel), airport transfer and Budapest 48hr cards.
Anyhow… I don’t want to bore you with all the small details, so here’s what I managed to visit/see throughout my three days in Budapest.
Day 1:
I was so eager to get to Budapest as early as possible, so I decided to book a 08:30 flight from London. Hungary is an hour in-front (UK time) so by the time I arrived in Budapest it was 11:00.
I was very lucky to have stayed on the Buda side, which meant I was able to enjoy the stunning views from the hotel without having to step outside. It also meant that I was very close to all the attractions.
Here are just a few of the beautiful placed I visited:
Fisherman’s Bastion (Halászbástya)
I began my adventures at the Fisherman’s Bastion. This is without a doubt one of the most popular attractions in Budapest! I was very lucky, because the hotel was located right next to it, which meant it was very easy for me to visit this attraction at any point. It’s located on the Buda side, so you can really relax and indulge yourself with the breathtaking views from the castles terrace – I personally couldn’t get enough!
Address: Budapest, Szentháromság tér, 1014 Hungary.
Opening Hours: Any time, all day, everyday.
Price: Free, but to enter the to the upper level lookout terrace costs 700 HUF for an adult.
Matthias Church (Mátyás Templom)
The Matthias Church is right next to the Fisherman’s Bastion, so I definitely recommend checking it out whilst you’re on the Buda side. Although this is a church where you can go and pray, it is also a museum which can be accessed by paying a small fee.
You can also choose to climb up to its lower terrace at 47m by climbing 197 steps to enjoy the view. This costs 1,400 HUF, however myself and my sister decided that it wasn’t worth paying the money, as we were already high enough and could see the view perfectly well.
Address: Budapest, Szentháromság tér 2, 1014 Hungary.
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 09:00 – 17:00, Saturday: 09:00 – 13:00, Sunday: 13:00 – 17:00.
Price: If you’d like to go in to pray, then the sacred chapel is open all day, free of charge.
However, there is an entrance fee of 1,400 HUF to visit the church which also include entry to the museum.
This must have been one of the most stunning bridges in Europe! I simply couldn’t get enough of it. I stopped by the bridge as I was on my way to visit the Parliament. And it sure wasn’t a quick stop. I found the whole surrounding so peaceful and relaxing, so we decided to spend some time by the river to simply enjoy the stunning views.
When we finally felt the chills, we decided to continue walking down the river towards the Parliament. By this point, it was late in the evening, which meant there wasn’t many tourists or locals around – especially that it was a Sunday.
Believe me when I say this, that no photographs can ever do this building justice. Unless you have seen it with your own eyes, it’s impossible to show or/and describe how beautiful this building is.
Address: Budapest, Kossuth Lajos tér 1-3, 1055 Hungary.
Day 2:
On the second day, it was my 21st birthday, which involved food, adventure, spa and more food. For those who know me will not be surprised to hear that my whole day was surrounded by lots of yummy Hungarian food.
Without further ado, here’s a few of the places I visited…
We decided to visit the Food Market Hall, because as you know by now I am a big foodie, so I wanted to see and taste all the amazing Hungarian food!.. It was amazing – I mean just look at how big this place is!
Address: Budapest, Vámház krt. 1-3, 1093 Hungary.
Opening Hours: Monday: 06:00 – 17:00, Tuesday – Friday: 06:00 – 18:00, Saturday: 06:00 – 15:00, Sunday & Public Holidays: Closed.
For lunch we visited Ahoy! Cafe – the “Chocolate & Lemonade Bar”. This was one of the cutest cafe’s I have ever been too for sure! I’m so glad I came across it and visited it on my birthday. Click here to read about my full experience at the Ahoy Cafe.
Address: Budapest, Papnövelde u. 3, 1053 Hungary.
Opening hours: Monday – Sunday: 09:00 – 22:00.
On our walk to the Szecheyi Spa, we intentionally stumbled across the House of Terror. However, I raise my hand now and admit that I didn’t manage to visit the museum – due to the limited time. However, if I ever go back to Budapest I would definitely like to visit the museum as I have heard many good things about it.
Address: Budapest, Andrássy út 60, 1062 Hungary.
Opening hours: Monday: Closed, Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00 – 18:00.
Price: Full-price ticket 2,000 HUF (Click here for a full price list).
Hero’s Square… What an amazing view before entering the city park. I have heard that usually this place is very busy – as it is one of the top tourist attractions. However, I think I was in luck that day, as there wasn’t many people around at the time when I visited, so I was able to enjoy the view and a quiet stroll through the square to enter the city park.
Address: Budapest, Hősök tere, 1146 Hungary.
Price: Free
Széchenyi Baths are located in the City Park, so it is very easy to find it – would be very hard to miss it as it is such a huge building! So, by the afternoon, we decided to indulge ourself in the most popular and traditional Hungarian thermal spa.
On your arrival, you will have to buy a pass ticket. (If you have the Budapest card, then you are entitled to 10% off your ticket price.)
Address: Budapest, Állatkerti krt. 9-11, 1146 Hungary.
Opening hours: 06:00-22:00 (Outdoor swimming pools).
Price: The prices vary – click here for full price list.
My sister treated me to an amazing meal for my birthday at “The Most Beautiful Cafe in the World”. This isn’t just a cafe, but also a restaurant and a hotel. I felt like I definitely finished my birthday in a style. The staff were lovely and very friendly, however for me the food wasn’t the ‘perfect’ quality that I was expecting. Therefore, I would only recommend going to this place if you’re going to celebrate a special occasion, as the food is overpriced.
Address: Budapest, Erzsébet krt. 9, 1073 Hungary.
Opening hours: Monday – Sunday: 08:00 – 24:00.
Day 3:
The Little Princess
Location: with Buda Castle behind (Cross the Danube via the Chain Bridge (Szechenyi) and head up to Citadella via Gellert Bathhouse.
Castle Hill (Also known as Castle District)
Address: Budapest, Castle Hill, 1014 Hungary.
Opening hours: 07:30-22:00, every day.
Price: Entry to the castle itself is free, but you will have to pay entry fee to the museums Hungarian National Gallery (History Museum, Military History Museum, Pharmacy Museum).
The best and most scenic way to get up to the hill is to take the funicular (Sikló) from Clark Ádám tér at the Buda end of the Chain Bridge. The track is almost 100m long. But, because our hotel was located right at the top of the hill, it took us a short walk to get to the Castle hill.
Price:
One way: 1,200 HUF for an Adult.
Return: 1,800 HUF for an Adult.
So lastly… What did I learned about Budapest:
- Hungarians are a friendly bunch!
- Everyone wears Timberlands, whether a tourist or local, so if you go then definitely invest in some Timberlands (or some comfy walking boots at least).
- There is A LOT of Russians, so it’s definitely a big bonus if you know some Russian.
Tips:
- Wear Timberlands!
- Walk, walk, walk! Although the transport is easy to use, I strongly advise for you not to be lazy and walk, even if it is from Buda to Pest. Don’t miss out on seeing the beautiful views over the bridges.
- Get yourself a Budapest Card!
- You must try a Kürtőskalács!
Visit my Flickr account to view more photographs from my Budapest trip.
(All photographs have been taken by me, so please do not copy or use them without permission!)