Budapest is a great destination in Europe that you will fall in love for. The ancient buildings, a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, bars, special atmosphere, and everything is cheap but high-quality.
We visited Budapest in February and it was freezing! But even though it was really cold we enjoyed it a lot.
We didn’t wander around like we are used to, but still we succeeded to visit enough places and have a great time
We definitely plan to go there again in a warmer weather, but if you visit Budapest in the winter I’m sure that my recommendation can be useful and most of them are also suitable for warmer months.
By the way, if you are looking for a cheap lodging option AirBnb is a great option. We stayed in the center for a really cheap price.
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Things to do in Budapest
Skating on ice (winter attraction) and visiting the castle
If you like skating, in the winter in Budapest there is a huge area where you can skate on ice outside, with music, and a musical atmosphere. This attraction is suitable for adults and children’s.
Part of the magical experience is that you skate in front of an impressive castle.
Skates rental prices
For an hour – 800 huf ~2.5 euro
For two hours 1500 huf ~4.8 euro
For three hours 2000 huf and for four hours 2400 huf.
Opening hours
In the winter (end of November- end of February) but can be changed
Monday-Friday 09:00-13:00 and 17:00-21:00
Saturday 10:00-14:00 and 16:00-21:00
Sunday 10:00-14:00 and 16:00-20:00
Address
Budapest, Olof Palme stny. 5, 1146 Hungary
Vajdahunyad castle
Regardless of skating on ice I really recommend to visit the castle. It’s a huge and beautiful castle. There is an option to enter its museum as part of the complete payment.
The entrance to the castle yard is free
Museum prices:
Adult 1500 huf
Child 550 huf
Opening hours
To the castle’s yard every day, any time
To the museum
Saturday-Sunday 10:00-17:00
Tuesday-Friday 1st of November until the 31st of March 10:00-16:00, 1st of April until 31st of October 10:00-17:00
Address
Budapest, Vajdahunyad vár, 1146 Hungary
Thai massage
In my opinion there is nothing more fun than a massage in the middle of the day. Especially after wandering around all day.
We looked for good recommendations for a Thai massage (since we had one in Thailand we are addicted).
We found several recommended places but we tried to call them all and only one of them had a free space for the day that we wanted. We went to this place “Spirit Thai massage” hoping that it would be good, and it was so good that three days afterwards I went there again 🙂
Prices:
8900 huf for 60 minutes of a traditional Thai massage (that’s what I did)
9900 huf for 60 minutes of a Thai massage with oil
They have also regular massages with oils like a Swedish massage and the price range is 11000-12500 huf for 60 minutes. You can also do 30 minutes massages.
Address (they have two branches)
The address of the branch that we’ve been
Dessewffy u. 47, 1066
Phone: +36 70 653 4387
Opening hours every day 10:00-21:00
Another branch
Address
Váci u. 39, 1056
Phone +36 70 524 6836
Opening hours every day 10:00-21:00
Jewish quarter tour
A fascinating tour and also very sad one. It’s definitely a highly recommended tour even if it’s very cold outside. Regardless of the tour, the Jewish quarter is amazing and full of cool places, but the tour itself added to the place a deep understanding of what happened there during the Second World War.
Because the weather was so cold when we did the tour, instead of a group tour, we were (me and my husband Roman) the only ones taking it. We had a wonderful guide (Jorje) he had a comprehensive knowledge and we really liked to talk with him.
During the tour we passed through three synagogues, and one of them was the Dohány Street Synagogue (the second largest synagogue in the world). We didn’t enter it but after the tour you can go back and do so (it costs 10 euro per person). We took the free tour (based on tips) from the company Original Budapest Tours.
You can sign-in in advance for the tour or just show up at the meeting point.
The tour is every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 11:00
Meeting point outside Starback
Starbucks @ Budapest, Deak Ferenc u. 23, 1052
They also have other tours like the sites of Budapest that are every day at 11:00, 12:00 and 14:00 at the same meeting point.
There are more companies that offer free tours but we really enjoyed our tour
Great market hall
The largest market in Budapest. It’s huge, with a lot of sausages, meat, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, spices, and more stalls (we bought Hungarian paprika) 🙂
In the upper floor there are a lot of souvenirs and also a big area with food stalls. I recommend you to arrive hungry there because all the smells will make you drool.
I tried the langos; it’s a deep-fried pancake with toppings, there is a salty version or a sweet version. For this stall there was the biggest line so I decided that I had to try it, even though I don’t like deep-fried food (cause when I’m traveling I like to try the local food). I took the salty version with sausages. It was nice and if you are a fan of deep-fried food, I’m sure you will love it, but for me it was too oily 🙂 Roman tried food from another stall and had a traditional sausage and potato and was very satisfied
Address
Vámház krt. 1-3, 1093
Opening hours
Sunday it’s closed
Saturday 06:00-15:00
Monday 06:00-17:00
Tuesday-Thursday 06:00-18:00
Drinking wine in bars
If it’s winter you should order only hot wine. It’s so good and warm in your body 🙂
One of my favorite drinks in the winter in Europe is hot wine. They serve it almost everywhere.
It’s tasty and it costs about euro and a half.
There were two bars that we really liked – actually three, but in the third they didn’t serve hot wine (but I will still recommend it because it’s a really cool bar)
Szimpla Kert bar
A ruin bar that all the locals recommend. It’s a very big bar with several areas, a big yard and a cool design. It has a great vibe and a lot of people.
It suitable for a hot wine/beer in the middle of the day, or for a great hang out in the evening. They also have a varied food menu.
It’s located in the Jewish quarter
Address
Kazinczy u. 14, 1075
Opening hours
Sunday 09:00-05:00
Saturday-Thursday 12:00-04:00
Friday 10:00-04:00
Potkulcs bar
A cozy ruin bar with a nice yard (in the winter it’s less significant). They have a small variety of food so it’s less recommended to go there hungry. But if you want chips or a meat dish, they have those. Sometimes there are live shows there as well.
Address
Csengery u. 65b, 1067
Opening hours: everyday 17:00-01:00
Prince of darts
A bar without a wine bar, but it’s so much fun there. I always saw movies with people that play darts in bars and I wanted to try it also and finally I had the chance to try it.
And it was the best game ever 🙂
In the bars there are many darts targets. We arrived there in the afternoon so we were alone, but usually in the evening it’s full of people.
We ordered beer and played for about 70 minutes. The darts cost 25 huf per minute so it’s about 1500 huf for an hour (5 euro).
It’s a cheap and cool place for hanging out.
Addrees
Szondi utca 5.
Budapest 1067
Opening hours
Every day
14:00-02:00
Westend city center
The second largest mall in Europe. If you are a malls lover and want to do shopping while you are visiting Budapest, this is the place to go to. You can spend hours there, or even a full day because it has about 400 shops. It’s huge/ it gave me a headache, but people who love shopping and malls will probably love it.
Address
Váci út 3, 1062
Opening hours
Every day 10:00-20:00
More posts I wrote on that
Our top restaurants in Budapest
Trendy coffee shops in Budapest
Food tour in Budapest – Including tour of the market, Hungarian meal, coffee and wine tastings
Budapest three-day itinerary – Recommendations for things to do in the city
Awesome things to do in Hanoi, Vietnam
Our top 10 things to do in Barcelona
Things to do in Sibiu, Romania
Information about the city of Pushkar, Rajasthan India – Recommended things to do in Pushkar