Hungary 5 Day Itinerary

Hungary runs on the forint, not the euro, which surprises a lot of first-time visitors who assume EU membership means a shared currency. That small fact unlocks the whole trip: a three-course dinner with wine in a good Budapest restaurant can cost under 20 euros, thermal bath entry is around 5,500 HUF (roughly 14 euros) at Rudas or Lukacs, and a metro ticket runs 500 HUF. Five days here goes further than almost anywhere else in central Europe.

One critical update before you pack: Gellert Bath closed in October 2025 for a major renovation and will not reopen until 2028. Book Szechenyi (around 11,900 HUF on weekdays) or Rudas instead, and do it online in advance since evening sessions sell out days ahead.

Day 1: Arrival and First Impressions of Pest

Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport sits 24 km from the city centre. The fastest and cheapest public option is Bus 100E, the airport express, which costs 2,200 HUF (about 5.50 euros) and drops you at Deak ter, Astoria, or Kalvin ter in 35 to 40 minutes. A licensed Fotaxi costs roughly 26 to 34 euros depending on traffic. Avoid anyone approaching you in arrivals offering unofficial rides.

Check in and then walk Andrassy Avenue in the late afternoon. It is a UNESCO-listed boulevard lined with embassies, the Opera House, and the House of Terror museum. The light is best here around 5pm. Resist the instinct to load up on tourist-trap restaurants on Vaci Street. Instead, head to Kadár Etkezde, which reopened in autumn 2025 in the Jewish Quarter after a four-year gap. Checked tablecloths, communal tables, chicken paprikas, and meat broth with matzo dumplings. Mains run around 3,500 to 5,000 HUF. It fills up fast, so arrive early or expect to queue.

Spend the evening at a ruin bar in District VII. Szimpla Kert on Kazinczy utca is the original and still the most atmospheric, built inside a crumbling former factory. Avoid any bar where someone on the street actively invites you in. That is almost always the setup for a four-figure bill.

Day 2: Buda Castle and the Royal Hill

Cross the Szechenyi Chain Bridge on foot in the morning. The view upstream toward Margaret Island and downstream toward Parliament is the best free photograph in the city. Take the funicular (Castle Hill Funicular, around 2,800 HUF one-way) or walk up through Castle Hill gardens.

Spend the morning in the Buda Castle District, a compact UNESCO zone that contains Fishermans Bastion, Matthias Church, and the Hungarian National Gallery inside the palace complex. The National Gallery is free for EU citizens; others pay around 3,800 HUF. Skip the Horse Guardhouse if you are short on time and prioritise the church interior, especially the medieval stonework collection in the crypt.

Back in Pest after lunch, visit the House of Terror at Andrassy 60. This was the headquarters of both the Arrow Cross fascists and later the Soviet-backed secret police (AVH). It is a serious, well-curated museum that covers Hungary’s 20th-century occupation years without sentimentality. Budget 90 minutes and buy tickets online to skip the queue (around 4,000 HUF).

Evening: book Szechenyi Thermal Bath online for an evening session. The outdoor pools stay open until 10pm and are extraordinary at night, lit up in yellow inside the neo-baroque building. Weekday entry costs 11,900 HUF; weekends 13,500 HUF. The early-morning slot (before 9am) is discounted if you want to go without the crowds.

Day 3: Day Trip to Szentendre and the Danube Bend

Szentendre is 25 kilometres north of Budapest. The suburban HEV rail line (Line H5) runs from Batthyany ter and takes about 45 minutes for around 860 HUF. Go early before the tour groups from Budapest arrive around 10am.

The town is a former Serbian merchant settlement that became an artists colony in the 1920s. It has eleven Orthodox churches, more galleries per square metre than almost any town in Hungary, and a river promenade with good coffee. The Ferenczy Museum of Art in the main square runs the best permanent collection in town.

The Skanzen Open-Air Ethnographic Museum, about 3 km from the centre (buses run from the HEV stop), is genuinely worth the detour. It covers rural Hungarian architecture and folk life across different regions, spread across a large hillside park. Entry runs around 2,800 HUF. Allow two hours.

Have lunch in Szentendre rather than rushing back. Aranysarkany (Golden Dragon) on Alkotmany utca does reliable Hungarian staples, stuffed pepper and pork medallions in mushroom sauce, at sensible prices.

Return to Budapest for dinner and a walk along the Parliament side of the Danube at dusk.

Day 4: Esztergom and Visegrad

This double-destination day trip requires an early start. Esztergom is 65 km northwest of Budapest. Direct buses from Nepliget bus station take around 90 minutes. Alternatively, a train from Keleti via Dorog takes a similar time.

Esztergom was the seat of Hungarian kings from the 10th century until the Mongol invasion. The Basilica, completed in 1869, is the largest church in Hungary and sits on a hill above the Danube with Slovakia visible across the water. Climb to the cupola for a panorama covering the river bend and the old royal town below. Entry to the Basilica itself is free; the treasury and cupola cost around 1,500 HUF each.

From Esztergom, take a bus or taxi 20 km south to Visegrad. The town is small but the medieval citadel above it is outstanding. Visegrad Castle was the seat of King Matthias Corvinus in the 15th century, when the Hungarian royal court was one of the most sophisticated in Europe. The views from the upper fortifications over the Danube Bend are arguably the best in the country. Entry runs around 2,200 HUF.

Return to Budapest by bus or Mahart river ferry if the schedule allows (the ferry runs seasonally and takes longer but offers superb views of the bend).

Dinner back in Budapest: try Getto Gulyas in the Jewish Quarter for honest Hungarian classics. Mains sit around 12 to 16 euros and booking ahead is essential.

Day 5: Markets, Baths, and Departure

The Great Market Hall at Fovam ter opens at 6am on weekdays and is at its best before 9am when locals are shopping rather than tourists. Buy paprika, Pick salami, and tokaji wine on the ground floor. The upstairs gallery sells embroidered tablecloths and wooden crafts at fixed prices, which removes the need to haggle.

If your flight is afternoon or evening, the morning is well spent in one of the thermal baths. Lukacs Baths in Buda (District II, Frankel Leo utca) is the locals’ choice. It costs around 5,500 HUF, the art-nouveau interiors are more understated than Szechenyi, and it rarely has queues.

Bolt and Uber both operate in Budapest. Either app gives you a reliable, metered fare to the airport with no negotiation required. Budget around 25 to 30 euros at peak times; significantly less mid-morning.

Practical Notes

Hungary uses the forint (HUF), not the euro. Card payment is widely accepted in Budapest but carry cash for smaller towns and markets. The Schengen area covers Hungary, so EU and EEA citizens enter freely. Non-EU visitors should check current Schengen visa requirements before travelling, as processing times and requirements vary significantly by nationality.

The Budapest Card (available for 24, 48, or 72 hours) covers unlimited public transport and free or discounted entry to many museums. It makes most financial sense if you plan to visit several paid attractions in a short window. For a five-day trip where Days 3 and 4 involve leaving the city, single tickets usually work out similar in cost.

Public transport in Budapest is excellent: four metro lines, extensive trams, and riverboat services. The single ticket (500 HUF) must be validated before you board and does not allow transfers. A 24-hour travel card (2,500 HUF) is the better option once you are making more than four journeys a day.

The best seasons are May to June and September to October. July and August in Budapest are hot (often above 35 degrees), crowded, and expensive. The Christmas market season (late November through December) is genuinely atmospheric, particularly around Vorosmarty ter.

One local habit worth copying: the napi menu. Most Budapest restaurants serve a two- or three-course weekday lunch special for 1,800 to 3,000 HUF. Order this over the a-la-carte menu and you eat the same kitchen’s food for roughly half the price.