What to do in Budapest

[milkydress]

I'm off to Budapest for the weekend in mid November. No idea why....just booked it now randomly!! For those of you who have been please tell me what I can do / where I can eat and drink?or anything else you think might be useful for me to know! I'm staying in the pest area. Thank you 😊

You could also hire a bike / go to the park / visit the Vasalery museum. It’s a beautiful city day and night.

Reviving this as currently in Budapest. It’s cold and overcast and yesterday rained relentlessly. Anymore suggestions welcome. I can’t figure out how to get tickets for the tram . Is the metro better?
Food so far has been quite indifferent and quite expensive with large service charges. Staying near St Stephen’s Basilica which we visited yesterday along with the synagogue.
What is the best way to book a Danube cruise and is it better to go at night or during the day? Which companies are best? I have a guide book and have googled but find myself confused and bewildered! No t helped by waking very early, being cold etc.

There are machines to buy tickets for public transport and they are valid on all types (tram, bus, metro) you just have to punch the ticket as you get on.
There is a helpful video on YouTube that explains how to do this.

The weather was unseasonably bad yesterday! If you're looking for warmer activities there are a number of good museums and galleries around Heroe's Square. Or the baths are still open and warm in this weather!

If you don't mind a bit of a chilly walk, I'd really recommend a walking tour to get your bearings and find out more about Budapest, usually the guides are very helpful in advising tourists.

Just can’t see a machine anywhere! Was looking around parliament buildings . Thanks, will oook at a walking tour.

Machines are everywhere! You can select the big 🇬🇧 at start so not hard to use. Inside every metro station and on the tram platforms. Far better to buy a 24/48/72h pass than singles as then you don't have to remember to validate on trams - tickets are all valid on all public transport types. It's really user friendly and easy to navigate! Get the BudapestGO app for route planning.

Go on metro 1 to admire the old wooden stations of one of the oldest metro lines in Europe. Take tram 2 for river views. Tram 4-6 will get you around the inner circle and also across to middle of margrit bridge.

On a rubbish weather day there is nothing better than a thermal bath. If it's rainy go for Gellert or Rudas rather than Szechenyi as they have more indoor areas. Although latter may still have some men only days in the thermal bit so double check

It sounds like you are only going to overpriced restaurants in the v touristy areas. I would recommend googling Leila's Lebanese and Ket Szerescen. Mazel Tov in district 7 is also nice.

We loved Szchenyi baths, Terror Museum, Statue Park, Funicular, and Bagolyvar restaurant. I am jealous, we loved Budapest.

The metro at parliament is quite well tucked away at the far end it's called Kossuth Lajos Ter. It had some scaffolding around it last time I was there but step through into the station there were machines in the corridor bit just inside. That's tramline 2 you are seeing there, it skirts around parliament and the stop is next to the metro station which may be why that tram stop doesn't have a machine. The bigger built up tram stops on main roads (usually in the middle) all do.

Re food, the Michelin guide contrary to expectations is always a great source for good affordable eateries (just filter out the starred listings) and has about half a dozen entries in the moderate price range including several centrally located bistros.
https://www.viamichelin.de/web/Restaurants/Restaurants-Budapest-1007-Budapest-Ungarn?sort=price

Thanks that’s really helpful.

You're welcome, it's my fave city so was sad to see you had a crap first day. Once you get your transport ticket you can do so much exploring quickly. Hope the weather improves that was unlucky. Until then I would hide in a thermal bath. If you can - take own towels and a swim cap for Gellert as you need the latter for the main grandest swimming pool (not for the thermal bits) . They will sell them to you of course - but decathlon is cheaper!

Download the.BudapestGo app and you can get tickets easily in you phone including travel card for metro and buses

We went up to the Buda hills in the children's railway. It's an old communist railway run exclusively by kids. The views are great and theres some nice walking trails and a chair lift up to a view point