The best surprise - I don't know what I was expecting, but this trip completely exceeded my expectations.
In my opinion, Budapest is an absolute must. It is an incredible & unique city with such beautiful buildings and great nightlife. It was also really cheap, which was definitely an added bonus!
I'd recommend downloading the Bolt app before you go (it's like their version of Uber or Lyft). It's cheap and easy to use, and the most efficient way to get a taxi.
Budapest was originally two cities, Buda & Pest, separated by the river. Buda is the more suburban/residential side whereas the Pest side has more restaurants/bars, nightlife, museums, etc. I'd recommend making time to visit both sides of the river, as there are different things to do on both.
STAY
The Hive Party Hostel
Definitely meant for college-aged study abroad kids; really fun vibe, clean, & rated one of the best hostels in Europe
In a fantastic location, wouldn’t have changed anything about where it is in the city; on the old Pest side of the river
As the “Party Hostel”, there is a club in the middle that goes full-blast club music until 6am
Apparently where everyone goes to postgame the clubs from 5-6am
If you’re going to want to sleep while the club is still going: prepare for your bed to literally shake from how loud the music was
I was always tired enough to fall right asleep when we got back, but some of my friends were kept up by it - just be prepared for it
EATS
Belvaroski Lugas Restaurant - Went here on our first night for authentic Hungarian food; SO GOOD, definitely ask for server recommendations; I ended up ordering Goulash & a duck dish, two things I wouldn’t have thought to try but so glad I did! Goulash in general sounds nasty, but try it wherever you go - it was really good everywhere people tried it
KAHWA - Went for brunch here right on the river; really cute inside & really cheap; extensive vegan & gluten-free menu (even bagels!) which can be really hard to find
Lujza Bistro & Bakery & Wine - Stopped here for a snack as we were walking around; I just got sweet potato fries (which were really good) but my friends got goulash & it came with fresh bread which looked incredible
Cafe Vian - Went here for a dinner; there's a little bit of everything on the menu - I just got a Chicken Caesar Salad but it was really good
Mazel Tov - SO GOOD; We went here because we kept hearing about how famous it was; really cool aesthetic inside and unbelievable food (we tried the cauliflower with tahini & pomegranate seeds and the hummus platter); we went around 5pm for a snack before our main dinner so we sat right away, but by the time we were leaving, there was a huge line; I would definitely recommend making a reservation if you want to go for dinner
My Little Melbourne Cafe - Cute little coffee shop with lots of yummy sounding toast options; for gluten-free options, they only had a Turkish “Cilbir” egg dish; definitely was scared when I ordered it, but it ended up being really really good
Pizza Me - Popular late-night eats spot for after going out; a chain but everyone raved about it
Gerbeaud Confectionery - Fun place to check out for a snack/coffee break; in a cool part of town with YUMMY pastries & cakes; lots of vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and even sugar-free options in an ornate, French-vibe setting; loved this place - got the Blackberry-Hazelnut cake, it was unreal
Chimney Cake Stands - All over the place & you’ll smell them from a mile away; apparently, these are a signature dessert in Hungary; everyone that tried them said they were really good, and they are also really easy to grab & eat while you walk
NIGHTLIFE
Szimpla Kertmozi - A MUST SEE; really famous ruins bar in the Jewish district; these ruins bars are unbelievable & such a cool aspect of Budapest; really eclectic style & lots of different rooms, definitely a really cool vibe
Instant-Fogas - Another place I’d highly recommend, essentially like the ruins bars but with more of a club vibe; lots of different rooms including both indoor & outdoor areas, and each plays their own music which is cool since you can switch up the type of music you listen to throughout the night
Otkert - Never made it here, but this is another famous club that my friends loved!
THINGS TO DO
House of Terror Museum - Really heavy material, but this museum is really well put together; puts the city into perspective, and provided a lot of key history that explains why the city is the way that it is; mainly about Hungary’s Communist/Fascist past
Szechenyi Bath & Swimming Pool - Such a weird concept, but a must-do since it’s such an iconic thing in Budapest; this one was all outdoors and was really big (also had locker rooms); this is the main touristy/famous one - worth checking out
Gellert Thermal Bath - Some of my other friends went to this one, which is in a hotel on the Buda side of the river; was much nicer and had a sauna-like room too apparently; the outdoor part was closed when we went (February), so their experience was all inside
Budapest Boat Party (UltimateBudapest.com) - I think we paid like 35€ for this ticket, which included a “pregame” (& a free welcome shot) at a bar, and then an open bar for a two-hour boat cruise; the highlight was by far the Parliament building all lit up - the view of it from the water was incredible; there was a fun dance party for most of it as well, but definitely not what I expected (for what we paid though it was a good value I think)
Shoes on the Danube Bank - Really moving monument in tribute to a mass shooting that happened along the river during the Communist/Fascist era; definitely worth walking by, it was right near the Parliament building
Fisherman’s Bastion - MUST go check this out, it’s at the top of the hill on the Buda side of the river and has INCREDIBLE views of the city; the edge is lined with white arches which are fun to take pictures in as the backdrop is literally the entire city & the Parliament building; super cool area
Buda Castle - Right near Fisherman’s Bastion and another really cool area to walk around; the Hungarian equivalent of the White House is up there as well, and again, the views & architecture are incredible
The Great Market Hall - We got here literally 5 minutes after it closed (it closes at 3pm), but it was super big inside and I can see why it is such a popular attraction; seemed like lots of fresh food/bakeries, but there were also clothing & souvenir shops; wish we had made it here in time to see it fully open
SNAPS
View of the Parliament building from the Boat Cruise - Insane .
Fisherman's Bastion
Left: Two of my friends & me in front of Matthias Church, which is at the top of the hill | Center: Photo of all of the BC kids that met up together in Budapest for this weekend | Right: Me in the white arches at the lookout spot
Pictures of the city from the Buda side
Food
Left: The Turkish "Cilbir" dish I was really scared to order, but that turned out to be fire | Center: Goulash (basically Hungarian beef stew) | Right: Cauliflower with tahini & pomegranate seeds from Mazel Tov
The Baths!
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