Budapest, Hungary: Budapest is the capital of Hungary known for its stunning architecture and lively atmosphere. There are many historical landmarks to see including the Hungarian parliament building, Buda Castle, Fisherman's Bastion, St. Stephen's Basilica and the Dohany Street Synagogue as well as many more. We only had a few days here so I feel like we barely scratched the surface of what Budapest has to offer. I fell in love with the picturesque streets and the many friendly people who made us feel welcome.

Exploring Budapest, Hungary on a budget. Tips for transportation, accommodations, restaurants and sites.

Getting to Budapest from Kutaisi, Georgia

Wizair: The priority tickets made things super easy. Ours included one carry-on and one personal item as well as priority check-in and boarding. There are no included drinks or snacks, but they do have many choices for sale. Our flight was only 3 hours so we didn't buy anything. The plane was clean, the ride was smooth and the stewards were friendly. The total ticket cost 124,621HUF for 2 people ($370USD).

Kutaisi Airport: was easy to navigate though our train got us there around 11pm and our flight didn't leave until 5am. There is also a bus that leaves from Tbilisi at 10pm and gets you there around 2am. You can book everything at www.tre.ge. We couldn't find a place to fill up our water bottles which was unfortunate because like most airports the water and food were much more expensive than in town.

Airport shuttle bus to Budapest: When you exit the airport at baggage claim to the left there are purple machines where you can buy a ticket for the airport shuttle (bus 100) cost is 2,200HUF PP ($6.48USD) and takes about 45 minutes to get to the center of Budapest

Public Transportation in Budapest, Hungry

Budapest trolley: Well this was a disappointing experience. We downloaded the Transit app and bought two tickets for the trolley. We got on the trolley and went looking for the scanner to scan our mobile tickets. Well apparently we did it wrong and we were supposed to scan the QR code on the outside of the trolley, an honest mistake. That mistake cost us $71 USD! Just because we didn't know we had to scan on the outside of the trolley! The guy did not care and told us to pay now or he would call the police. Make sure you scan the very small QR code next to the door before you enter the trolley if you buy a single ride ticket in the app. This can all be avoided by purchasing the multiride day pass, but you need to take a few trips to get the full value. Honestly it's a tourist hustle and Budapest should be ashamed. I didn’t let it ruin the rest of my time there, but it will definitely taint my view of Budapest.

Budapest subway: Works the same as the trolley, so if you don't have a pass and you buy a paper ticket or one on the app (get the app here) make sure you validate it before you get on! For the subway you validate at the machines before you take the escalator or stairs down. The subway is modern and clean and a great way to get around the city.

Walking: Honestly my favorite way to get around is simply walking. There is so much to see and and take in that you miss on publice transit. So if time allows I recommend roaming the streets and seeing where the day takes you. If you do you're sure to find something amazing!

An affordable apartment in Budapest, Hungary

Danube dwelling asboth 19 2: This is an older style apartment in the heart of downtown, located on the edge of the old Jewish Quarter. It was clean, large and had everything we needed. I really enjoyed our stay here. There were many shops and restaurants on the same block though my favorite thing about this apartment was the mini tub! Honestly, it was child size, but I made it work and I used it every night! 4 nights €167.21 ($194USD)

Inexpensive and free Historical sites around Budapest, Hungary

Hungarian National Museum: I loved this museum, we spent four hours there and I could have stayed longer. We paid for the "full experience" which gave us access to every exhibit. Make sure you get the pamphlet when you buy your ticket so you know which areas have the museum highlights. Also, in their archaeological exhibit the English translation was a little rough and the science exhibits were not translated. I found the museum well worth the money, I only wish we had more time. The full experience ticket that included all exhibits is 5,800 HUF PP ($17.10USD).

Beethoven's Piano

Nautius shell cup

Margaret Island: We took the subway north towards the island and walked back to the apartment. The island is beautiful! There are many parks with benches, ponds, flowers, and trees. They have rubber running paths and bike rentals. It's honestly a beautiful place to come spend the afternoon and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Central Market Hall: This was probably my favorite place in Budapest. Its many stalls entice you with their vibrant colors and friendly owners. It had everything we needed to cook delicious meals at our apartment. We bought many fruits and vegetables, as well as sausage, goose livers and some pickles! If you are just looking for souvenirs they have everything too, from the famous paprika to knickknacks! The people were friendly and happy to help with any questions! The market itself was well laid out, indoors and very clean. There are paid bathrooms available.

Castle Hill: A historic district and UNESCO World Heritage site. This area definitely deserves a day to explore its many sites! We choose to walk here but you can also access the area via public transportation or the funicular. Once on the hill, head to Fisherman's Bastion for a commanding view of the city, including Danube river and the Parliament building that I hear gets only better at sunset though we did not het to see it. The hill is free to enter and walk around, but there is a fee for the interior of some of the buildings and the museums. It's easy to spend several hours just walking through the cobblestone streets and if you're lucky you may get to pet one of the guards horses as I did! Some of the highlights of this area included: Buda Castle, Hungarian National Gallery and The Budapest History Museum

View from From Fisherman's Bastion

Castle guard and their horses

Head downstairs for the hidden pickle vendors!

Main floor of the Great Market Hall

It seems like every building in Budapest is a Gothic masterpiece.

Árpád-házi Plébániatemplom

St. Francis of Assisi Parish Church

Affordable restaurants in Budapest, Hungary

A lot of places in Budapest are a little out of our budget with entrees starting at $15-$20usd, so we cooked most of our meals. Here are the budget places we enjoyed:

Cafe Brunch: I had eggs benedict and Don had Hungarian French toast. Both meals were delicious and the service was great. The meals total was 5,315HUF ($25.34USD)

Jedermann Cafe: I had a ham and cheese sandwich on a croissant and instead of mayo they used sour cream, so good! Don had a potato pancake stuffed with cheese and sour cream, it was also delicious. The garden area was cute and a wonderful place to escape from the busy city and the service was great! The meal was 5,000 HUF ($14.73USD)

Tang Cheng Dongbei Cai: We ended up in an area without many restaurants when lunch time came around so we decided to try this Chinese restaurant. They had a lunch special 2,000HUF each ( $6 USD) that included rice or lo mein with two choices of meat. It was a great deal and the food tasted like "American Chinese food" . They also had an extensive menu with dishes from the Dongbei region of Northern China. We saw some other people eating from the menu and it looked and smelled delicious. I wish we had time to try some dishes.

Home cooked deliciousness

Goose livers and vegetables

Pan rosted duck over pasta and a homemade tomato sauce

Hungarian sausage over pasta and homemade tomato sauce

What to know before you go to Budapest, Hungary

Grocery stores: We mainly shopped at Aldi's and Prima, Aldi's had the best prices and sales but Prima had a better selection. Food prices in Budapest were very reasonable. Produce is weighed at the register. Baked goods in some stores needed labels printed. You just enter in the number from the product price tag on the scale and it prints out a ticket.

Sim card: We went to Yettel and bought a 30 day 10GB Sim card for $8.83 each. Getting the sim was easy, the employee was very helpful and the coverage was excellent.

Language: The native language is Hungarian, but almost everyone we interacted with spoke English

Toilets: Restaurants have bathrooms and there are paid toilets ranging in price between $.70 to $1.75. Definitely the most expensive we have seen on our travels.

Is Budapest pedestrian friendly? Yes, there are sidewalks and crosswalks to take you anywhere you want to go.

Thank you for taking the time to read our blog, your continued support means the world to us! If you haven't already, please sign up for emails so you can stay up to date. And remember, step out of your comfort zone when you travel; try new foods, stay in traditional accommodations, try and speak the native language, even a few phrases is appreciated, talk with strangers, accept invites into their homes, and leave the tourist districts whenever possible. If you're not embracing their culture and their way of life you're missing the most rewarding experiences traveling has to offer!

Corvin Kavezo has delicious gelato at the best prices we saw and was a perfect stop on our walk up to Castle Hill.

Visas: U.S. citizens do not need visas for Hungary as of 2025. It it part of the Schengen Zone, as is most of the European Union and sometime in 2026 you may need to fill out an ETIAS form online before arrival, this separate from any visa requirements.

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