Heroes Square
A vast ceremonial square at the end of Andrassy, ringed by a colonnade of Hungary’s founding chieftains and kings, with the Museum of Fine Arts alongside and City Park behind. Grand and photogenic.
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Great Market Hall
Budapest’s cathedral-like central market hall, three storeys of paprika, salami, produce and souvenirs under a colourful Zsolnay-tiled roof. Head upstairs for a langos (fried dough) and people-watching over the crowds.
Szechenyi Chain Bridge
The elegant lion-guarded suspension bridge that first joined Buda and Pest in 1849, and still the city’s defining landmark. Walk across for the classic view of Parliament and the castle, especially magical after dark.
Fishermans Bastion
A whimsical white neo-Romanesque terrace of turrets and arches on Castle Hill, framing a postcard view over the Danube to Parliament. The lower terraces are free; a small fee for the very top at busy times. Come at dawn for the light and the quiet.
Gellert Thermal Baths
A gorgeous Art Nouveau bath complex of Zsolnay tiles, mosaics and stained glass in the historic Gellert Hotel. More elegant and a touch calmer than Szechenyi, with a lovely main hall and outdoor pools.
Dohany Street Synagogue
The largest synagogue in Europe and the heart of the old Jewish Quarter, a Moorish-Revival masterpiece with a poignant memorial garden and the silver Tree of Life. A ticket includes the museum and cemetery; visit thoughtfully.
Hungarian State Opera House
A jewel of a neo-Renaissance opera house on Andrassy, dripping with gold, frescoes and chandeliers. Take the guided tour by day, or better still catch a performance for a taste of Budapest’s grand cultural life at bargain prices.
St. Stephen’s Basilica
Budapest’s grandest church, holding the mummified right hand of Hungary’s first king. Step into the opulent nave for free, then take the lift or stairs up to the dome for a superb 360-degree panorama over the city.
House of Terror
A powerful, unsettling museum in the former secret-police headquarters on Andrassy, documenting Hungary’s fascist and communist terror regimes and their victims. Sobering and essential for understanding the 20th century here.
Szechenyi Thermal Baths
Europe’s largest medicinal bath complex, a butter-yellow neo-baroque palace of steaming outdoor pools (open even in winter), indoor thermal pools and saunas. The quintessential Budapest experience; go early or book a timed ticket.