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🇭🇺Things to Do in Hungary
From Budapest's thermal baths to the Hungarian Parliament on the Danube - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.
Travel guide - last updated September 2026
Budapest, split by the Danube into hilly Buda and flat, grand Pest, carries most of a trip to Hungary on its own - thermal baths, a riverside Gothic parliament building, and a nightlife scene built around converted ruin bars. Lake Balaton, Central Europe's largest lake, is the main reason to leave the capital. Here are 8 places worth building a trip around.
Top attractions
The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.
Széchenyi Thermal Bath, Budapest
One of the largest thermal bath complexes in Europe, with outdoor pools open year-round - a genuinely local Hungarian custom, not just a tourist activity, and popular even in winter with steam rising off the water.
📍 Budapest
🚉 Nearest station: Szechenyi furdo on metro line M1, the little yellow line, which surfaces directly outside the bath house in City Park.
Hungarian Parliament Building
A Gothic Revival building on the Danube's bank, one of the largest parliament buildings in the world. Guided tours (required for entry) book up in advance, especially in summer.
📍 Budapest
🚉 Nearest station: Kossuth Lajos ter on metro line M2, which comes up on the square in front of the building - tickets for the interior tour are timed and sell out early.
Buda Castle & Fisherman's Bastion
A hilltop castle district overlooking the Danube and Pest, with the fairy-tale turrets of Fisherman's Bastion giving one of Budapest's best free skyline views.
📍 Budapest
🚉 Take metro M2 to Szell Kalman ter and bus 16, or the Buda Castle Funicular from Clark Adam ter at the Chain Bridge, which climbs the hill in a couple of minutes.
Chain Bridge & Danube Promenade
The first permanent bridge connecting Buda and Pest, best seen lit up at night from a river cruise or simply walking either bank of the Danube promenade.
📍 Budapest
🚉 Nearest station: Vorosmarty ter on M1 or Szechenyi Istvan ter, both a short walk to the Pest end of the bridge, with tram 2 running along the river past the Parliament.
Ruin Bars, Budapest
Bars built into abandoned buildings and courtyards in the old Jewish Quarter, Szimpla Kert being the original and best-known - part flea market, part nightclub, entirely unique to Budapest.
📍 Budapest
🚉 The ruin bars cluster in District VII around Kazinczy street - Astoria and Blaha Lujza ter on metro M2 are the nearest stops, both under 10 minutes' walk.
Lake Balaton
Central Europe's largest lake, ringed by wine villages and small resort towns - Tihany's lavender fields and Badacsony's vineyards are two of the more popular stops along the northern shore.
📍 Lake Balaton
🚉 Trains from Budapest Deli station run down both shores: Siofok on the south in 90 minutes, Balatonfured and Tihany on the north, with ferries linking the two sides in summer.
Great Market Hall, Budapest
Budapest's largest and oldest indoor market, selling paprika, embroidery and traditional Hungarian food on the upper-floor stalls - a good, cheap lunch stop as much as a sight.
📍 Budapest
🚉 Nearest station: Fovam ter on metro line M4, directly outside the hall's main doors, with trams 47 and 49 stopping at the same square.
Eger
A baroque town northeast of Budapest known for its castle (which withstood an Ottoman siege in 1552) and the surrounding wine region, home to the robust red blend Bull's Blood (Egri Bikavér).
📍 Eger
🚉 Nearest station: Eger, two hours from Budapest Keleti with a change at Fuzesabony; the castle and the Valley of the Beautiful Women are both a walk or short bus ride from the centre.
Mark Hungary, get the stamp
In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.
Open MyPassportStoryPlanning questions
How many days do you need in Hungary?
4-5 days covers Budapest thoroughly, including a thermal bath visit and a day trip to Lake Balaton or Eger. A week lets you slow the pace considerably.
What's the best time to visit Hungary?
May-September has the warmest weather, best for Lake Balaton and outdoor thermal bath sessions. Budapest's Christmas markets run late November through December; winter is cold but the indoor thermal baths stay open year-round.
Is Hungary good for a first-time visit?
Yes - Budapest is compact, walkable and well set up for tourists, with a public transport system that covers the whole city easily.
Do I need a visa to visit Hungary?
Hungary is part of the Schengen Area, so citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and many other countries can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; other nationalities need a Schengen visa arranged in advance. Check the official visa information for your nationality: konzuliszolgalat.kormany.hu.
What are some things to do in Hungary on a tight budget?
Fisherman's Bastion's outer terraces and walking Buda Castle Hill cost nothing, the Great Market Hall is a cheap place to eat, and Hungary's thermal baths and public transport are both inexpensive relative to Western Europe.
Can I rent a car in Hungary, and what licence do I need?
Yes, though Budapest is better without one and the trains reach Eger and Balaton easily. EU and EEA licences are valid as issued; other visitors need an International Driving Permit alongside the home licence. Minimum age is usually 21 with a surcharge under 25 and a credit card for the deposit. Motorways require an e-vignette bought in advance - rental cars usually include one, but confirm it, as enforcement is by camera and fines follow you home. Hungary also has a zero-tolerance alcohol limit. The government publishes the rules at kormany.hu; cars come from Sixt, Europcar and Avis.