Budapest has been a city that’s been high on my list to visit. With promises of incredible views, a great food and drink scene, and affordable – it ticks a lot of boxes for an ideal weekend city break. There is so much to do here, which makes Budapest one of those cities you will return to again and again. With an incredible history, beautiful buildings, interesting museums and so much more, there is something for everyone in this city.
After spending a long weekend in Budapest, I already know I want to go back and explore more! So here’s a guide to spending a perfect long weekend in Budapest (ft some incredible food and drink places!).
This post is written in collaboration with Jet2
Table of Contents
How to get to Budapest
Budapest is a quick 2hr30 flight from the UK, and there are plenty of flights to Budapest with Jet2. I love flying with Jet2 as when you book a package holiday or city break with them, your 22kg luggage is included! For this trip, we had flights from Manchester Airport, which is a great airport to fly from as the train station is only a 5 minute walk to T2!
Where to stay in Budapest
Budapest is split into two parts; the Buda side and the Pest side, with the Danube flowing between the two sides. It truly is incredible to stand on one of the gorgeous bridges that crosses the Danube, seeing the two sides. Jet2Holidays has lots of Budapest hotels available, to suit all budgets, as part of their package holidays.
For this trip, we stayed on the Pest side at Hotel Vision Budapest, and I would stay here again in a heartbeat. It’s a very modern feeling hotel, and you are made to feel welcome the moment you come in. The rooms are spacious, and have everything you need. Don’t worry about forgetting a toothbrush or plug adapter, or needing extra pillows, as you can easily request these from the room! The location is perfect, right on the Danube and easy to get to all of the sights. There’s a tram stop across from the hotel as well, so you can easily explore further afield as well.
The standout for this hotel, and the reason I will keep recommending it too, is the breakfast. I was so impressed by the buffet breakfast (especially the fresh pancakes!), and the fact I could get a decaf, oat milk flat white, which is essential to fuel you before a day exploring.
Long Weekend Guide to Budapest
We caught the 4:30pm flight out of Manchester on a Friday afternoon, and landed around 9pm (Budapest time). We headed straight to the hotel, and by the time we checked in, it was around 10:30pm! We all headed to bed, knowing we had a full on few days ahead of us, and wanted to get some rest!
For our trip, we had an incredible guide called Andrea who has lived in Budapest since she was 6 years old. Not only was she local, the knowledge she had of Budapest and its history was incredible – her passion for the city was infectious and she added so much to our trip!
Day one : Exploring the Buda Side of Budapest
We kicked off our trip by exploring the Buda side of Budapest. Buda is on the West Bank, and is the hilly side of the city, where you will find the Castle District.
I’d really recommend doing a walking tour of Buda to get to know more about the history of the area. It’s magnificent to walk around. What’s really interesting is that the majority of the area was completely destroyed either in World War Two or during communism, and since then they’ve slowly been restoring and rebuilding the Castle District to what it would’ve been like.
5 things to do in Buda
- Take photos at Fisherman’s Bastion – here you can get some of those iconic shots of Budapest! The Fisherman’s Bastion is like stepping into a fairytale, and is incredibly beautiful. If you’re a morning person, head up here for sunrise – you won’t regret it!
- Take the funicular up Castle Hill – yes, you can walk (or take an escalator) up to Buda Castle for free, however there is nothing more magical than a funicular ride. It is a 19th century cable car which you will find at the end of Chain Bridge and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Visit the gardens of Buda Castle – Buda castle is stunning. What’s incredible is that whichever way you look, there’s an incredible view – whether it’s of the bridges crossing the Danube, Castle Hill, the castle, beautiful ornate fountains and statues, or the beautiful symmetry of the gardens.
- St Stephen’s Hall – part of Buda Castle, St Stephen’s Hall is one of the most awe inspiring rooms you will encounter. During World War Two, the building was completely destroyed (along with a lot of the city), and in 2021 was reopened after being carefully restored to its former glory.
- Matthias Church – located in the Castle District, the seven-hundred-year-old Matthias Church is unmistakeably neo-Gothic style, with incredible coloured tiles and is just magnificent to look at.
Lunch at IDA
When you come down from the gardens of Buda Castle, you will find IDA – an Ausrto-Hungarian restaurant which is on the west banks of the Danube.
You walk into this grand building, with high ceilings, beautiful tiled flooring, and a huge mirrored wall. It’s stunning and I was so excited to eat here as soon as I walked in.
Our guide recommended having the chicken paprikash with dumplings, which is a classic Hungarian dish. It’s chicken in a creamy paprika sauce with potato dumplings. I also had a side of the pickled cucumber salad with sour cream, which is the go to side for this, and the freshness of the cucumber with the creamy sauce was perfection. This is such a hearty and warming dish, and was delicious.
For dessert, I had the Kaiserschmarrn with apricot jam and apple puree and this was perfection. Kaiserschmarrn is essentially chopped up pancakes and they are delicious. It was light and fluffy and the jam and puree gave just the right amount of sweetness.
The best SOUVENIR shop in Budapest
Afternoon set in, and the group was in need of a caffeine fix (and me, a decaf fix!). We headed over to the Pest side of Budapest, and went to Kontakt Coffee. Sadly they didn’t have decaf, but they did do a good lemon and honey iced tea, and the rest of the gang assured me the coffee hit the spot and was good.
Across from the coffee shop is a place called Coffee & Postcards – and as someone who loves both I had to go in. Inside you’ll find incredible artwork postcards of Budapest by local artists. I was basically in heaven and came out with plenty of postcards and stickers to remember the trip with!
A sunset Cruise on the Danube
If you know it’s going to be a good sunset, get yourself on a sunset cruise on the Danube. We were so lucky to have the candyfloss pink reflections as we sailed down the river with prosecco in hand.
We spent an hour on board, and it’s the perfect way to see some of the iconic Budapest buildings such as Buda Castle, The Statue of Liberty, and the beautiful parliament building.
Dinner at Time Out Market, Budapest
Opened in September 2025, Time Out Budapest is the place to go to for elevated street food. It had only been open a few days when we arrived, and it had such a brilliant atmosphere. I love that there were so many spcaes to sit, including quieter areas, which we went to.
We were a big group of 8, and we decided to go Tapas style, and get dishes from as many of the stalls as possible, to share and enjoy. You can read my full review of Time Out Market Budapest in my Budapest food guide here, but some absolute highlights for me were the sausage, potato and egg from Szaletly, the Lamb Kebab from Pingrumba and the polenta fries from LIRA by Essência
Cocktails at the Duchess rooftop bar
Budapest is filled with incredible rooftop bars, but The Duchess feels very special, with a great selection of cocktails and mocktails to enjoy. It’s only a 5 minute walk from our hotel, and was the perfect place for a final drink before heading home.
I had the Tenshin — The Shift, which was San Cosme Mezcal, Brown Miso, Wakame, Cantaloupe Melon and Lime. This was such an interesting drink, with a real savoury flavour, and packed a punch! If you like Mezcal and a savoury flavour, this is for you!
Day two : Exploring the Pest side of Budapest
Our second day kickstarted with a walking tour around Pest, starting at the parliament building. If you thought the views from the Danube of the Parliament building is incredible, make sure to go to the other side. This is the official entrance to the Parliament, and there’s a water feature in front, where you can get a brilliant reflection photo.
5 things to see in Pest
- St Stephen’s Basilica – St Stephen’s Basilica is the largest church in Budapest and, when you head up to the top of the dome, where you can get 360 degree views of the city. I couldn’t believe the views from here – it was incredible to see the city from so far up, and it’s perfect for getting some great photos as well.
- The oldest subway on mainland Europe – did you know that Budapest’s subway line is the oldest on mainland Europe? It’s like stepping back in time when you walk down to the tiled station.
- Szimpla Kertmozi – Budapest is know for its Ruin Bars. Originated in the early 00’s, ruin bars were created in the remains of buildings destroyed in World War Two. Szimpla Kertmozi is often said to be the best ruin bar in Budapest, and on a night it really is a vibe. But make sure to head here in the daytime too! We went on a Sunday lunchtime, and it was filled with market stalls, coffee shops and friends meeting up. It has such a creative and fun atmosphere and it’s a must visit for your trip!
- Liberty Square – Here is where you’ll find the monument to the Soviet liberation of Hungary in World War II from Nazi German occupation, and a Memorial for Victims of the German Occupation. There’s also a counter a counter-monument that includes photos of Hungarians who were sent to Auschwitz. On a slightly grey Sunday morning, when the city is still waking up, there was something incredibly moving and sombre about standing in front of the counter-monument and reading the stories that are written there about the people and families who were sent to Auschwitz.
- The Great Synagogue – Located in the Jewish quarter, The Great Synagogue is the largest synagogue in Europe. As well as being a place of worship, there’s also a memorial and Jewish museum here, and it’s a beautiful place to visit.
Coffee + cake at Gerbeaud
Opened in 1858, Gerbeaud is a Hungarian establishment and as soon as you walk in you can feel its history. There’s a gentle buzz of conversation as we all sat down in the grand dining room. I’m very pleased to tell you that yes, they do do decaf coffee, and the decaf americano was full of flavour.
I can’t tell you how incredible all of the cakes looked when you walk in, and so we had a trio of the classics; a Gerbeaud Slice, Blackberry Yoghurt Slice and the Royal Chocolate Slice. All three were so light and full of flavour, but out of the three my favourite was the Blackberry Yoghurt Slice.
Lunch at TATI
Tucked away in Downtown Budapest, TATI is an incredible Farm to Table concept restaurant. With their own farm outside of the city, TATI are proud to create seasonal dishes using local produce and showcasing Hungarian cuisine in a different and exciting way.
Our meal started with a cocktail, and this is possibly the best cocktail I’ve ever had! I had the Pepper Pop, which is vodka, bell pepper and ginger beer and it was so fresh and light. To go with our cocktails, we had a charcuterie of local meats and cheeses, as well as a super light pork crackling which was so moreish!
Now onto the main event. I had the roasted mangalica neck with confit garlic, bacon veil and ‘shepherds noodles’. This was so full of flavour, the shepherds noodles with chorizo and onions were light, the meat so tender. It really was a brilliant meal, and somewhere I would recommend wholeheartedly if you’re coming – especially if you’re celebrating something special!
An afternoon at Budapest’s Hungarian State Opera
There’s one word to describe walking into the Hungarian State Opera for the first time. Magnificent.
We went on one of the tours of the Opera, which takes you behind the scenes of the building. In the hour long OperaTour, you hear about the history of the Hungarian Opera, get to see the view from the Royal Box and go into the royal rooms, and finish the tour with a small concert from participants of young opera singers on the landing of the grand staircase.
As we sat in the main part of the Opera House, learning about the acoustics, they were tuning the piano for the evenings performance and I can’t explain just how amazing it sounded.
If you’re looking for a little bit of culture on your trip to Budapest, make sure to add the OperaTour (or book to see an actual performance as well!) – you won’t be disappointed!
Learning to make STRUDEL
Budapest is known for its strudel, and you can’t come here without trying it! If you want to really get to know the famous dessert, you can head to Strudel House for one of their stretching shows! In these you can see how the strudel gets made, and even have a go yourself at stretching the dough!
I tried two different types of strudel; a classic apple strudel and a cottage cheese ‘curd’ strudel. Both were tasty, but my favourite of the two was the curd strudel.
Why you need to have dinner at BIBO, Budapest
The best meal of our trip was at BIBO Budapest – it was a true experience. This rooftop restaurant has incredible views over the Danube, and is an experience as soon as you step out of the lift into the mirrored corridor.
BIBO brings together Spanish culinary traditions with incredible Hungarian produce and this fusion of flavours brings an explosion of flavours.
We were lucky enough to spend our evening in the private dining room, with its incredible moon installation, and got to try a bespoke tasting menu of some of the highlights of the main menu. You can find my full deep dive into the meal in my Budapest Food guide, however the two absolute highlights of the meal were the Gulyas Croquette, which is basically beef goulash in a croquette and oh so delicious, and the beef tenderloin in a green pepper sauce with the creamiest mashed potato. Everything was so full of flavour, and presented so beautifully.
Every part of our evening was perfection, from service to food to location, and I would recommend dining here in a heartbeat!
Day Three : Exploring City Park
Suddenly it was our final day in Budapest, and as we were booked on an evening flight, had a whole day to do some more exploring. We headed straight for City Park, which is somewhere you need to visit when you come to Budapest.
City Park is a gorgeous park, filled with so many fun and exciting activities to do. From ice skating in winter, and a boating lake in summer to the castle of Vajdahunyad to the House of Music. One thing you need to go to is the play area next to the house of music, which is filled with interactive musical items which all ages can enjoy (and it’s safe to say we all loved playing here!)
7 things to do in Budapest’s City Park
- House of Music – The house of music is an interactive museum all about the history of music and is well worth a visit (note it is closed on Mondays. The building is brilliant to look at and the interactive park is open 24/7)
- Vajdahunyad Castle – Walking around the castle is like walking in a fairytale. You won’t be disappointed, I promise!
- Széchenyi Bath – Széchenyi Bath is one of Europe’s largest thermal baths and has 15 indoor and 3 outdoor pools!
- Get a unique view of Budapest at the BalloonFly lookout – Whilst you’re walking around the park, you’ll notice a big hot air balloon above the city, and you can head here to get a really unique view of the city!
- Visit Lake Városligeti – in the summer, the lake is a boating lake, and in winter it turns into a huge ice skating rink! Sadly, we were there at the end of September, and the lake was drained in preparation for the ice skating!! I definitely want to head back here to truly experience its beauty.
- Take a look at the Museum of Ethnography – this building itself is worth going to look at as it’s incredibly unique and has a gorgeous rooftop garden you can climb up.
- Heroes Square – at the entrance of city park is Heroes Square which commemorates prominent figures of Hungarian history.
Lunch at the Famous Gundels
Gundels is the most famous Hungarian Restaurant, and is located next to City Park, next to the zoo. Anyone who is anyone has eaten at Gundels, from Queen Elizabeth 11 to Arnold Schwarzenegger to Madonna.
It’s said that many of the traditional Hungarian dishes were first created in Gundels kitchens, and in the 1920’s it became synonymous with outstanding quality, exceptional hospitality and world-class Hungarian cuisine. This year marks its 130th anniversary, and the restaurant has gone back to its roots of being for everyone. No longer are there strict dress codes and high prices, but you can still expect quality food.
For my meal, I had schnitzel which came with a pickled potato salad. It was János Gundel, among others, who introduced it, so the Wiener Schnitzel is not a Gundel invention, but it is thanks to him that it has become a household name in Hungary. I can’t explain how delicious it was, and the potato salad was so fresh! For dessert the whole table went for the famous Gundel pancakes and wow, they were so delicious and decedent. They’re filled with chopped walnuts which are lightly toasted in hot flavoured sugar syrup and fresh orange peel. They’re then topped with a real chocolate glaze and lightly toasted walnuts. Absolute perfection!
An afternoon at a budapest spa
We spent the afternoon at Mandala Day Spa, and as soon as you step in you can feel the tranquility and calmness washing over you.
There are 4 different pools in the spa – including a cold plunge and jacuzzis – as well as a relaxation area with massage chairs, hammocks and yoga mats. There’s also a bar area, where you can get cocktails and mocktails, and a calming area to sit and relax whilst you have a drink.
I had a face massage whilst I was here, and before you go in, there’s a lovely relaxation room where you can get tea, water and snacks before and after your treatment.
I can really recommend having a spa afternoon and facial before a flight – absolute perfection!
Final thoughts on my budapest city break
There are some places you visit, and instantly you feel comfortable, and know that it will be a place you come back to again and again. I had that magical feeling as soon as we stepped out of the hotel on the first morning of our trip.
If you’re looking for budget friendly city breaks with Jet2Holidays, take this as your sign to book a trip to Budapest. It’s affordable, full of culture, there are so many brilliant places to get good food, drinks and coffee, and it feels incredibly safe.
For my fellow foodies, make sure to read my Budapest food guide if you’re wanting the low down on everywhere I ate and drank on my weekend city break. And if you’re looking for more European city break inspo, you can read more of my guides here and for daily travel and microadventure inspo, make sure to follow me on instagram!
