Things to Do in Budapest

The elegant boulevard of Andrássy Avenue was completed in 1885 as part of the expansion of Budapest under Emperor Franz Joseph I to celebrate the thousand-year anniversary of the state of Hungary. It connects the Pest-side city center at Erzsébet Square to the City Park (Városliget) and as a masterpiece of urban planning was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2002, along with Heroes’ Square.

Elegant townhouses lined the avenue and it became the preserve of wealthy bankers and the aristocracy. In order to conserve Andrássy’s architectural harmony, the city fathers decided to build a train line underneath the avenue. And so the Millennium Underground Railway opened, the first in continental Europe; it was first used to transport people from the city center to Városliget, which was the focus of the millennium celebrations in 1896.

Today the Art Nouveau architecture competes for attention with sleek cafés and bars and upscale shopping. In its 1.5-mile (2.5-km) march through Pest, Andrássy is punctuated by the vast octagonal square of Oktagon and is home to the Hungarian State Opera House, the House of Terror Museum in the old headquarter of the secret police, and Budapest’s gloriously grand and much-loved Gerbeaud Café.

Városliget is the largest of Budapest’s public parks, a vast expanse of 302 acres (1.2 km²) of public space with its main entrance at the monumental UNESCO-listed Heroes’ Square (Hosok Tér). It was originally an area of rural swamp but was mentioned as the royal hunting grounds as far back as the 13th century.

By 1751 the swamp had been drained and more trees planted in an English-style landscaping that became Hungary’s first public park. One hundred years later, the park became the focus of the Millennium celebrations, with museums, lakes, zoos and follies being built for 1896. Around the same time elegant Andrássy Avenue was constructed, which leads from the city center Erzsébet Square to Heroes’ Square.

Today the park is an idyllic spot for a summer picnic under the shade of gigantic sycamore trees or around the lake. Városliget is a one-stop destination for kids: Budapest Zoo, a permanent circus, the transport museum and Budapest Amusement Park provide a day’s worth of entertainment. The agricultural museum in Vajdahunyad Castle and a brace of art museums are also found within the park’s boundaries as well as the gorgeous neo-Baroque Széchenyi thermal baths. There’s a flea market here on Sunday morning and visitors don’t even have to leave the park to eat; there’s a choice of decent restaurants, including Budapest’s famous (and expensive) gourmet choice, Gundel.

Built in the late 1800s, Budai Vigado was constructed with the intention of being both theater and library—a single building meant to meet the cultural needs and desires of local Hungarians. While the outside of this massive stately structure appears relatively unassuming, visitors agree that its impressive inside is worth exploring. Marble staircases, stone pillars and an incredible 301-seat theater give Budai Vigado a truly art nouveau flavor. The Hungarian State Folk Ensemble plays on this theater stage more than 100 times each year and travelers say catching a performance is a quintessential Budapest experience. 

The Danube Palace is a frothy Neo-Baroque concert hall completed in 1885 as part of Budapest’s massive expansion for the millennium celebrations. Hungary was a thousand years old in 1896 and the Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph I was determined to create a prestigious city that reflected its ancient standing.

The ornate auditorium is decorated with a liberal sprinkling of cherubim and frescoes of pastoral scenes. Following the Communist takeover of Hungary after WWII much of the original décor was destroyed but this has since been reinstated; the only remaining sign of Soviet occupation is a stained-glass window near the restaurant that depicts happy peasants frolicking with the flags of Hungary and the Soviet Union.

In the last century big names such as Bartók and Dvorák played at the Danube Palace and today it is home to the Danube Symphony Orchestra, which was established in 1961. They perform regular, joyous Hungarian folk concerts using traditional instruments in the intimate surroundings of the 292-seat auditorium. A festive concert is also held here every Christmas Day, played by the Danube Chamber Orchestra, when the repertoire consists of classic favorites such as Pachelbel’s Canon and Albinoni’s Adagio in G.

Allow at least four hours to explore Budapest Zoo, opened in 1866 as the first in Hungary. It’s found in Budapest’s City Park (Városliget) and was almost destroyed during WWII. Since then its quirky Art Nouveau Bird House, Palm House and Elephant House have been restored and the zoo expanded. Conservation programs saw the births of rare Persian leopard cubs, Asiatic lion cubs and an Indian elephant in 2013.

There are more than 950 species of mammal, birds, reptiles, fish and insects in 14 different themed zones at the zoo. There’s a lot to pack in, so get a map at the ticket office so you don’t the miss reptile house full of snakes and lizards, giraffes and gazelles in the Savannah Zone, the lemurs in Madagascar House, the lions, rare birds flying free in the aviaries and the petting farm for toddlers.

There’s plenty going on daily to keep families amused. Highlights of the zoo’s activities include the pelican feasts at 10.30am; sea lion feeding at 11am, 2pm and 4.30pm; and camel walking at 12pm. Magic Mountain is the zoo’s newest attraction, with lots of interactive games for kids plus a 3D cinema showing wildlife movies and simulation rides.