Budapest, Hungary. The top things to do on the Buda side of Budapest.
Budapest is the spectacular capital city of Hungary. We are going to share all about the Buda side which is home to the world famous Buda Castle, the iconic Fisherman’s Bastion and the beginning of the world famous Szechenyi Link Bridge.
Hungary has a population of just over 10 million people with just under 2 million living in the metro area of Budapest. It shares borders with seven other countries.
We arrived in Budapest in the middle of the afternoon. It is a very easy airport to navigate and you can catch shuttle buses into the city or take a taxi - just make sure it is a licensed vehicle.
We arrived pretty quickly at our accommodation, the Novotel Danube, and as you can see by the pictures, the views from our room are spectacular.
Buda Castle
One of the most popular spots to visit in Budapest is the Buda Castle. The castle area is on the Buda side of the Danube River. There are several ways to reach the castle. You can enter from the bottom and walk up the elaborate, but steep stairs. You can take the escalators (just check if they are working), or you can take the funicular to the top. The funicular is very popular, so arrive early and you won’t have to line up. You can buy tickets at the entrance, or online.
It is free to enter Buda Castle and walk around the huge complex and gardens. If you want to see any of the galleries or museums you will have to pay an entrance fee.
The Buda Castle was completed in 1265 although the Baroque Palace today occupying most of the site was built between 1749 and 1769.
One of the most beautiful building is the Riding Hall. It has wooden detailed ceilings and stunning stained glass window. It was the stables for the Royal family.
Fisherman’s Bastion
This is the tour we recommend doing to get the most out of visiting Buda Castle area and Fisherman’s Bastion. Having a tour guide with all their knowledge certainly makes the experience so much better and we couldn’t imagine visiting these amazing historical sites without local guides.
Click the button below to see the tour we recommend after recently staying in Budapest.
(this is an affiliate link that we may receive a small commission - at no extra cost to you - if you book using this link)
Another must see on the Buda side of Budapest is Fisherman’s Bastion. It’s main facade parallel to the Danube is approximately 140m long. It has seven high pitched stone towers that symbolize the seven chieftains of the Hungarians who founded Hungary in 895. The original walls were built in the 1700’s, the current structure was built between 1895 and 1902.
Matthias Church can be found in the Holy Trinity Square. It was originally built in Romanesque style in 1015. The current building was constructed in late Gothic style in the second half of the 14th century and was renovated in the late 19th century. The roof of the church is covered in bright coloured tiles and looks amazing.
The Szechenyi Bridge
The Szechenyi Lanchid Bridge was the first bridge to cross the Danube in Budapest. It was started in 1840 and opened on 20th November 1849. The bridge is 380 metres wide and has two pedestrian walkways which makes it easy for people to get from one side the other. Budapest was two cities Buda and Pest with the Danube dividing the two cities. It became one city in 1873.
walking the Streets of Buda
The streets of Budapest are very easy to navigate on foot and we spent a lot of time exploring. When you get away from the popular spots it is very quiet and lovely just to explore.
You can take the metro to get from Buda to the Pest side of the city. It is easy and very quick, although remember to validate your ticket, as fines are very expensive and they don’t have any sympathy for tourists who say they forgot or didn’t know. There were ticket guards on each train we went on who checked both our tickets each time. Another thing to know is the escalators to the platforms are long and very steep, so hang on tight and enjoy the ride - if you can.
We really loved exploring the Buda side of the city and were amazed at the history and architecture and just what a beautiful, clean city Budapest is. We would certainly recommend visiting and make sure you take more than just few days as there is so much to see.