Do you want to visit Budapest and spend as little as possible? Then follow this Top 15 free tours, museums and activities to do in the Hungarian capital that I created so you can enjoy without breaking the bank.
Two cities, Buda and Pest, and fifteen great things to do within their union, Budapest. This capital is rightly considered one of the most beautiful cities in Central Europe.
With its stunning architecture, combined with an exciting and eventful history, it should be on your itinerary if you are touring the European continent.
Table des matières
Visit Heroes’ Square
Heroes’ Square is probably one of the most photographed places in Pest.
With its monumental column, 36 meters high, topped by a statue of the Archangel Gabriel, it is hard not to spot it in the surroundings.
The column is flanked on each side by semicircular colonnades, which bear statues representing the great men who have marked the history of Hungary.
The square is dedicated “to the memory of the heroes who gave their lives for the freedom of our people and our national independence”.
The square is best approached by walking along the vast Andrassy Avenue, Budapest’s answer to the Parisian Champs-Élysées.
Climb Mount Gellért
If you want to see your wallet empty or enjoy a pleasant walk to the top of Mount Gellért for free, you won’t hesitate for long!
The walk, about one kilometer long, is interesting in itself, but the real reward for your efforts will be found at the finish line, when you enjoy the panorama that the hill offers of the Danube and the city spread out before you.
Perched on top of the hill, you will discover the Budavár Palace, which houses the Hungarian National Gallery, the Budapest History Museum, and the Hungarian National Library.
All of these places are subject to an entrance fee (albeit a small one), but the gardens are completely free.
Holy Trinity Square is also located in the castle district, not far from Budavár Palace.
Its centerpiece is undoubtedly the Trinity Column, built to mark the end of the plague epidemic in 1713.
On this square also stands the old town hall, the beautiful Matthias Church, as well as the Hungarian Cultural Foundation.
Stroll along the Fishermen’s Bastion
In our opinion, this is one of the best views of this European capital.
The Fishermen’s Bastion is located at the top of Gellért Mountain, and will offer you a wonderful view of the Danube, the various bridges that cross it, downtown Pest, and the imposing Hungarian Parliament.
Not only is the view impressive, but the architecture of the bastion is also worth a visit.
The building takes its name from the rich fishermen’s guilds that were responsible for defending this part of the city walls in the Middle Ages.
Take a free walking tour
A walking tour is always a great way to see the major sites and learn about their history if you’re not in town long, and if you’re in town longer, it’s a great way to learn how to navigate the city.
Local companies offer various free city tours throughout the day, some of which will take you from Pest to Buda in about an hour and a half every morning, as well as thematic tours in the afternoon, around religion, terror or communism.
Most tours leave from the Budapest sightseeing bus stop at Deák tér.
Have your meals at the Central Market
A true Budapest institution, located on the Pest side of the Freedom Bridge, the large indoor market is housed in the Central Hall, a large, richly decorated 19th century building.
The three-story market offers a wide range of sounds, smells, colors and flavors if you decide to try the exquisite local products.
Hungarian lángos , a fried bread filled with sugar cream and cheese, are an ideal snack.
There are also plenty of souvenir stores in the area if you want to take something home from your stay.
Visit the Jewish Quarter
It’s worth saving some time to wander the narrow streets of the Jewish Quarter, which during World War II, like its European counterparts during Nazi rule, became a ghetto.
It is still home to Europe’s largest synagogue, the Jewish Museum and Cemetery, and a large number of buildings of various architectural styles.
Many small cafes and some of Budapest’s most famous bars are also located in this area of the city, which will encourage you to spend a little more time in the neighborhood than you would like.
But save some time before the end of the evening to discover the ruin pubs!
Marvel at the Parliament
No visit to Budapest is worthwhile without taking a photo of this historic neo-Gothic monument, which is equally impressive by day and by night, and from all its different angles.
Partly inspired by London’s Westminster Abbey, it has over 20 kilometers of corridors. You can visit it accompanied by a local guide, paying about 8 euros.
Explore the Kerepesi Cemetery (or Fiumeiút National Cemetery)
The last resting place of many sons and daughters of Hungary, the Kerepesi Cemetery is one of the largest national pantheons in Europe.
In this park, you will admire many tombs that are true works of art. Covering about 56 hectares, you will quickly get around it.
Take a leisurely stroll through this incredibly well-preserved cemetery and visit the graves of some of Hungary’s most important leaders, such as János Kádár, Hungary’s socialist leader, who was in power for some 30 years, and József Antall, Prime Minister of the first democratically elected government after the communist era.
The imposing mausoleum dedicated to the workers’ movement, built in 1958, is worth a visit.
Take a walk in the “city woods” (Zugló, or Varosliget Park)
This vast park is the ideal place for a peaceful walk and is home to many remarkable sites.
Among them, you will discover the gloomy and ghostly statue of an anonymous person, engraved “Anonymus”, subtitled “the greatest historian of Hungary”, and the castle of Vajdahunyad.
This building is unique, due to the ingenious mixture of different architectural styles that are displayed by the different parts of the castle, reflecting different historical periods. It also houses the Hungarian Agricultural Museum.
Visit museums for free in Budapest
While most museums charge a small entrance fee, some are completely free all year round.
If you are a citizen of the European Union, and under the age of 26, you can enter many other institutions for free every third Saturday of the month.
These include the Museum of Fine Arts, the National Museum, and the Hungarian National Gallery.
The Military Museum is free on the last Sunday of each month, also for those under 26.
Ask at the tourist office or at the reception of your hotel or hostel for a complete list of establishments offering free visits.
Admire the various religious buildings
Budapest is rich in wonderful architecture. This is reflected in many of its churches, cathedrals and other places of worship, including the city’s most famous religious building, St. Stephen’s Basilica, the cave church on Mount Gellért, the Matthias Church in Budavár in the1st district (on Szentháromság té), and the parish church of Our Lady of the Assumption in the Belváros district.
Take a stroll on Marguerite Island
If you want to relax, read a book or take a break from the city, take bus number 26 to this oasis of tranquility.
The 2.5 kilometer long island, which sits in the middle of the Danube, is located north of the Parliament and is a favorite spot for the capital’s inhabitants.
It’s not hard to guess why, when you discover its tree-lined paths, spas, and beautiful monuments.
Admire Budapest by night
A moonlit walk along the Danube River will show you Budapest’s many architectural delights in a different light.
Among them, you will discover the Parliament and the Chain Bridge, which becomes even more impressive at sunset, when the streetlights come to life.
This bridge is remarkable, it is the first permanent stone bridge that connected Buda to Pest, and the second one in the whole Danube!
The view of the Parliament is best from the other side of the river, which you can reach by crossing the Chain Bridge.
You can also enjoy great views of the bridge you just crossed. Two other bridges are also noteworthy: the Elisabeth Bridge and the Liberty Bridge, both south of the former.
Enjoy the art
There are many free art galleries in Budapest, scattered around the city, each with their own exclusive exhibitions of photographs, paintings or sculptures.
One of the largest of these is the three-story Telep-Art Gallery on Madách Street, which is a lively center of the local underground art scene.
The Várfok Gallery, at No. 14 on the street of the same name, focuses on contemporary Hungarian art, from emerging to more popular artists.
The Virag Judit Gallery, at Falk Miska Street 30, specializes in 19th and 20th century Hungarian paintings and Zsolnay ceramics.
Have a drink in a Ruin Bar
If all the previous points arouse your thirst, then a visit to a ruin pub is certainly the best choice to end this list of free activities.
Totally unique, typical of Budapest, ruin bars are housed, often temporarily, in old disused factories, building yards, abandoned houses.
With retro decoration and furnishings, most of them dating from the communist era, each one offers its own atmosphere, its own character.
While you can enter all these establishments for free, a drink will cost you only a few euros.
It will clearly be worth it, as you can then soak up the special atmosphere of the place, enjoying the comfort of an old car seat or a garden chair.
To conclude this article, I can tell you that Budapest is a city where there is a multitude of things to do, even for visitors with a very small budget and who are looking for free activities and things to do.
Feel free to leave me a comment if you have more and don’t forget to share this article with your family and friends if you liked it! Enjoy your stay in Budapest.
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