Forget the Tourist Traps, These Are the Places You Should Actually Visit in Budapest
Hungary has been pulling in bigger crowds every year, with Budapest leading the charge as its showpiece. The capital welcomed more than 5 million international visitors in 2023 alone, and it’s not just tourists booking flights. Thousands of international students choose Hungary for higher education, and almost everyone who arrives hears the same thing: if you want the real energy, head straight to Budapest.
It’s where history, nightlife, and surprises all collide. But there’s more to the city than the photos splashed across postcards. Beyond the iconic Parliament and riverside views, Budapest has corners that catch you off guard in the best way.
Szabo Ervin Library
The Metropolitan Szabo Ervin Library started as a late 18th-century aristocrat’s mansion and still keeps several of the original rooms intact. When you step inside, it feels like you’re in a movie set with the heavy chandeliers, carved wood, and plush old chairs. It’s still a working library, but with a tourist ticket, you can wander through its preserved halls that look more like ballrooms.
Children’s Railway
Only in Budapest can you ride a functioning railway run almost entirely by kids. The Children’s Railway was built after World War II, and it gives the conductor hats and station duties to children aged 10 to 14 (with adult supervision, of course). The track runs about 7 miles through the Buda Hills, and while the driver’s an adult, every other job belongs to the kids. It’s strange, fun, and unforgettable, and it says a lot about the city’s quirky side.
Vajdahunyad Castle
Vajdahunyad Castle, originally built out of wood for Hungary’s millennial celebration in 1896, proved so popular that it was later rebuilt in stone. The building borrows elements from across Hungarian architecture, which makes it look like a mash-up of castles you’d see across the country. Today it houses the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture, but wandering its grounds and towers is just as satisfying as stepping inside.
Rudas Baths
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Misibacsi at Hungarian Wikipedia
Rudas is a 16th-century Ottoman bath that still uses its domed thermal hall. The steam section keeps single-gender days, while the rest of the complex has mixed pools, a rooftop hot tub, and a wellness area. Visitors get both the original architecture and the newer facilities in one place.
Beer Spa
The Beer Spa inside Széchenyi Baths lets visitors soak in warm water mixed with hops, malt, and yeast. Each tub comes with its own tap, and guests can pour beer while they bathe. It’s set within the city’s largest bath complex, so a spa session can be combined with a day at Széchenyi.
Underground Caves
Beneath Budapest sits the largest underground cave system of any capital in the world. Some tours stick to the easier routes, but others involve helmets, jumpsuits, and squeezing through narrow passages on hands and knees. It’s a total contrast to the ornate architecture above ground and shows just how layered the city really is.
Karavan Street Food
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Christo
A short walk from the ruin bars, Karavan is a permanent food court with vendors serving everything from lángos burgers to ice cream. The highlight is grabbing Hungarian comfort food with a twist, like a beef patty sandwiched between fried dough instead of bread. It’s all casual, cash-only, and exactly the kind of place you stumble into and regret not finding sooner.
Bors Gastro Bar
Right next door is a spot locals rave about for soups. Bors Gastro Bar updates its menu daily, offering hot and cold options that range from classics to wild experiments like Nutella soup. The staff will happily translate the menu, and you’ll probably find yourself going back more than once.
Zwack Unicum Museum
Image via Wikimedia Commons/12akd
Unicum is a herbal Hungarian liquor with a recipe guarded by the Zwack family since 1790. The museum and distillery tour takes you through its history and ends with tastings, including Unicum Plum aged in oak barrels. The drink itself is bitter and strong, and definitely an acquired taste, but the entire experience is a perfect slice of Budapest—a blend of local history and cherished social tradition.
Red Ruin Bar
The ruin bar scene is a Budapest staple, but Red Ruin stands out with its communist parody decor. Murals of Marx and Lenin in party hats line the walls, and cheap drinks flow under glowing red lights. Some nights feature live music, others just the steady stream of locals and visitors looking for something less polished than the bigger-name ruin pubs.