24 hours in Budapest
Budapest, the Hungarian capital, is a city everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. Magnificent architecture, spa, history, shopping, culture, and great night life. This city got it all. I had approx. 24 hours in Budapest in conjunction with a wedding a few years ago, and did as I always do when travelling solo. I walked street up and street down with my camera.
Continue reading to see everything you can experience with 24 hours in this gorgeous city!
Buda and Pest
Untill it was merged in 1873, Budapest was two separate cities, Buda and Pest, divided by the river Danube. On the Buda side of Danube you find the old castle towering on a hill, and on the Pest side you find the magnificent, neo-gothic parliament.
First part of my 24 hours in Budapest
The first thing I did was to cross the river to walk up on the Gellért Hill. I love getting an overview of places I visit as one of the first things I do.
The hill is actually a 140 metres tall dolomite rick rising above the Danube and got its name after Saint Gerard. Apparently he was a bishop thrown off the top in a barrell by furious citizens in 1064 after trying to convert them to christianity…
The Jewish quarter
Back across the river, I walked over to the Jewish quarter. Today, it is a lively part of the city. Just like it was untill the second world war. Late in 1944 it was converted into a confined ghetto, where tens of thousands of people were held captive while waiting to be shipped off to consentration camps.
Budapest’s synagogue is the largest in Europe, with space for up to 3000 people. I didn’t go inside, but it looked grand also from the outside. By the synagoge, you also find the holocaust memorial. An good place to stop for a minute or two to reflect about history.
Lavender Circus
Wherever you go in this city, it’s worth looking up as much as straight forward. The decorations are incredible.
I stayed in a large double room at the Lavender Circus Hostel centrally located in Pest. A budget friendly and fun accommodation, perfectly located in walking-distance to everything.
Evening walk along the Danube
An evening walk through the centre, along the river, and across the bridges can be recommended. What can possibly feel more magic than the view of a full moon shimmering over a medieval castle?
The back door to Budapest Castle
Next morning, it was time to visit the castle. Again I crossed Donau and took the back road up to the castle. For a while I wondered if I was on the right track, but then the huge castle walls appeared.
What I didn’t know, was that large parts of the castle accommodate the National Gallery. In other words, I wandered straight into the gallery without a ticket… Luckily I met a friendly guard who quickly took me through parts of the gallery and out onto the other side.
The castle grounds are large with exquisite views of the parlament, which is built in neo-gothic style in 1902. Remarkably similar to the parlament in London, built a few decades earlier.
The Fisherman’s bastion
Even if you only have 24 hours in Budapest, make sure to take your time in the castle district.
In addition to the royal palace and the views, you also find the Matthias church, the Fisherman’s bastion, and the Sandor Palace here.
The Fisherman’s bastion was erected in 1895 as a monument for the city’s fisherman’s guild.
It’s said that the towers gives the best view of the Danube and Pest. I, on the other hand, preferred the views from the castle a bit more. The architecture is still a must to see.
After a few hours walking around the castle district, it was time to head back over the river one last time before going to the airport.
Is 24 hours enough to see Budapest?
Off course not. 24 hours is almost never enough time anywhere. But if you have read this far, you have seen that you can see quite a lot of the city within two half days and one evening. Next time I want more time. Maybe take a bath at the famous Gellert Hotel and spend some more time in the National Gallery?
