When To Go

Spring and autumn offer glorious sunshine, tempered by the odd burst of rain. This is ideal as most – if not all – of the city’s attractions stay open during these times. Winter, which doesn’t really start until December, often has crisp blue skies and light days, although January is generally damp and cold.

Top 5 Places To Stay

• Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal

  Restored and re-opened in 2003 after years of neglect, the Corinthia provides the focal point of Erzsébet Avenue. The hotel’s spa, first opened in 1886, contains over 1000 square metres of pampering space. Other highlights include the ballroom and exhibition hall.

• City Matyas Hotel

  A city centre hotel, City Matyas is just 100m from the River Danube and one of Budapest’s premier shopping spots, Váci Street. The modern guestrooms include satellite television, and the cellar restaurant serves authentic Hungarian meals accompanied by live music.

• Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest

  Set amidst leafy boulevards, the hotel is a half-kilometre from St Stephen’s Basilica. All 366 guestrooms are decorated in warm colours and have marble bathrooms. The Asian-inspired Kempinski Spa features an indoor pool, solarium, therapeutic bath and massage suite, ice well, and heated Kneipp benches.

• Boathotel Fortuna

  Set in the centre of Budapest, this modern hotel a boat on the River Danube and is located three-kilometres from Buda Castle and Heroes Square. With 44 guestrooms, the hotel extends to a sun deck and terrace bar and houses a wood-panelled restaurant and English-style pub.

• Hotel Amadeus

  This four-floor hotel features 39 guestrooms, all of which have light blue carpets and dark wood furniture and include minibars and complimentary designer toiletries. Within 20km of the Central Market and River Danube, the hotel offers panoramic views of the city and invites guests to unwind with a relaxing massage.

Top 5 Things To Do On Your Visit

• Castle Hill

  This mile-long plateau is Buda’s most prominent feature. Home to numerous mansions and the historical Royal Palace, it also offers spectacular views across both parts of the city. Nowhere else highlights the beauty of Budapest so well.

• Szechenyi Baths

  One of Europe’s largest spa complexes, Szechenyi offers everything from top-of-the-range mud baths to floating chessboards so you can play while you bathe!

• Budapest History Museum

  sBudapest’s rich history can be witnessed architecturally on both sides of the Danube, but this museum has pieces stretching right back to prehistoric times.

• Szentendre

  Roughly 40 minutes by train (90 by boat), the historic town of Szentendre is situated on the Danube Bend – one of the most impressive stretches of the river. Popular in the summer, the town’s shops, restaurants and gallery’s are perfect for a lazy afternoon away from the buzz of the city.

• Vörösmarty tér

  Situated a short distance from the banks of the Danube, Vörösmarty tér is Pest’s main square. Peruse the shops, which range from chic-to-cheap, check out the nearby Pesti Theatre (where a 12-year-old Liszt made his concert debut), and grab a coffee in one of the many terraced cafés.