Historic landmarks
There is no shortage of monumental structures on both sides of the Danube – Buda’s Castle District is enhanced with the Royal Palace, Matthias Church, and Fishermen’s Bastion, among many other storied sights…
…and meanwhile, Pest’s riverfront is punctuated by the Parliament House, downtown is towered over by the dome of St. Stephen’s Basilica, and Heroes’ Square is a striking centerpiece of Hungarian national pride.
Panoramic lookouts
Many hilltop points across Buda provide incredible views across the Pest cityscape, including the Castle District’s Fishermen’s Bastion, the Citadel atop Gellért Hill, and the Elizabeth Lookout Tower at the peak of János Hill…
…while the vistas from Pest are full of Buda’s captivatingly undulating skyline, best enjoyed from the Danube Promenade, or from the circular balcony surrounding the dome of St. Stephen’s Basilica.
Retro railways
While Pest features the Millennium Underground – continental Europe’s first subway line – and two historic train stations (Nyugati and Keleti), all established in the 1800s and extremely active today…
…Buda boasts the Cogwheel Railway and the Castle Hill funicular (both over 140 years old), as well as the Children’s Railway, launched in the 1950s and still running as a relic of Hungary’s communist era.
Classic confectioneries
Buda features a few sweet shops dating back many decades, including the Castle District’s Ruszwurm pastry place established 190 years ago, and the Auguszt confectionery operating on Fény Street since 1957…
…but in Pest we find the venerable Gerbeaud Confectionery on Vörösmarty Square, while Andrássy Avenue’s Művész Kávéház welcomes guests for cake and coffee in a setting hardly changed since 1898.
New-wave coffee shops
Budapest’s coffeehouse revolution is claiming territory on both sides of the city, with Pest featuring buzzing hangouts like the newest Madal Café near Parliament, Ébresztő on Pozsonyi Avenue, and Budapest Baristas near the National Museum…
…while we can enjoy all sorts of coffee concoctions in fresh Buda hotspots like Café Flore Matin et Soir, at mókusch (tucked on a side street by Széll Kálmán Square), and at the Steamhouse Café in the Batthyány Square Market Hall.
Biking in Buda and Pest
Pancake-flat Pest is easy to get around by bicycle, not only because its lack of hills makes this side of the city ideal for pedal-powered vehicles, but also because many major city thoroughfares now have dedicated bike lanes…
…but the forested hills of Buda are perfect playgrounds for mountain bikers, while its riverfront bike trail that leads past the open-air bars of Romai Part all the way to Szentendre is ideal for a two-wheeled day trip.
Garden hangouts
There are many laid-back garden bars in urban Pest where we can enjoy potent potables amid pleasant greenery, including Kőleves Kert, Pótkulcs, Kertem, and Fröccsterasz in the very heart of downtown…
…while Buda is better known for its profusion of serene garden restaurants, such as the historic Kéhli in Óbuda, the Fenyőgyöngye near the peak of Hármashatár Hill, and the popular Náncsi Néni eatery.
Party places
Pest is undoubtedly the party capital of Budapest, as downtown is dotted with hundreds of bars, with the ruin pubs of District VII being world-renowned for their creative spirit and good-time gatherings…
…but quiet Buda still has a few remarkable party places of its own, such as the laid-back Majorka open-air hangout near the base of the Cogwheel Railway, and the ever-popular Fellini, a splendidly surreal riverfront hangout of the aforementioned Romai Part.
