1/11
Admire the Pest skyline from the rooftop tub of the Rudas Bath
Rudas Bath stands as a historic landmark in an idyllic location. A swimming pool, several other heated tubs of varying temperatures up to 42°, and a sauna and steam cabin await inside. Rudas is especially popular because the new wellness wing is open until 10pm on weekdays, while on Friday and Saturday you can soak here between 10pm and 4am as well. The star attraction here is the rooftop panorama pool, where bathers can admire the entire Pest skyline while peacefully soaking away their worries.
2/11
Discover exotic plants at a Botanical Garden
A true gem close to Budapest’s city center, the botanical garden of the Eötvös Loránd University, called Füvészkert, lies hidden in the heart of District VIII a few steps away from Klinikák metro station. The botanical garden houses 8,000 different plant species and variants, while the garden’s Palm House is one of the oldest in the country, dating back to 1865, with a tropical atmosphere and a small pond inside. Here you can find various kinds of palm trees, as well as avocados, aloe vera, coffee, papaya, dragon fruit and bananas growing on various trees and plants. This garden is charming spot in any season, and was an important location in the famous Hungarian novel Paul Street Boys by Ferenc Molnár.
3/11
Sip fine teas amid vintage treasures at Cydonia
The Cydonia is a cozy place all year round, but in winter it becomes a real oasis for you to escape the gloom. Selective English leaf teas, homemade cakes, and the timeless atmosphere of the 1920s and 1930s help create a real home from home, the shelves lined with original relics from bygone eras. Cydonia is also a vintage boutique, the perfume bottles, velvet evening dresses and silk garments keeping with the tone and style of the establishment.
4/11
Enjoy an underground adventure at Pál-völgyi Caves
Tucked up in District II, the show caves of Pál-völgy are a part of the Duna-Ipoly National Park and known for their beautiful stalagmite and stalactite formations. The Pál-völgyi Caves are easy to reach by bus 65 from Kolosy Square. Those looking for an introduction to caving in Budapest can enjoy an easy 45-minute tour of a smoothly paved cavern with permanent lighting. Braver visitors may don protective coveralls and headgear before joining highly trained caving guides who lead physically demanding three-hour expeditions into the natural crevasses and crannies of the cave system, starting on the other side of the canyon. More details
5/11
Sóker Salt Caves & Relaxation Centre
Found just steps away from Andrássy Avenue, this subterranean refuge is lined with chunks and blocks of salt to offer a sedate urban escape from downtown bustle and to provide natural aid for respiratory problems. You can retreat to this underground cavern for a 60-minute therapy session or sign up for on-site yoga classes and even singing-bowl sessions, all surrounded by pink-hued Himalayan salt. As you do, the kids can play in an oversized salt box, set up near the lounge room.
6/11
Cozy up at an arthouse cinema
Budapest may be a city of multiplex movie houses but you can still find the odd revered arthouse cinema where vintage and avant-garde films fill the agenda instead of Hollywood franchises. Even better, catch a midweek matinee and you’ll have most of the screening room to yourself – or yourselves, if you’re enjoying a cozy afternoon à deux. You can snuggle up out of the cold as a timeless black-and-white classic unfolds. Prime destinations include the historic Uránia National Film Theater, the Puskin and the Művész.
7/11
Visit the lesser-known Turkish bath of Veli Bej
Budapest is world-famous for its thermal baths, but they can get pretty busy, even in winter. To experience peaceful recreation in naturally warm waters while avoiding rowdy crowds, Veli Bej is the perfect place. Its interior is a mixture of old and new styles. At the centerpiece is a traditional octagonal Turkish pool topped with a dome and surrounded by four small plunge pools of differing temperatures. In addition, a sauna with fresh ice, an infrared sauna, a steam room, leisure showers, a jacuzzi, a small swimming pool and a Kneipp-basin also await visitors. Veli Bej has no outdoor pools. Admission allows for three-hour visits, costing as little as 2,240 HUF on weekday mornings, rising to 2,800 HUF at weekends.
8/11
Visit tropical South America at the Palm House
Enveloped in icy silence, Budapest Zoo is a different proposition in winter. As a few adventurous pelicans battle with the slippery surface of the lake, on the shore the exotic Palm House beckons, still elegant under its modern-day guise as America Tropicana. Today showcasing both tropical plants and creatures from the American continent, the Palm House is home to spectacularly bright birds, alligators and baby geckos. Many visitors, happy to come in from the cold, first head for the aquarium downstairs, where a school of piranhas swim safely in unison within their own tank.
9/11
Enjoy a slow-paced dinner at Dobrumba
Inspired by Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, this in-demand Budapest eatery entices guests to spend a leisurely night out in the heart of the city’s lively Jewish District. A selection of hot and cold mezze-style treats, including hummus tahini, salmon burek, gambas chorizo are all ideal accompaniments for gastronomic gatherings and romantic dates, dishes shared and enjoyed in a laid-back atmosphere. Dobrumba is one of the hottest restaurants right now in town and reserving a table is highly recommended.
10/11
Catch a hockey game at Tüskecsarnok
Affordable and family-friendly, watching MAC Budapest is a fun evening out. With mulled wine, hot tea, draught beer and snacks available from the bar, you take your refreshment through to your comfortable spot close to the action and watch the hockey team of Budapest’s oldest sports association take on opposition from Hungary, Romania or Austria. Games take place regularly – although the season is drawing to a close, you can still catch the visits by DVTK Miskolc, the Vienna Capitals and Újpest on January 12th, 15th and 17th respectively. Check the schedule for further fixtures.
11/11
Warm up with a cuppa at Zhao Zhou
Sourcing select tea specialties from far-flung Asian farms, Zhao Zhou near the Buda side of the Chain Bridge is a haven for those who to be warmed by aromatic leaves, some harvested from century-old trees. Tea comes served in tasteful pots, ideal for sharing for two or even three people. If you are unsure which type of tea to go with, an expert staff is there to help, while brews are also available for sampling before ordering. It's an ideal locale for taking an afternoon break during city sightseeing in winter.
