1/10
Go on a hunt for mini statues
Wander around the capital with a playful mission: to explore the city through sculptures. Make it a thematic walk: search for the fun mini-sculptures of Mihály Kolodko, including Garfield, Winnie-the-Pooh, dogs, and the rat from Ratatouille. Or discover the best animal statues in Budapest.
2/10
Slides and swings at Gellért Hill
Gellért Hill is always a good idea if the family is up for a little hike. It also works if the motivation for kids is a playground, as you will pass the Gellért Hill Slide Park on the way. And it is quite a big deal: the park is full of exciting slides and other playground equipment, and there’s even a drinking fountain.
3/10
Step through the Stargate
The Svábhegy Observatory is a historic place to do some serious stargazing. It has also opened up the infinite and wondrous starry sky to the public with a new event series. On pre-announced Saturdays, all the Observatory’s astronomical programme sites are free to explore at your own pace. The summer-themed stargazing programmes include observing the Milky Way, Venus, the Moon, and Saturn, and if you’re lucky, you might even spot shooting stars. There is no time or capacity limit on these occasions.
Get tickets on the spot or on the Hungarian website.
4/10
Hop on a heritage vehicle
This summer, several retro rides are launched in Budapest for the pleasure of children and adults alike. The N2 tram runs every Sunday between Jászai Mari Square and Közvágóhíd, and on the Buda side, you can hop on the N18 or N19 trams. There are also vintage buses and trolleybuses at pre-announced times. Specific fares apply - you can purchase tickets at the customer service offices or on board. See the map with the timetable here.
5/10
Go on holiday in the city
Walking into the Budapest Garden in Óbuda is like going on holiday. The proximity of the Danube, the wide range of street food, and the outdoor games for all ages (trampolines, artificial grass football pitches, or skate parks) are all essential elements of a good family holiday. They host an event called 'Every Weekend is Children’s Day' every Saturday and Sunday (starting at 10 am), where the little ones can enjoy a bouncy castle, the playground, and a real Firefighter Party with vintage fire engines. Animators host activities, including archery, cornhole, play parachutes, badminton, line and relay races, trampoline dodgeball, football, and target throwing. If you fancy a barbecue, there is also a barbecue area and a grill for hire. And when the evening comes, the open-air cinema opens under the stars. Films are sometimes screened with English subtitles, and there is no entry fee. (x)
6/10
Investigate at the Museum of Fine Arts
Explore exhibitions at the Museum of Fine Arts in a fun way! Head to the information desk and rent a Travelling Suitcase (made for the 9+ age group), which includes a Family Adventure Kit in different topics (in English). During 'An Egyptian Adventure', you can embark on a journey to solve mysteries about ancient Egypt. 'Tracing the Goblin' challenges you to catch a perpetrator, while 'Follow the Rulers' needs you to observe royal offspring. While the whole family is having fun during teamwork and brainstorming, the interactive kit also develops skills such as orientation, visual memory, and vocabulary.
7/10
Join an outdoor concert
This summer, the House of Music Hungary (in the heart of the City Park) is preparing a series of open-air concerts, theatre performances, and musical instrument presentations for children. The series of events starts on July 1st, and although it will feature Hungarian performers, kids can enjoy music in different forms. They can also try out the sound playground, where they can play congas and drums, jump around with noisy abandon and experiment with all kinds of sounds.
8/10
Cool off in a cave
The two caves in Budapest, which you can visit any day except Monday, always have a pleasant temperature of 12°C. Guided tours to the Szemlő-hegyi Cave start every hour, and you can also enter with a pushchair. The Pál-völgyi Cave is only open to children over 5 years of age and 115 cm in height. The new Visitor Centre is also worth a visit, where you can learn about the formation of stalactites and caving. And for more extreme adventures with older children, book a crawl-and-climb hike in overalls.
9/10
Play with science
The Csopa Science Centre has around 5,000 m² of play space and is open during the summer holidays. Not only schoolkids but teenagers will also have a great time here, thanks to the thematic exhibitions, escape rooms, and spectacular short films. You can join in lectures and experiments, get on the strange wheeled car, take the magnetic field with heavy steps, try the Mirror Labyrinth, take a selfie with famous scientists, and test your logic and courage.
10/10
Roam the zoo
'Join' penguins for breakfast (10 am) and gorillas for lunch (1 pm), cheer for the sea lions or elephants at their training, or see how tigers and bats are fed at the Budapest Zoo & Botanical Gardens. You can then hop on the gorgeous (and more-than-100-year-old) carousel, pop into the petting zoo, stop at a playground, or explore the Palm House. There is so much to do and see here that the day flows by in a second.
