1 - 4 January
I can’t recall a time in our lives when the year started quite like this: with a long weekend. Sure, it means we’ll have plenty of time to recover from New Year’s Eve celebrations, but that doesn’t mean we have to spend all four days in bed. Or do we? Binge-watching a series is always an option, of course. Still, this time we’re focusing on those who want to kick off 2026 with a bit more energy and start the year with plans that get them out and about.
At the start of the year, we can give both body and soul a much-needed boost. Let’s begin with the body. A visit to a thermal bath is a great place to start: not just for swimming or simply being in the water – which already feels good in itself – but also for a proper reset, with a detox-style sauna session and some time spent relaxing in the steam rooms. Early January is also ideal for fitting in a hike or two, gently getting ourselves moving for everything the year ahead might bring. The key is balance: a route that’s neither too long nor too short, neither too demanding nor too easy. Within the city, we recommend the roughly 10-kilometre Ördög-orom–Széchenyi Hill loop, while just outside Budapest, the Holdvilág-árog trail offers a shorter (around 5.5 km) but far more adventurous option.
We can do our minds a favour by visiting exhibitions that opened last year and are closing in early 2026 – all in pleasantly warm gallery spaces. At Kiscelli Museum, for example, the informative yet highly entertaining exhibition on the history of telephones closes on 18 January. Earlier, on 11 January, you’ll have the last chance to see the exhibition dedicated to William Blake and his contemporaries at the Museum of Fine Arts. World-renowned Hungarian photographer Zoltán Tombor’s exhibition exploring addiction also closes on January 18 at the Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center. And if photography is your thing, Mary Ellen Mark’s powerful retrospective on women’s lives will be on view at the Mai Manó House for the last time on 11 January.
3 - 6 April
By April, the weather starts to warm up, nature slowly comes back to life, and we naturally feel like spending more time outdoors. This is the perfect moment for long walks in the city’s parks: Margaret Island and City Park are both ideal choices. On Margaret Island, don’t forget to visit the small wildlife park, while in City Park, make time for the Zoo as well. Alternatively, you could kick things off with a trip to the Budakeszi Wildlife Park right away.
Walking and discovering go hand in hand, and April is a month that’s perfect for both. Take the opportunity to explore museum gardens and university parks – chances are there’s at least one you haven’t visited yet, and one you’ll want to return to later in the summer, whether alone with a good book or with friends, board games and a picnic basket.
1 - 3 May
On the long weekend marking Labour Day, let’s agree on one thing: no work. Instead, treat yourself to a multi-day getaway to a nearby town. Visegrád and Esztergom are obvious choices. In Visegrád, you’ll find an impressive collection of historical landmarks – the Citadel, Solomon Tower, the Royal Palace and Roman ruins – along with several villas, castles and manor houses.
In Esztergom, the former capital of Hungary, there’s so much to see you might hardly have time to sleep: the Castle with its remarkable bell collection, the Christian Museum, the Little Danube Promenade, the Balassa Bálint Museum, the Babits Mihály Memorial House, St Thomas Hill – and the list goes on. Zsámbék is another excellent option, offering plenty to explore within a compact area – and not just the ruins of the late Romanesque church. Highlights include the memorial tree inspired by a poem by János Lackfi, the Zichy Mansion (now a school), the romantic Convent Garden, the Turkish Well that feeds the garden lake, reminders of the town’s Swabian heritage, the botanical garden of the Baroque Catholic church, and the truly unique Lamp Museum. You can also climb Calvary Hill or visit the plague chapel on the edge of town.
23 - 25 May
By late May, summer is just around the corner. Outdoor venues – like those on Népsziget or at Dürer Kert in Buda – are mostly open, beaches are welcoming visitors again, and it’s finally time to dust off the bike after the winter months. Why not combine all three? Cycle between open-air spots and squeeze in a swim – naturally, arriving everywhere by bike. The weather should be on your side.
If you’re cycling as a group, you can also build in some playful alternative programmes, such as the Pinball Museum in District XIII or the Budapest Retro Experience Center in District V. The truly adventurous might even pedal out to the Memento Park in District XXII. Or take it easy with a stop at a board-game café or a quiz night – a relaxing break during or after a full day of cycling always feels just right.
20 - 23 August
It’s still summer, the weather is good – so let’s stay in the saddle. Budapest’s cycling infrastructure is strong not only within the city, but beyond it as well. You can easily plan a multi-day cycling trip around the capital without heading as far as Lake Balaton or Lake Tisza – though those are tempting options too. This time, let’s focus on a favourite route closer to home: the scenic stretch along the Danube Bend between Vác and Szob, running mostly right next to the river.
With four days at hand, you can explore the entire area at a relaxed pace, spending time in each town. Stronger cyclists can pedal all the way to Vác, while those taking it easier can hop on a train first and continue by bike from there. Along the way come the picturesque towns of Verőce, Kismaros, Nagymaros, Zebegény and finally Szob. For longer stops, Nagymaros and Zebegény are particularly recommended thanks to their abundance of sights.
Nagymaros is full of beautiful buildings – including the Kittenberger Kálmán Primary School – as well as the Calvary Chapel, small galleries, studios and the peaceful Sólyom Island. Zebegény offers equally striking attractions: the Art Nouveau Havas Boldogasszony Church designed by Károly Kós and Béla Jánszky, the Kós Károly Lookout Tower and its own Calvary Hill. You can hike up Dragon Hill for sweeping views of the Danube Bend, or venture further to Hegyes-tető and the Julianus Lookout. For museums, the István Szőnyi Memorial Museum and the Maritime History Museum are both excellent choices.
23 - 25 October
A week before All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day – and not to mention the ever-debated Halloween – this likely gloomy long weekend is ideal for a long walk through the Fiumei út cemetery , where many of Hungary’s most important public figures, historical personalities and cultural icons are buried. The cemetery feels more like a park, and the monuments themselves are works of art, created by artists just as notable as those they commemorate.
The following day, a similar walk can be taken at Farkasréti Cemetery, where many others rest. There are exceptions, of course – such as Árpád Göncz, whose grave can be found in the Óbuda Cemetery. While in the area, it’s worth hiking up Arany Hill to see one of Budapest’s most unusual buildings: the Pagan Tower, commissioned by the Turanian Society in 1910 and completed only in 1935. From the top, you’ll have sweeping views over Óbuda, Buda and almost the entire city – a reminder that Budapest always has plenty to offer, long weekends or not.
There’s one more long weekend in 2026 – Christmas – but by then most of us will already have fixed family plans. There’s little point in making recommendations, and not much will be happening anyway.
(Cover photo: Szabó Gábor – We Love Budapest)
Legyetek ott első városi piknikünkön!
Gyertek, és töltsünk el egy vidám napsütéses tavaszi napot együtt a városligeti fák lombjai között május 1-jén, ahol day-time piknik, workshopok, sok szuper food truck és dizájnvásár is vár mindenkit.
Ünnepeljük együtt a tavaszt, a találkozásokat és azt a pezsgést, amiért annyira szeretjük Budapestet!
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