Belváros and Lipótváros (5th district)
Ideal for: first visit, culture
Pest side: Parliament, St Stephen's Basilica and the Danube embankment, all on foot.
Budapest
The Danube, the Parliament, thermal baths and ruin bars, between Buda and Pest.
First visit: where to stay
Hungary: the essentials
Plan your stay in Budapest
Best areas to stay in Budapest
Erzsébetváros (7th), Jewish Quarter
Ideal for: nightlife, budget
Ruin bars, restaurants and the Great Synagogue; lively at night.
Buda Castle District (1st)
Ideal for: couples, quiet
On the hill, around Fisherman's Bastion; views over Pest, more peaceful.
When to go to Budapest: the weather month by month
The warmest months are July and August (average highs up to 28 °C); the coolest, January and December (average lows of -3 °C).
| Month | Average low and high | Rain |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31 mm | |
| Feb | 31 mm | |
| Mar | 32 mm | |
| Apr | 35 mm | |
| May | 65 mm | |
| Jun | 65 mm | |
| Jul | 74 mm | |
| Aug | 59 mm | |
| Sept | 51 mm | |
| Oct | 44 mm | |
| Nov | 47 mm | |
| Dec | 39 mm |
Averages from the Pestszentlőrinc, Budapest (WMO number:) weather station (— normals): the weather in any given year may differ. Source: Wikipedia, “Budapest” (accessed 28 October 2026), CC BY-SA 4.0. This table is shared under the same licence.
Practical info about Budapest
Budapest is made up of Buda, on the hill, and Pest, the flat, lively side. The banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The currency is the forint (HUF), not the euro.
What to see in Budapest
- The Parliament, on the Danube;
- Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church, in the castle district;
- the thermal baths, Széchenyi and Gellért;
- the Chain Bridge and a boat trip on the Danube;
- St Stephen’s Basilica and the Great Synagogue;
- Gellért Hill, for the view over both banks;
- the ruin bars (romkocsma) of the Jewish Quarter.
Getting to Budapest
From the airport, the 100E express bus, with its own ticket, runs straight to Deák Ferenc tér, where three metro lines meet. Budapest has direct trains to Vienna and Prague.
All our tips for the country in Travel in Hungary.