Central Europe Road Trip 2/6: Budapest in One Day – Széchenyi Baths, New York Café, Gellért Hill

Looking down on the Danube and Pest from Gellért Hill, with the sunset turning the sky pink and orange. (Photo: TIME TRAVELER editor)

In the last post we drove from Vienna to Budapest and visited Fisherman's Bastion and Castle Hill (Central Europe Road Trip 1/6: Vienna & Budapest). This post covers all of May 27, walking through Budapest's most classic sights in one go.

Itinerary overview (May 27)

Morning | Széchenyi Baths: soaking inside a yellow palace

The outdoor pool at Széchenyi Thermal Bath (Széchenyi gyógyfürdő), surrounded by yellow Neo-Baroque buildings. (Photo: TIME TRAVELER editor)

Budapest sits on rich thermal springs and is rightly called the "city of spas". Széchenyi Thermal Bath in City Park (Városliget) opened in 1913 and is one of the largest bath complexes in Europe. Yellow Neo-Baroque buildings surround the outdoor pool, so it feels like bathing in a palace. We really got in that day. The outdoor water was pleasantly warm, and looking up from the pool you see the yellow palace walls – very Budapest.

Noon | Paprika restaurant

A midday break after the baths, with a drink in hand. (Photo: TIME TRAVELER editor)

The red awning and outdoor seats of Paprika vendéglő on Dózsa György út, right next to City Park. (Photo: TIME TRAVELER editor)

After the baths we walked to Paprika vendéglő next to City Park to rest. "Vendéglő" means a traditional small restaurant in Hungarian, and the outdoor seats under the red awning are great for watching people go by.

Afternoon | City Park: Vajdahunyad Castle and Heroes' Square

Vajdahunyad Castle

Vajdahunyad Castle (Vajdahunyad vára), with towers and spires hidden among green trees. (Photo: TIME TRAVELER editor)

Vajdahunyad Castle in City Park looks like a medieval fortress, but it was actually built for the 1896 Millennium Exhibition celebrating 1,000 years of Hungary. The architect Ignác Alpár combined building styles from different periods and regions of Hungary – Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque are all there. It was first a temporary structure of wood and cardboard, but it was so popular that it was rebuilt in stone between 1904 and 1908. Today it houses the Hungarian Agricultural Museum.

The lakeside next to the castle, with calm water and reflected clouds. (Photo: TIME TRAVELER editor)

The lake beside the castle becomes an ice rink in winter, and in summer it is a lovely place for a walk. We strolled slowly along the shore, and the shade of the trees was very comfortable.

Heroes' Square

The Millennium Monument at Heroes' Square (Hősök tere); there were lots of visitors in front, and we appear in the crowd too. (Photo: TIME TRAVELER editor)

 The Archangel Gabriel stands on top of the Millennium Monument, with equestrian statues of the seven Magyar chieftains at the base and statues of Hungarian kings and famous figures on the curved colonnades on both sides. (Photo: TIME TRAVELER editor)

Crossing City Park brings you to Heroes' Square. The Millennium Monument in the middle, about 36 metres high, was also built for the 1,000th anniversary of Hungary, and the Archangel Gabriel on top holds the Holy Crown and the double cross. On both sides of the square are the Museum of Fine Arts and the Hall of Art, and together with City Park and Andrássy Avenue they are part of Budapest's World Heritage site.

Late afternoon | New York Café: the "most beautiful café in the world"

The glittering main hall of the New York Café, with crystal chandeliers, twisted columns and ceiling frescoes. (Photo: TIME TRAVELER editor)

A dessert and a drink at the New York Café, surrounded by golden decoration. (Photo: TIME TRAVELER editor)

Late in the afternoon we went to the New York Café on the Erzsébet körút ring road. It opened in 1894 inside the building of the New York Life Insurance Company, was once a meeting place for writers, journalists and artists, and is often called the "most beautiful café in the world". The gilded carvings, chandeliers and ceiling frescoes in the hall are over the top. Even though prices are higher than in an ordinary café, we think it is definitely worth a visit once. There are often queues at popular times, so you can book ahead on the official website.

Evening | Sunset on Gellért Hill

The green iron frame of Liberty Bridge (Szabadság híd), with a statue of the Turul bird from Hungarian mythology on top. (Photo: TIME TRAVELER editor)

After the café we crossed the green Liberty Bridge to the Buda side. Liberty Bridge opened in 1896 as Franz Joseph Bridge and is the shortest of the bridges over the Danube in central Budapest. The four Turul birds on top are its trademark.

Elizabeth Bridge and Pest seen from Gellért Hill, with the dome of St. Stephen's Basilica and the Ferris wheel in the distance already lit up. (Photo: TIME TRAVELER editor)

Just over the bridge is Gellért Hill, and several viewpoints line the path on the way up. That evening the sky slowly turned from blue to pink and orange, and the Danube, the white Elizabeth Bridge and Pest were all laid out in front of us – our favourite view of the whole trip.

Practical tips

• Széchenyi Baths: bring slippers, a swim cap and a towel. You can buy tickets on the official website in advance, and holidays and afternoons are busier.
• New York Café: queues at popular times are long, so book ahead or avoid the afternoon-tea peak.
• Gellért Hill: the path has many steps, so wear comfortable shoes. The Citadella fortress on the hill has been under renovation in recent years, so check whether it is open before you go.
• Parking: street parking around City Park is mostly paid; use a parking app or a roadside payment machine.
• Hotels: Find Budapest hotels on Trip.com

Previous post: Central Europe Road Trip (1/6) | Vienna + Budapest: Karlskirche, St. Stephen's Cathedral, Fisherman's Bastion and the Magdalene Tower Next post: Central Europe Road Trip (3/6) | Szentendre + Füzér Castle: an Artists' Town on the Danube and a Hilltop Castle in Hungary

--- Image credit: all photos in this article were taken by the TIME TRAVELER editor; faces of people are covered with the editor's original character stickers.

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