10 Adventurous Things to do in Budapest

Just get off the couch and visit the Paris of the East!

I traveled to Budapest with a friend. My Pepper got the weekend off from my insatiable desire to see the world. So off I went on a red-eye to check out what all the hype was about in this vibrant city.

The first thing I noticed when we arrived was the unusual number of guy groups…everywhere! After further inquiry, it turns out Budapest is a mecca of Bachelor and Bachelorette parties! Who knew? So there are quite a few places to check out that get a little crazy at night!

Here are a couple of ideas for the bar-crawler in you:

1. Szecheni Spa Baths: Yes, there are luxury spa treatments, saunas and massages in this 20th century bath house. But on weekends the Bachelor parties take over, the Sparties! Think Wet and Wild Rave Party: live music, open bar, and hormones raging everywhere!

2. Day drinking at the Simple Ker: Some genius decided to buy an old warehouse with a courtyard in the middle and a bunch of surrounding rooms, decorate it with cheap, secondhand furniture, add some interesting artwork and communist mementos and voila! You have a famous “Ruin Bar”.

Here are a couple of ideas if you are itching’ to get active:

3. Hire a guide for a “Running Tour” around Budapest: Why walk when you can run? Its not your traditional tour, but what a great way to see the city! “Running Tours Budapest” customized a 9 mile tour around the city. I was training for a marathon at the time, so why not see the city while logging some miles? It also gave me an idea of where I wanted to check out later that weekend.

4. Running out to Margaret Island to escape the busy city: This glorious park is a 2.5km peninsula accessed via bridge from Buda and Pest. I ran from our hotel out to the island. There is a paved path that lies along the perimeter which gave me a glimpse of what was happening throughout the park. Stop at a cafe for a water break, or hang out at the waterfall at the Japanese garden. You can rent bikes here, too, in case you would rather bike around the peninsula instead. Enjoy!

5. Walk over the Szechenyl Lanchid (Chain) Bridge and head up to Buda Castle: This cool suspension bridge connects the east side (Pest) to the west side (Buda) of the city, arching majestically over the Danube River. Its about 200meters long, so walk or run across and make your way to Buda Castle, a Unesco World Heritage site. This 13th century castle sits atop Castle Hill and has awesome views of the entire city! If you start on the west side of the Danube its about 2.6 miles round trip. Check out the FREE walking tour to get the whole scoop on the history behind this site.

6. Walk (or run, like I did) up to The Citadel on Gellert Hill: (It is a Unesco World Heritage Site.) Take in more views of the city and the Danube- it only takes about 15 minutes to walk up the hill. The Citadel was a lookout tower in the 19th century and now serves as a major tourist attraction in Budapest. Unfortunately, there isn’t much up top except a marginal cafe where you can stop for a drink. But why not check it out?! The view, the breeze, the sunshine…all make it worth it. Be warned- it is super touristy. You might want to head up there at night for a bit of tranquiltiy.

For the History buff in all of us:

7. Take a boat ride on the Danube or walk along the banks of the Danube at night: Check out the Parliament Building and other major sights all lit up!

 8. The Shoes on the Danube: This heartbreaking memorial symbolizes the 3500 people that were killed by fascists during World War II. I saw this on the Running Tour and went back later with my friend. It was quite heartbreaking. The people were ordered to remove their shoes before being shot and falling into the river. Urgh.

For the foodies out there:

9. Try Languish- a traditional Hungarian snack. Its deep fried bread! What could be better?! Fried dough slathered in bolognese sauce, creme cheese and garlic, of course! My local running guide suggested Gozsdu Courtyard, in the hopping’ Jewish Quarter, for all things food in Budapest…so thats where we headed! However, Vaci Street is THE main shopping street in Budapest. It is loaded with touristy shops, brand name stores, and of course, restaurants. You can get your outdoor dining fix here as well as Gozsdu Courtyard. So many options, so little time!

TIP: For a moral local flavor- skip Vaci Street and head to the Jewish Quarter….

10. Great (Central ) Market Hall: This neo-gothic tunnel houses crazy fruits, vegetables, seafood, handicrafts, and anything else you can think of! Its major sensory overload!

Budapest is a great place to visit for a few days! The Pest side is where you should stay, as this is where the majority of the sites and the action is! Have a great time!