Basilica of St Stephen

Cost: Free (Tower Ft500, concessions Ft400)
Building began on Budapest's neo-classical Basilica of St Stephen in 1845. The collapse of its dome in 1868 set back completion of this Pest landmark until 1905. St. Stephen's right hand is preserved in the Szent Jobb chapel. Taking its name from ... Continue reading

Chain Bridge

Cost: Free
The ornate Chain Bridge is the work of Hungarian moderniser István Széchenyi and Scotsman Adam Clark. It was the first permanent bridge to connect Buda and Pest in 1849. Lit at night, it's a romantic way to cross the Danube.... Continue reading

Great Synagogue

Cost: Ft1600; concessions Ft750
The Great Synagogue has been restored to its Byzantine onion-domed glory. Theodore Herzl, the father of modern Zionism, was born on the site. A weeping willow monument remembers WW2 casualties from the District VII Jewish Quarter in which it sits. ... Continue reading

Heroes' Square

Cost: Free
Built in 1896, Heroes' Square lies at the end of UNESCO-listed Andrássy út in Pest. Equestrian statues of tribal leaders who founded Hungary in 9AD are flanked by Hungarian heroes. The central 36-metre column can be seen from across Budapest.... Continue reading

House of Terror

Cost: Ft1800; concessions Ft900
The House of Terror is set on Pest's graceful Andrássy utca. It was the headquarters of Hungary's ultra-right Arrow Cross Party, and later the Communist secret police. The interrogation rooms and cells remain as a tribute to victims of these regim... Continue reading

Hungarian National Gallery

Cost: Ft800; concessions available
The Hungarian National Gallery in Budapest, housed in the former Buda Palace, offers a vast collection of art ranging from the medieval period to the 20th century. Originally founded during the great reform of the 19th century, the Hungarian Natio... Continue reading

Hungarian State Opera House

Cost: Not Specified
Miklós Ybl constructed this ornate masterpiece in 1884. The pearl of Pest's Andrássy út features the marble Royal Stairway, and frescoes by Bertalan Székely. The Hungarian State Opera House offers great value ballet and opera performances to cu... Continue reading

Ludwig Museum

Cost: Permanent collection Ft700 (concessions Ft350); temporary exhibitions vary
The Ludwig Museum resides on the Danube in Pest's upcoming District IX. Based on the private collection of Peter and Irene Ludwig, contemporary works from Hungarian artists as well as Picasso and Warhol are displayed.... Continue reading

Margaret Island

Cost: Free
This green island, three kilometres long and 500 metres wide, lies between Margit and Árpád bridges. Here, Budapesters relax and exercise at the Palatinus lido and Alfréd Hajós swimming complex. Light shows at the Music Fountain are popular in ... Continue reading

Matthias Church

Cost: Ft700; concessions Ft480; under-6s free
The neo-Gothic spire, gargoyles, and multi-coloured Zsolnay tilework of eclectic Matthias Church on Castle Hill reflects Budapest's turbulent history. It has been an exclusive wedding venue ever since King Mátyás got married there twice, and was ... Continue reading

Museum of Applied Arts

Cost: Ft2500 (valid for all exhibitions); concessions Ft1250
It's worth the trip to District IX to see Odön Lechner's 1896 Museum of Applied Arts. A fusion of Art Nouveau and Hungarian folk elements, its colourful Zsolnay roof is justly famous. Hungarian porcelain and French furniture feature inside. The p... Continue reading

Museum of Fine Arts

Cost: Permanent exhibitions: Ft1400; concessions Ft700; temporary exhibitions vary
Budapest's Museum of Fine Arts is next to Pest's monumental Heroes Square. It is noted for works by Spanish golden age artists including El Greco and Goya. It also houses outstanding ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian antiquities.... Continue reading

Royal Palace

Cost: Free; museums from Ft500
The turquoise dome caps off the eclectic Royal Palace, which has been bombed, burned and rebuilt repeatedly in Buda's Castle District. After viewing Hungarian paintings in the National Gallery, visitors enjoy stunning views of Pest from the courtya... Continue reading

Statue Park

Cost: Ft1500; concessions Ft1000; Hungary Card holders -30%
Rather than destroy statues of the hated former Communist regime, they have been grouped together in Statue Park outside Budapest. Hungary's first communist leader Béla Kun shares the space with Lenin, Marx and Engels, and a host of out-of-favour ... Continue reading

Városliget (City Park)

Cost: Not Specified
Budapest's largest park, Városliget, houses many fascinating historical sites, including the bizarrely constructed Vajdahunyad Castle and a George Washington memorial that miraculously survived the Cold War. It also contains the city's main amusem... Continue reading