Best of Summer in Budapest
Free Walking Tour
Hostelculture.com
Kick off your trip with a free walking tour in Budapest. The HostelCulture general tour will offer a good overview of both Pest and Buda sides of the city as well as a historical introduction, guided by experienced and entertaining, local guides. If you just can't get enough of Budapest, you can also go deeper into Hungarian history with the Jewish Legacy and Red Communist tours, all free!
Margaret Island
It's the main recreational area of Budapest with possibilities to rent a bike or spring-carriage (for 3 adults and 2 children), cool down in one of two swimming pools (one of which hosts the several-time Olympic champion Hungarian water-polo team while the other offers thrilling slides) and you can even find a tiny free-of-charge zoo and several hundred-year-old monastery ruins, not to mention the singing fountain.
Jánoshegy
hu.hungary.travel
Already visited a lot of big cities in Central Europe and feel like exploring nature? Discover Jánoshegy (John's Mountain) and its Erzsébet (Elizabeth) viewpoint, the first decoratively illuminated building of the city (est. 1920's). This is the highest point of Budapest at 526 meters and it offers an amazing view of not only the city but the Great Hungarian Plain, too. You can either hike 7.8km (approx. 2 hours) from the Castle area of Buda, or ride bus 21 or 21A all the way to Normafa where the most scenic half an hour hike awaits you.
Beyond Budapest
The main square of Szentendre. Pixabay.com
Budapest is the must-see city, but there's more to Hungary than just the capital with amazing towns to visit all over the country. The closest and easiest side trip from Budapest is Szentendre (Saint Andrew), the favourite local getaway, which has inspired generations of artists for 200 years. You can reach the town in just 40 minutes by riding HÉV, the suburban railway along the Danube. You only need about 4 hours to experience the town but feel free to relax and enjoy a full day. If you have more time to experience Hungary, other notable day trips include a road trip to the 592 square kilometres "Hungarian Sea", Lake Balaton, or enjoy the beautiful countryside of Szeged.
Special Events
Want to book your trip to Budapest based on events? Let us share a few important weekends around the city this summer:
Sziget Festival
August 10-17
Pixabay.com
Sziget Festival (Island of Freedom) is the biggest musical and cultural festival of Europe in 2016. It's so big, in fact, that it calls itself a republic rather than a festival. The atmosphere indeed feels young, international, and spirited on Old Buda's Shipyard Island in the middle of Danube and about 6km north of the city centre. Last year, over 440.000 visitors attended the festival, from a day to the whole week. And the line up of musical acts never falls short of excellent. This year it's no exception with many acts including Rihanna, Muse, Sum 41, Bullet for my Valentine, Sigúr Ros, Naughty Boy, David Guetta and Afroboy. Get your tickets ASAP!
Hungaroring Grand Prix
July 22-24
Pixabay.com
If you're interested in Formula 1, Budapest has a major attraction for you: the Hungaroring Grand Prix, an exciting race on a historical circuit. However, if you are not into Formula 1, you might want to reconsider booking your trip to Budapest at this time as it's the busiest part of high season.
SPARTY
Every Saturday
szechenyispabaths.com
Have you had enough of the heat but not enough of the parties? Head to Széchenyi Fürdő in the evening for a bangin' time with SPARTY. Taking place at the largest medicinal bath in Europe, the name SPARTY is a combination of "spa" and "party". Imagine fun DJ sets with techno music, fully loaded bar for beverages, happy and young backpackers all while wading in thermal water. Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime thing, so if you're going to experience a party like SPARTY, do it in Budapest!
Final advice:
Budapest has so much to offer in summer: don't miss out! If looking for special activities like music festivals or Formula 1, pick your dates and book accommodation as soon as you can. Happy Travels!
Daniel Draskoczy
