Are you visiting Budapest for a Epic Weekend? 

 

We have hand picked the best Stag do and Hen do activities and so you won’t have to worry too much about booking stuff for the weekend.  

 

Do you need to spice up the trip with an exotic dancer or two? Check. Get a Hummer from the Hotel and hit the clubs? Check. 

Shooting range in the city? Done and the list goes on. 

 

Please note that some of these activities are exclusively for the summer time.

Therefore this list includes mostly outdoor activities that will make the summer nights in Budapest unforgettable. 

The list contains only what is accessible, meaningful and relaxing. 

For example, here are some ideas of what to do in the Hungarian Capital: 

 

Wander around the lower quay of Pest

This one is fairly easy and relaxing. Just get yourself down to Kálvin tér, Ferenciek tere or Deák tér, head to the river bank and take a walk. Usually the bank is vibrant with full of young people who want to have fun.  There are plenty of restaurants and pubs where you can sit down if you haven't brought your own drink. Great idea if you want to see some great architecture as there are a number of historical buildings located on both sides of the river. 

 

Sit on the banks of the Danube on the stairs and watch the water, drink booze

This is yet again, something very localist to do. Many young people love to hit the liquor stores, get a couple of 6 packs, some cigis and head to the river banks. The endless stairs are waiting for people to just sit by the water and enjoy the atmosphere of Budapest and chill out. Just make sure there are toilets nearby! Also the Szabadsághíd bridge is very popular to sit down, on some Saturdays in the summer the bridge is closed from traffic for music and parties.

 

Most popular meeting point in Budapest and Budapest Eye

If you are planning a long night, you can first just go to the various pubs and ruin bars in the 7th district, or just do what the boys and girls do: drive or walk to Erzsébet tér, where many people sit on the grass and drink what they brought. You can also try the bars Akvárium or Fröccsterasz. If the weather is good, the place is definitely full. So if you are looking for an awesome night out, chances are you will start your pub crawl at around Erzsébet Tér. Locals love to gather, sit on the lawn and sip the schnapps they got from the liquor store or just grab a pint from the local pubs. Either way, the Budapest eye is located in the same park, so if you are after some bird eye view of the city, this is the chance to just hop on and take it all in. As a historic city, Budapest has some spectacular buildings that will be a candy for the eyes. 

 

Visit to Margaret Island

The island is located between Buda and Pest and you can get there easily by hopping on tram 4 or 6. The island offers tons of fun activities, you can rent bikes, scooters, mini carts and pretty much anything that rolls. In the heart of the island there is a mini-zoo with awesome parks where young people meet for social events, that is, get to know each other. You are guaranteed to find company as young people love to socialise in parks when the weather is right. Plenty of pubs and bars around the river banks are also waiting for the thirsty pilgrims to have about 4-16 beers. 

 

Take a city walk  in the city center

Meet architectural styles from Baroque to Art Nouveau. Downtown Budapest is a must for every tourist. Although Váci street at district V is considered a more traditional-tourist path, there are awesome buildings to marvel at. Visit the grand market hall and try out traditional foods like lángos or Gulyás soup. Or drink a presso at the oldest Hungarian Restaurant/ Cafe Gerbaud. Be warned!!! The street offers many tourist places but some of them are tourist traps. Be sure to check out the reviews before entering any of those places. Luckily this part of the town is the only place you can still encounter such establishments. The city center is quite big, within the big boulevard almost every second building is a monument. There is also a lookout in the Basilica!

 

Stroll through the castle district

Buda Castle is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List and therefore a must-see when in Budapest. The entire castle district smells of history. Every corner and every brick is ancient. Cool little cafes and fine dining are easy to find. Check out the spectacular Castle district home of the some of the most amazing buildings you can find accross Budapest. Excelent place to take some everlasting selfies! 

Be aware though, the place is packed before the Covid times, 30,000 people visited the castle daily. You can just go there by crossing the Chain Bridge - once the renovation of the bridge is finished, which actually can take years in Hungary…. With that in mind, better take a bus.

 

Take a trip to the Gellért Hegy lookout

If you want to commemorate your Budapest trip, then a selfie at the Gellért Hely lookout is a must. You can visit the lookout during the day or  nights, the view is always stunning. You can get there by public transportation, taxi or even Hop on and Hop off buses include the site among their stops. 

 

Look for interesting sculptures

An Austro-Hungarian emperor once mentioned that it's a shame there are only a handful of statues in Budapest. Hungarians did not need more and began to erect them like there is no tomorrow. The most important of all, of course, is Heroes' Square, where our founding fathers stand together with heavenly protectors of the land. Right next to Budapest's largest city park, this is of course a must-see when visiting Budapest. But there are much cooler statues in Budapest: the Paul Street Boys from the famous Hungarian novel, the Little Princess on the Danube, Columbo (Peter Falk) on Falk Miksa Street, the little statues from Hungarian fairy tales by Mihály Kolodko all over the city centre.

 

Central City ​​Park

The City Park offers much more than Heroes' Square: historical and new museums, cool cafes and restaurants, the biggest artificial lake in Budapest: a boat lake to row around (in winter an ice rink - actually a meeting place for drinking and socializing), the famous Széchenyi Spa , a copy of the castle of our greatest king Mathias, a panoramic balloon, lots of young people and much more. Much has been renovated and added to in recent years. One of the largest zoos in Europe with more than 1000 animals and very unusual for its city center location. A solid picnic option next to Margaret Island: grab chips, beer and go.

 

Drink lemonade on the terrace

As mentioned before, on both sides of river Danube there are plenty of terraces, where mild house music and cocktails make sure you forget about your problems. No better place to visit than the BÁLNA at the pest side near the Szabadsághíd bridge. Numerous cool bars on the Danube where the evening starts in the afternoon.

 

Admire the panorama from the Gül Baba türbe on Rózsadomb

Same goes here as before at Gellért hegy lookout before. This one is closer to Margaret Island, so if you visit one you can easily access the other. The Turbe of Gül Baba introduces the rich history of Budapest inherited from the Turkish occupation. Goes without saying we were finally happy to get rid of them, they have left some spectacularly cool things behind, among the world famous spas. This is one such place, just breathe the history in.  

 

Take a BKV boat from the Roman coast to the Kopaszi dam

The cool thing about this boat trip is that it's just for the price of a single public transport ticket. So if you are on a budget and looking for a cheaper boat alternative, this is your best bet. Still get to see some of the coolest sights in Budapest and you won’t have to break the bank for it. At the Kopasz Dam, there are plenty of cool restaurants and bars waiting for the thirsty hordes, where you can sit back by the river and have a drink or two, with a good grab to go along with it. Check the timetable in advance!

 

Take a cruise to Szentendre

There are regular boat trips to Szentendre, the artist city just outside of Budapest. Its a fairly quick ride, the whole activity doesn't take more than 3 hours. You will be charmed by the Baroque architecture and small cobbled streets of this lovely little town. Art galleries, shops and churches all make this to be a little bit of a fairy trip. 

 

Visit a nature reserve 

There are 39 natural reserve parks in and around Budapest. If you feel like a short trip to Mother Nature will do you good, then you don't have to travel far and wide. The parks are easily accessible with public transportation and a bit of walk. 

 

Walk through the Shipyard Island

Again, this is a larger park-like area. To most visiting this place is known for hosting the world famous SZIGET Festival. This is the second largest island of Budapest.  

 

Go to an outdoor concert

Before visiting Budapest it's worth sussing around what kind of concerts will take place. The locals love for live music and the large crowds of tourists make Budapest an excellent stop for any road trip even for bigger bands. If you love Alternate music you best check out what is going on at A38 ship. (Voted to be the best place to visit in 2018 by lonely planet). Do you love heavy metal? Heck yeah!  Barba Negra is the place for you! Beer is cold and cheap and the riffs will rip your skulls apart. Chief amongst them all of course is Budapest Park. Usually worth visiting as after the concerts the DJ take control of the tunes and dance floor as the crowd dances the night away. 

 

Cool off at the Palatine or Csillaghegyi beach

Budapest tends to get really hot during the summer spell. Granted the city is famous for its spas, but lets be honest. It's not the nicest idea to cool yourself off in a hot spa. Worry not, Palatinus pool is located at the hearth of Margit sziget and has some really cool outside pools. Grab a beer, try the lángos and enjoy the view. Easily accessible with public transport as well. 

 

The list could be written for a lifetime, because Budapest offers much much more, we wanted to give a glimpse of what you can do in Budapest besides parties and celebrations. We have tried to select activities that are budget friendly and not too time consuming.

 

Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.

 

Until next time,

Your Budapest Weekends team