An Insiders Guide to Budapest
Beautiful and charming, Budapest long ago earned the nickname “the Queen of the Danube.” Now, new hotels and attractions are adding even more allure to Hungary’s capital, a city the river divides into two sections: Buda and Pest.
The 1884 opera house
Things to do in Pest
SEE
Hungarian State Opera
After a five-year, $160-million renovation, this jaw-dropper of an opera house that dates to 1884 reopened in 2022, all polished and enhanced with modern technology. Even if you don’t come for an opera, ballet, or symphony concert, take a guided tour of the refreshed Neo-Renaissance building dazzling with Old World charms: chandeliers, frescoes, gilded vaulted ceilings, marble columns, murals, oak paneling. opera.hu
House of Music Hungary
This modernistic facility in City Park is part of an ambitious government project to transform Budapest’s largest park into an urban cultural center. Opened last year, it’s designed to look as though it’s another natural element in this green oasis: Trees poke through holes in an undulated roof that some say looks like a mushroom, and abstract shapes like foliage create a canopy overhead. Take in performances at two glass-walled concert halls or an outdoor stage and delve into a comprehensive history of European music (with an emphasis on Hungarian pieces) in its inviting exhibition space, where imaginative use of technology adds appeal to exhibits. zenehaza.hu
EAT
Stand
In a glass-walled kitchen, local celebrity chefs Szabina Szulló and Tamás Széll give goulash, fish soup, and other traditional Hungarian dishes a contemporary twist. Opened in 2018, the restaurant nabbed a coveted Michelin star within a year. In 2022, Stand earned two stars to become the only Budapest restaurant with such bragging rights. standrestaurant.hu
DRINK
St. Andrea Wine & Skybar
Sip smart cocktails and fine wine alongside locals while taking in a bird’s-eye view of the city at this rooftop bar above Vörösmarty Square in a UNESCO World Heritage building. With two outdoor terraces and a glassed-in bar area, it’s open year-round and is the place to be for dreamy sunsets. standreaskybar.hu
SHOP
Herend
Arguably Hungary’s finest porcelain manufacturer, Herend has been producing exquisite hand-painted pieces since 1826, with a who’s-who client list that has included Habsburg emperors and the British Royal Family. Of its three Budapest stores, the main one on József Nádor Square sells the largest selection, including tableware, home furnishings, figurines, and jewelry, priced for every budget. herend.com
STAY
Anantara New York Palace Budapest Hotel
In 2022, Bangkok-based Anantara took over this former Autograph Collection Hotel in an ornate 1894 Belle Epoque architectural gem originally designed as a palace. In rebranding the property, Anantara has redesigned the bright, airy, and elegant atrium lobby; refreshed the 185 rooms; renovated the spa (which mixes Thai healing philosophies with the thermal bath heritage of Budapest); and added an upscale restaurant serving Hungarian favorites. That new dining outlet overlooks the hotel’s big drawing card: the famed New York Café, a stunning room with chandeliers, frescoes, and marbled columns favored by the literati for more than a century. anantara.com
Matild Palace
Opened with 130 rooms in 2021, this former Belle Epoque palace showcases a sense of place from its rooftop Loft Rooms with large sloping windows looking out to city or Danube views. Wolfgang Puck oversees the culinary operations, introducing a Spago serving modern Hungarian cuisine. The Duchess, a see-and-be-seen rooftop bar, drips with glamour and dramatic vistas and the spa delights with both thermal therapy and a hammam. matildpalace.com
The pool at Rudas Baths
Things to do in Buda
SPA
Rudas Baths
Bathe in an octagonal pool built by the Turks in the 16th century with a striking cupola roof anchored by eight pillars. In the facility’s wellness area, you can soak outdoors via a large whirlpool spa overlooking the city from the rooftop terrace. Come Friday and Saturday evenings for night bathing and bright city lights. Another facility worth a visit in the future is the grandest bath in Buda—Gellért Bath—currently undergoing renovations. rudasfurdo.hu
SEE
Hungarian National Gallery
Artworks dating from medieval times to the present fill the four wings and four floors of this museum inside the Royal Palace on Castle Hill, an area packed with major tourist attractions. Its massive collection includes winged altars, paintings, and sculptures by Hungary’s most lauded artists such as Mihály Munkácsy and József Rippl-Rónai. If the museum’s size seems intimidating, a map available at the ticket counter lists the location of 18 not-to-miss works, including Munkácsy’s Woman Carrying Brushwood. mng.hu
EAT
Stand25
The chef duo behind Stand rake in accolades for their popular neighborhood bistro, opened in a Pest market hall in 2017 and relocated to Buda in 2019. A short walk down from Castle Hill, the restaurant is more casual than Stand, with a homespun menu. As a hostess explained, “It’s a Hungarian grandma’s cooking but modernized.” The comforting cuisine earned the restaurant a Michelin plate recommendation in 2021. stand25.hu
DRINK
Faust Wine Cellar
Descend 54 steps into this dark and moody establishment beneath the ruins of a 13th-century Dominican monastery. Sample vintages from nine of Hungary’s 22 wine districts in a group of no more than 20 people, plus owner and host Gábor Nagy—an affable Hungarian with vast vinicultural knowledge. The cellar is not affiliated with the Castle Hill Hilton hotel through which it’s accessed. gbwine.eu
SHOP
Castellum Gallery
This small but impressive gallery in Castle Hill shows quality artwork produced by 40 specially selected Hungarian artists. The collection includes leather goods, paintings, sculptures, and jewelry priced from affordable to expensive. +36.30.656.1213
STAY
Hotel Clark
This 79-room, adults-only hotel has a sophisticated, contemporary style and prime location a stone’s throw from the Chain Bridge (one of the main bridges connecting the two sides of the city). Here you’re still close to all the action in Pest while also being near Castle Hill. The cozy rooftop bar serves up stellar views of Pest, especially the imposing Hungarian Parliament building regally lit up after dark. hotelclarkbudapest.hu
