This is our first visit to Budapest. We have been to Vienna, Prague before but not Budapest. Can you suggest what one do in Budapest for 5 - 6 days? Are there any day trips we can take?

We had 4 and hope to go back someday as we missed so much and didn't get a chance for any day trips.

Of course, we like to just wander a bit and aren't always on the go, so we probably "lose" time that way. Still, there's Buda Hill with the castle, the labyrinth, Matyas Church, Fisherman's Bastion; there's Varsoliget with the chapel, the baths, the "castle" exhibition hall; Gellert bathes; Vaci Utca shopping and wandering; St. Istvan Cathedral as well as a number of other churches; the Great Synogogue; Margaret Island; lots of good restaurants and pastisseries; Roman ruins; the Communism park; etc

Check out www.budapestinfo.hu

For day trips, I know the Danube Bend tour gets recommended. We visited Eger and really liked it, but we didn't do it as a day trip.

I, too, will be in Budapest for several days (my second trip) soon, and am considerating a day tour to Lake Balaton. I've found 2 tours on the internet--IBusz and Viator. Has anyone done this??
Thanks

Like Clifton, we went for 4 days and plan to return someday. In fact, I think the next time we go to Central Europe we will start with Budapest. It seems like nothing would get a vacation going like a visit to the baths. For us, nothing got the day going like a visit to the baths.
There's a lot to do there. Everything that Clifton said plus the opera.

When in Budapest: See if the flea market on the river still carries the Clinton stacking doll. It has Monica, Paula, Jenifer and Hillary inside. They were selling well on our 2000 visit. Probably discounted now.......