187 Best Sights in Hungary

The oldest building on Kossuth tér is the Szent Miklós templom (Church of St. Nicholas), known also as the Barátság templom (Friendship Church) because of St. Nick’s role as the saint of friendship. The church, the oldest in the city, was built in Gothic style in either the 13th or 15th century (a subject of debate). What is not debated is that it was rebuilt in baroque style during the 18th century. Once you pass through the elaborate wrought-iron gate and through an attractive little courtyard out front, note the interior’s apricot hues, which are typical of many an edifice in downtown Kecskemét.

Its pale yellow and green metal steeple being one of Óbuda's core landmarks, this church—a tad more impressive on the outside than the inside—was built by the Zichy family from 1744 to 1749 as the successor to a previous church established here by Hungary's first king, Saint Stephen, in 1010. Situated in a peaceful neighborhood a couple minutes' walk from Fő tér and behind the Aquincum Hotel, it features a red-marble altar (1774) and striking wooden statues of Christ and the church's patron saints (1884).

Szentendre's farthest-flung museum is also the largest open-air museum in the country. Located 5 km (3 miles) northwest of the city center, it is a living re-creation of 18th- and 19th-century village life from different regions of Hungary—the sort of place where blacksmith shops and a horse-powered mill compete with wooden farmhouses and folk handicrafts for your attention. A heritage train takes you around the site. The museum is accessible by bus from stand 6 of the Szentendre terminus of the HÉV suburban railway; expect departures roughly every hour from the early hours until after 10 pm. Guided tours in English are available if booked in advance.

Towering over the village of Szigliget, atop a 239-meter-high hill, is the ruin of the 13th-century Óvár (Old Castle). Unlike many of Hungary's fortresses, this one was so well protected that it was never taken by the Turks; in fact, it was demolished in the early 18th century by Habsburgs fearful of rebellions. A steep path starting from Kisfaludy utca brings you to the top of the hill, where you can explore the ruins and take in the breathtaking views.

This atmospheric church built into a cave—one of several in the hill—lies just north of the Gellért Thermal Baths. Mass is still held here (the church is run by the Pauline monks) and worth attending if so inclined, but it is also worth a look for its novelty value. Note: it was rebuilt in faux-cave style in the '90s so it is not quite as authentic as it could be.

The unusual, one-of-a-kind Szórakoténusz Toy Museum and Workshop chronicles the history of Hungarian toys with almost 18,000 archaeological pieces such as stone figures and clay toys from medieval guilds. The museum also hosts changing international exhibits. In the workshop, artisans create traditional toys and invite you to try to make toys yourself. Next door to the toy museum (in the same building) is the small Magyar Naív Muvészek Múzeum (Hungarian Naive Art Museum), where you can see a collection of this simple style of painting and sculpting created by Hungarian artists. The museum is in a less-than-inspiring neighborhood of concrete apartment blocks, but only a five-minute walk from downtown.

Trees, restaurants, and shops line this busy waterfront promenade, which is named after the Nobel Prize–winning Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore: he came to one Balatonfüred's sanitoriums in 1926 to get treatment for a heart condition. You will find a bust of Tagore in front of a lime tree along the promenade; the poet planted it himself following his recovery. The promenade begins near the boat landing and runs for nearly a kilometer (½ mile) to the east.

Taste Hungary is a popular boutique company offering walking tours in Budapest and day trips around Hungary. Owned by a Hungarian and American couple, it originally focused exclusively on wine tourism, so its expert tours of nearby wine regions like Etyek and Eger are a great way to see some of the countryside. Taste Hungary has a lot to offer including specialized walking tours of Budapest focusing on such varied subjects as the culinary scene, Jewish Budapest, or craft beers.

Climb the narrow steps up Váralja lépcső, located near the corner of Fő tér and Görög utca, to reach this cobblestone hilltop square. Once the site of a medieval fortress, today it is home to the baroque Szentendrei Keresztelő Szent János Plébánia (Church of St. John the Baptist), famed for its enormous, dark frescoes. But the real reward for the climb comes in the form of spectacular views over the town's angular sile rooftops and steeples, and of the Danube beyond.

For generations during the Soviet era, Andrássy út 60 was the well-known site of a secret police interrogation center. People were taken at night to this location and some never returned. In 2002, the House of Terror Museum opened to tell the story of the regime who used this location to intimidate, interrogate, torture, and kill. The museum has been carefully designed down to the imposing form of the building’s awning and the shadow it makes on the sidewalk. The music that accompanies the exhibits is likewise original, composed to create the proper mood. Graphic images and the violent theme make it unsuitable for younger children, but give visitors a sense of the real terror of living in a totalitarian regime.

The most controversial museum in post-Communist Hungary was established at great cost, with the support of the center-right government in power from 1998 to 2002. Some critics alleged that its exhibits are less than objective, sensational attacks on those even loosely associated with the communist-era dictatorship and place less emphasis on the terrors of the fascist era and the Holocaust in particular. The museum director replied that the collection is dedicated to the victims of both regimes (fascist and communist)—noting that there is an exhibit on the atrocities against Jews before and during World War II—and that it was painstakingly researched and designed by experts. Book in advance for a group tour in English.

The building itself has a terrible history. Starting in 1939, it was headquarters of the national socialist Arrow Cross Party; from 1945 to 1956 the notorious Communist state security police, the ÁVO (later succeeded by the ÁVH), used it as its headquarters and as its interrogation-cum-torture center. A powerful visual and sensual experience, this state-of-the-art, multimedia museum features everything from videos of sobbing victims telling their stories to a full-size Soviet tank. An English-language audio guide is available; groups needing them for each member should call several days or more in advance to reserve, as the number of units is limited.

This eye-catching, glass-covered building, designed in 1906 by architects Henrik Böhm and Ármin Hegedűs, proudly displays Budapest's largest outdoor mosaic. Can't see it? Take a few steps back and crane your neck until you have a good view of the facade's upper gable. It's there you will find the Seccessionist-style mosaic by Hungarian master Miksa Roth, which depicts the Virgin Mary wearing the country's royal crown and wielding a sword before a veritable who's who of Hungarian heroes.

This romantic tree-lined promenade, often overlooked by sightseers, follows the castle's ramparts southeast from Capistrano Square toward the Royal Palace. It offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the matte-pastel baroque houses that face Úri utca, with their regal arched windows and wrought iron gates. On a late spring afternoon, the fragrance of the cherry trees and the sweeping view of the quiet Buda neighborhoods below may be enough to revive even the weariest. About halfway along the route is a staircase leading down to Sziklakórház (Hospital in the Rock), a subterranean World War II medical facility turned Cold War nuclear bunker that's part of the extensive Castle Hill caves network. Although fascinating, entry to Sziklakórház (including an English-speaking tour) costs a hard-to-justify €25.

Running south from Vörösmarty Square to Elizabeth Bridge is Váci utca, Budapest's best-known shopping street and most unabashed tourist zone. This pedestrian precinct with electric 19th-century lampposts has a lot of chain outlets, souvenir stores, and overpriced cafés, but also springs the odd surprise with high-quality china shops, independent bookstores, and folk-craft emporiums. Most notable of all is the architecture, which is consistently beautiful: look out for Philanthia Virág at number 9, a tacky flower and gift shop set within a beautiful Art Nouveau building blessed with original tiles, frescoes, and arches. Other notable Art Nouveau buildings along Váci utca include the four-story Thonet House (no. 11/A) by renowned architect Ödön Lechner, and—somewhat surprisingly—the McDonald's on the corner of Régi posta. It was Hungary's first, and remains one of Europe's most beautiful.

Immediately north of Erzsébet híd (Elizabeth Bridge) is Budapest's best-known shopping street and most unabashed tourist zone, Váci utca, a pedestrian precinct with electric 19th-century lampposts and smart shops with credit-card emblems on ornate doorways. No bargain basement, Váci utca gets its special flavor from the mix of native furriers, tailors, designers, folk-craft shops, china shops, bookstores, and internationally known boutiques. On Régi Posta utca, just off Váci utca, you'll find Hungary's first McDonald's, which opened in 1988. Váci utca's second half, south of Kossuth Lajos utca, was transformed into another pedestrian-only zone in the 1990s. On both halves of Váci utca, beware of inflated prices and pickpockets. With it's high end retail shops, "Fashion Street," between Vörösmarty tér and Deák tér, now competes with Váci for shoppers' attention.

Around 14 km (9 miles) southeast of Vác, on the road to Gödöllő, lies Hungary’s biggest and best botanical garden. Home to more than 12,000 plant species, the arboretum’s top priority is botanical research, and the collection falls under the auspices of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. You’re welcome to stroll along the paths and sit on benches in the leafy shade. The greenhouse opens a bit later and closes earlier than the surrounding garden.

Starting near the Fire Tower and following the route of Sopron's medieval town walls, the Bailey Promenade makes for a lovely stroll. The oldest part of city walls were built in the 14th century but some sights along the way are even older: look out for ancient gate foundations, remnants of the Roman town of Scarbantian. Some sections of the promenade close overnight.

The cobblestone Vár utca (Castle Street), north of Szabadság tér (Freedom Square), runs through the most picturesque part of town. It also has most of the sights worth seeing in Veszprém. The Hosök kapuja (Heroes’ Gate) at the entrance commemorates those who died during World War I and has a small exhibit on Hungary’s history. Farther up, Szent Mihály Főszékesegyház (St. Michael's Cathedral) is a beautifully light and colorful basilica that's been rebuilt many times since the 11th century. Nearby, the Gizella kápolna (Gisele Chapel), named for St. Stephen's wife, is home to gorgeous Byzantine-style frescoes of the apostles from the 13th century. From here, walk to the top of the hill to see giant stone statues of St. Stephen and Gisele, as well as lovely views to a rocky outcrop with a crucifix; a popular Easter procession stop. On the way back down the hill, stop in to see Ferences-templom and Piarista templom, two churches with very different depictions of St. Stephen (his outfits reflect the fashions of the time), as well as some interesting museums and galleries, including Vass László Gyűjtemény and Dubniczay-palota. Finally, just before you are back at Szabadság tér, you'll pass by the half-medieval and half-baroque Tűztorony (Fire Tower).

It may look centuries old, but this beautiful complex of palatial riverside buildings was actually only constructed in the late 1800s by architect Miklos Ybl; the use of neobaroque and neo-Renaissance architecture was very fashionable at the time. The buildings are today home to everything from theaters and art exhibitions to restaurants and shops, but the complex's highlights are the spaces in between, including the manicured ornamental gardens and the lovely, strollable footpaths. You can take an elevator and escalator from here up to the top of Castle Hill for free.

Situated right beside the basilica, the Castle Museum is housed in the former Royal Palace, built in the 12th century when Esztergom was the country's capital but later ransacked by the Turks. Today, it's an intriguing jumble of modern and medieval, with a historic collection of archaeological finds from the area, including pottery and artifacts dating from the 11th century. Visitors can also explore the remaining rooms of the Royal Palace, including the gorgeous chapel with its 13th-century frescoes.

Built between 1892 and 1896 by Ödön Lechner in the Hungarian Art Nouveau style that he created, the Városház (Town Hall) is one of its finest examples. Window frames are arched here, pointed there, and the roof, peppered with tiny copper- and gold-color tiles, looks as if it has been rained on by pennies from heaven. In typical Lechner style, the outlines of the central facade make a curving line to a pointed top, under which 37 little computer-driven bells in a screened-in balcony of sorts add the finishing visual and aural touch: every hour from 9 am to 4 pm (hours may vary on Friday and weekends), they flood the main square with the ringing melody of the “Rákóczi March,” a patriotic 18th-century tune later orchestrated by Berlioz and adapted by Liszt in one of his Hungarian Rhapsodies. Note also the goat occupying center stage in the city’s coat of arms on the building’s facade. The building’s Dísz Terem (Ceremonial Hall), on the second floor, is a spectacular palace of glimmering gold-painted vaulted ceilings, exquisitely carved wooden pews, colorful frescoes by Bertalan Székely (who also painted the frescoes for Budapest’s Matthias Church), and a gorgeously ornate chandelier that floats above the room like an ethereal bouquet of lights and shining brass. The hall is open only to tour groups that have made prior arrangements.

The pioneer of Op Art (who left Hungary as a child and spent the rest of his life in Paris), Victor Vasarely was born Gyozo Vásárhelyi in 1908 in this house, which has been turned into something wild, as much a fun house as a museum. The first hall is a corridor of 3D visual tricks devised by his disciples, at the end of which hangs a hypnotic canvas of shifting cubes by Jean-Pierre Yvaral. Upstairs, the illusions grow profound: a zebra gallops by while chess pieces and blood cells seem to come at you.

With connections to both Kolos Ferenc Vaszary (1832–1915), the former Archbishop of Esztergom and Prince-Primate of Hungary who summered in Balatonfüred, and his renowned painter nephew János Vaszary, this eye-catching 19th-century building houses the town's best art gallery. Come to see everything from paintings by Old Masters to works by contemporary artists. There's also a lovely art-filled garden terrace with a good café.

If you wish to learn about the local wine before imbibing, stop in at this fascinating museum. Set within a former grape press-house, the museum details the history of the Villány-Siklós region’s viticulture over the last 2,000 years, with exhibits ranging from Roman artifacts to 19th-century coopers' tools. The impressively deep cellar is a great place to cool off on a hot day.

Downtown revitalization since the early 1990s has decentralized things somewhat, but this large, handsome square at the northern end of Váci utca is still the heart of Pest's tourist life in many respects. Street musicians, sidewalk cafés, and ice-cream-toting tourists make this one of the liveliest places in Budapest and a good spot to take it all in. At its center is a white-marble statue of the 19th-century poet and dramatist Mihály Vörösmarty, and nearby is an elegant former pissoir—today a lovely kiosk displaying gold-painted historic scenes of the square's golden days. Stores and businesses occupy the perimeter, and as of this writing a grand new "multifunctional" building was rising on the square' west side. In June the square plays host to Budapest's annual "Book Week" and in the run-up to Christmas it is awash with gift stands selling handmade, traditional crafts items.

A self-described "open community cultural space" located in a beautiful former pump house on the banks of the Danube, this cool little gallery and art space has rotating exhibitions of modern art. Access is through FELIX Kitchen&Bar, an elegant (and pricey) stop for a coffee, cocktail, or sumptuous meal.

Weather-beaten but beautifully baroque with a pleasingly pink second-floor facade, the 18th century Zichy Mansion is deep in a courtyard at the exalted if neglected-looking address of Fő tér 1. A little cluster of museums in this historic spot make it a de facto cultural center. Permanent exhibitions at the cheerful Óbudai Múzeum include a popular tribute to toys, as well as an immersive tour through Óbuda's history. The mansion is also home to the Kassák Múzeum, which honors the literary and artistic works of a pioneer of the Hungarian avant-garde, Lajos Kassák. Completing the trio, the Vasarely Múzeum is a rambunctious collection of the work of the grandfather of 'op art', Victor Vasarely, who pioneered the funky, geometric patterns that trick the eyes and raise the spirits. The museums host gallery talks and other cultural programs.

Keep an eye out in the adjacent square, Szentlélek tér, for a group of sculptures by Imre Varga, one of Hungary's leading sculptors who passed away in 2019. If the group of slightly concerned-looking women with umbrellas whets your appetite, the Imre Varga Collection is just behind the square.

If you haven't had your fill of Zsolnay, make a beeline for this museum. Occupying the upper floor of the oldest surviving building in Pécs, which dates from 1324 and has been built and rebuilt over the years in Romanesque, Renaissance, and Baroque styles, this museum is a merry show-and-tell waltz through a revolution in pottery that started in 1851. That's when local merchant Miklós Zsolnay bought the site of an old kiln and set up a stoneware factory for his son Ignác to run. Ignác’s brother, Vilmos, a shopkeeper with an artistic bent, bought the factory from him in 1863, imported experts from Germany, and (with the help of a Pécs pharmacist for chemical glaze experiments and his daughters for hand-painting) created the distinctive namesake porcelain. Today, the museum's collection includes Vilmos’s early efforts at Delft-blue handmade vases, cups, and saucers; his two-layer ceramics; examples of the gold-brocade rims that became a Zsolnay trademark; and table settings for royal families. Look up on your tour to see the unusual Zsolnay chandeliers lighting the way.

If interesting transportation options like the Gyermekvasút (Children's Railway) are your thing, the Zugliget Libegő (chairlift) in the Buda Hills is also good fun. The chairlift takes passengers from Zugliget up above the treetops to the side of János Hill in about 15 minutes, all the while providing panoramic views of the Buda surroundings. It can be reached by taking Bus 291 from Nyugati station to its final stop. The lift operates from 10 am to 7 pm in summer and until 3:30 or 4 pm during the winter. Check the website for special "Night Lift" events (usually in August and September) where you can ride the lift after dark.

A herbal liquor product made by the legendary Zwack distillery, Unicum is the quintessential Hungarikum (product of Hungary) and this museum is worth a visit. While the Unicum recipe remains a well-guarded secret, visitors can learn about this esteemed company’s legacy spanning six generations, a World War, and communist rule, before touring the carefully restored distillery, with systems that are over 100 years old. The final stop on the tour is the Unicum cellar, where visitors are invited for a tasting of classic Unicum, the newer Unicum Plum, as well as other variations.

Filmmaker István Szabó’s 1999 movie Sunshine, starring Ralph Fiennes, presents the lives of a Jewish Hungarian family living in Budapest over four generations and incorporates the Zwack family story into the plot.