1. What are the main festivals in Budapest?

There are many great festivals in Budapest throughout the year from small-scale local festivals to massive international happenings. The largest and most well-known festival is Sziget, held every year in August. Sziget is one of the largest music and cultural festivals in Europe with international bands, cultural events and more.

While Sziget takes place over one week, the Budapest Spring Festival is a two-week-long festival and it’s held in several locations all over the city. The festival is sponsored by the Hungarian government and it mainly focuses on traditional arts.

CAFe Budapest – Contemporary Arts Festival takes place in the fall, usually in October. This festival is less traditional than the Spring Festival, but it also involves many venues and locations in the city.

The Jewish Cultural Festival is held in late August and early September and it’s a great festival with lots of cultural events from music to theater and visual arts focusing on traditional and contemporary Jewish culture.

There are also festivals around food and drinks, such as the Gourmet Festival in the spring, the Budapest Wine Festival in the Buda Castle in September and the BPBW – Beer Week in Budapest, an international craft beer festival in May.

2. What’s the currency in Hungary?

Cash in Hungary is known as the Hungarian Forint – and comes in bills of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000 and coins of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200. There are ATM machine everywhere.

3. How much should I tip at restaurants in Budapest?

Unlike the U.S. or some countries in Europe, tipping culture is far less defined in Budapest. While in high-end restaurants you’ll find that a 10 – 15% service charge is automatically added – especially for groups – you’ll find that in smaller, more local places, wait staff leave it up to your generosity.

4. How is Buda different from Pest?

The two sides of Budapest, Buda and Pest are very different from one another, which gives a unique characteristic to the Hungarian capital. Buda is the hilly side with lots of greenery and beautiful residential areas. It’s also where the Castle District is, so many travelers decide to cross the river to see this beautiful neighborhood or to check out the stunning view over the city from Gellért Hill.

The Pest side is mainly flat with lots of businesses, stores, restaurants, cafés and a buzzing nightlife. There are also lots of apartment buildings in Pest as well as museums and concert halls, so this side of the river always feels busy and bustling. Most of the hotels are also in Pest, so probably this is where you’ll be staying while in Budapest.

5. Is Budapest a safe city for tourist?

Budapest a safe city, especially for tourists. Minor crime acts are present, but very little standard precaution can make your stay safe. There are basically NO violent criminal acts against tourists. Travelers just need to avoid areas that are risky for walking alone at night.

6. Which is the best Budapest Christmas Market?

Budapest Christmas Fair

The Christmas market on Vorosmarty Square – organized by the Hungarian Tourism Office – is the mother of all Christmas markets in Budapest, which has earned the most appreciation from major travel magazines, and anyway unmissable with its super central location.

7. Which is the nearest hotel at the airport?

The Airport Hotel Budapest, Hotel Ferihegy and the Budapest Airport Hotel Stáció Wellness & Conference Hotel are all located close to the airport.

8. Is Prague similar to Budapest?

Budapest is a significantly larger city than Prague with roughly 1.7 million inhabitants over 1.2 million. Prague feels like a very compact city where most important sights are within a very short distance. ... The winner of this category is Prague, because all its beautiful sights are so easily accessible.

9. What are the MUST-SEE sites in Budapest?

1. Parliament

Built around 1900, this impressive Neo-Gothic building is the world’s third largest parliament building. It has 691 rooms and 19 km of corridors and stairs. Sign up for a guided tour and you’ll get a chance to see the Hungarian Crown Jewels.

2. Shoes on the Danube Bank (memorial)

During the Holocaust, 600,000 Hungarian Jews were killed and hundreds of them were shot into the Danube by the Hungarian Nazi party called the Arrow Cross Party. The 60 pairs of sculpted shoes represent the victims’ shoes that they left behind on the bank right before they were killed.

3. St. Stephen’s Basilica

Dedicated to Hungary’s first king, St. Stephen’s Basilica was built between 1851 and 1905. Make sure you visit both its gorgeous interior and the cupola (accessible through elevator or a staircase with 364 steps), where you can enjoy a stunning panorama over the city.

4. Heroes’ Square

One of the main sites in Budapest, Heroes’ Square is an immense square by the City Park and it features the Millennium Monument, a figure of the Archangel Gabriel, the seven chieftains of the Magyars and the memorial of the Unknown Soldier.

5. Dohány Street Synagogue— The Dohány Street Synagogue is the largest synagogue in Europe and the second largest in the world. Built between 1854 and 1859 in Moorish Revival style, this stunning Neolog synagogue seats 3,000 people.

6. Great Market Hall

The Great Market Hall is the largest and oldest indoor market in Budapest. With its 10,000 square meters and with its three stores, this market offers the greatest selection of stalls from meats, fish, spices, spirits and more. The Great Market Hall is closed on Sunday.

7. Chain Bridge

One of the most beautiful bridges in Budapest, the Chain Bridge was opened in 1849 and it connects Széchenyi Square on the Pest side and the area below the Castle District on the Buda side. In the evening, thousands of light bulbs illuminate the bridge, making it a must-see site in Budapest.

8. Fisherman’s Bastion

One of the best lookout spots in Budapest, the Fisherman’s Bastion is a terrace in the Castle District with seven towers, representing the seven Magyar tribes. Built in Neo-Gothic and Neo-Romanesque style between 1895 and 1902, it was nearly destroyed during the WWII and then reconstructed right after the war.

9. Matthias Church

Matthias Church is another major site in the Castle District. The church’s history dates back to the 11th century but it was rebuilt in the second half of the 14th century in Romanesque style and then extensively restored in the 19th century.