Even though we generally encourage all travelers to spend as much time in Budapest as possible, we know this isn’t always the option.

The reality is that many travelers only have a few hours to spare while changing planes at Budapest airport.

Hence, if your layover lasts about eight hours or longer, and you are not considering to spend time at Budapest Airport, this means that you have plenty of time to take an express tour through the Hungarian capital.

This is why we are presenting you with a list of many major monuments and lookout points for enjoying panoramic city views. So don’t waste a minute and catch your airport shuttle.

Castle Hill

Located at 16.6 km from the Budapest Airport, this central destination is easily visible from everywhere in Budapest. 

Here you can reach the top via bus, funicular, or one of the numerous cobblestone paths winding through the lush gardens. The buildings around are wonderful while the central Trinity Square is filled with tourists, anxious to visit the Romanesque and highly memorable Matthias Church.

Hungarian National Gallery (or Magyar Nemzeti Galéria)

This spectacular museum displays Medieval and Renaissance stonework, Gothic wood sculptures, many altars and various collections that represent the past five hundred years of art. If you happen to be there on Tuesday through Sunday (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) the entrance fee is 150Ft, and you can enter for free on Saturdays

Historical Museum of Budapest

(or Budapesti Történeti Múzeum)

Located at Szent György square, this museum displays permanent exhibits including the development of the city of Budapest and many archeological items uncovered in numerous local excavations.

You can visit the museum on Tuesday through Sunday (10 a.m. to 4/6 p.m.) for 150Ft, and the entrance is free on Saturdays.

The Hungarian Parliament Building

Located 17 km away from the Budapest airport at Kossuth Lajos Tér, this wonderful display of architectural Gothic structure is just over 100 years old, but thanks to the pollution attacking its porous limestone walls, the place continuously undergoes restoration. 45-minute tours are available daily when congress is not in session.

National Museum of Fine Arts (or Szepmüveszeti Múzeum)

Sitting at Dózsa György út, this museum is the home of extensive antique art exhibits, including Greek, Roman, and Egyptian collections. The most significant exhibit introduces the development of art in Europe, making the museum one of the best of its kind throughout the continent. European sculptures on display present Italian works dating back to the 4th century, while the French, English, German and Dutch sculptures come from the 13th century. 

Margaret Island (or Margitsziget)

Sitting at 20.2 km from the Budapest airport, once a religious center, this island today is a recreational park placed in the center of the Danube River.

It will take you around 20 minutes to walk along the length of the island, but instead consider spending more time in the Hajós Alfréd pool complex.

Here the visitors can enjoy the outdoor pool, a diving pool, children’s pool, and the thermal hot baths.

Thermal Baths (Termálfürdő)

Remember to pack your swimsuit, since Budapest is the largest spa town in Europe, a home to over 120 springs. Both the locals and the tourists use the spas for their reputed healing properties. The Romans were the ones who introduced the basis of the bathing customs and the Hungarians elaborated upon the tradition for roughly 800 years. The spas, however, reached their refinement under the Ottomans in the 16th and the 17th centuries.
 

The Hungarian State Opera House (or Állami Operaház)

Sitting at 15.6 km from the airport at Andrássy Ut, the Hungarian State Opera House in Budapest stands as one of the most beautiful in Europe. When it was opened in 1884, the city shared the administrative duties of the Austro-Hungarian Empire with Vienna. Emperor Franz Josef actually commissioned its design. The construction included the use of marble, gilding and frescos by some of the best artisans of the period. Numerous world-class concerts and operas are still held there, and thanks to relatively cheap ticket prices, shows quickly sell out.

Chain Bridge (or Széchenyi Lánchid)

If you ever find yourself in Budapest, you simply cannot miss the Chain Bridge which is spanning above the Danube River, between I Clark Adám Tér and V Roosevelt Tér.

This bridge was the first to permanently connect the Buda and Pest parts of the city, completed in 1849 by the engineer Adam Clark.

Hence, take 20 minutes to walk across it and enjoy the mesmerizing views. The bridge is also perfect for creating wonderful panoramic photos of the city.

The Monument Museum

Even though it is located at 23.9 km from the airport, this place stands as a reminder of the time when the Hungarians chose to embrace a free market economy, and when the new government removed many of the statues and monuments so synonymous with the former Communist regime. Today, these formerly glorious relicts stand together in an outdoor museum just outside the city. Here you can spend some time to look at a few of the monuments and think why the locals were so eager to get rid of these sculptures.

It is truly a shame to travel through Budapest and not see anything from its history and architecture. Hence, if you have a long layover, don’t be afraid to leave the airport via any of the airport transfers options and make an itinerary out of these the proposed places. If you wish to relax a bit while sightseeing, you can always pay a visit to one of the best restaurants in the Budapest city center and pair your experience with a traditional cuisine. Happy express-touring!