Day 1 — Buda Castle & the Castle District
Start on the Buda side. Take the funicular (or walk up) to Buda Castle and spend the morning in the Castle District — a UNESCO-listed maze of cobblestone streets, medieval churches, and pastel baroque houses. The Hungarian National Gallery inside the castle is worth an hour if you enjoy Hungarian art.
In the afternoon, walk to Fisherman's Bastion for the most photographed view of the Pest skyline and the Parliament. Arrive late afternoon for golden-hour light. Have dinner at one of the restaurants on the terrace — pricey but the view earns it.
Day 2 — Parliament, the Jewish Quarter & Ruin Bars
Cross to Pest. The Hungarian Parliament building opens for guided tours at 10:00 — book online in advance, tickets sell out. The interior is extraordinary even if you only see it in photos.
Spend the afternoon in District VII, Budapest's Jewish Quarter. Visit the Dohány Street Synagogue (the largest in Europe), then wander through the quarter's crumbling courtyards. The neighbourhood transitions seamlessly into the ruin bar scene after dark — Szimpla Kert is the original, Instant-Fogas is the biggest.
Day 3 — Thermal Baths
Budapest sits atop 120 natural hot springs; thermal bathing is not optional. Choose one:
Széchenyi (District XIV) — the most social, set in a neo-baroque palace with large outdoor pools. Good for mixing with locals. Book online.
Gellért (District XI) — smaller, more elegant Art Nouveau interior. The indoor wave pool is a novelty. Better for the atmosphere than the social experience.
Rudas (District I) — the most historic, a 16th-century Ottoman bath. A rooftop pool was added in 2014. Friday/Saturday nights are adults-only party events.
Spend the evening in the Great Market Hall (Nagyvásárcsarnok) for langos, Hungarian sausages, and paprika to take home.
Day 4 — Andrássy Avenue, Heroes' Square & the Museum of Fine Arts
Andrássy Avenue is Budapest's equivalent of the Champs-Élysées — a UNESCO-listed boulevard of opera houses, embassy buildings, and luxury shops. Walk it in full. The Hungarian State Opera is midway; if there's an evening performance, book tickets (excellent value compared to Vienna or Paris).
At the far end sits Heroes' Square and the Millennium Monument. The Museum of Fine Arts on the left has a strong collection of European masters. Városliget (City Park) behind the square is the lung of Pest — rent a row boat on the lake in summer.
Day 5 — Danube Bend Day Trip
The Danube Bend (Dunakanyar) is one of Central Europe's great river landscapes, an hour from Budapest. The classic loop: Szentendre (charming artists' town, Serbian Orthodox churches, marzipan museum) → Visegrád (medieval citadel above the river) → Esztergom (Hungary's largest basilica, the city where Hungarian Christianity began).
Take the HÉV commuter rail to Szentendre, then buses between the towns, or book a day-tour from Budapest. Return to the city for a final dinner in the Jewish Quarter.