After our arrival in Budapest, we spent our first full day exploring both halves of the city.

After a leisurely morning, we began our exploration of Budapest on the Pest side, starting with buying our 72-hour transit pass. The city is well connected by buses, trams, and metros, and a 72-hour pass for unlimited rides on all three was $17.00, a bargain for folks like us who use public transportation to get around cities. As an added bonus, all public transit is free for anyone 65 or older.

St. Stephen’s Basilica

It was time for our first church: St. Stephen’s Basilica. It’s a Roman Catholic church whose floor plan follows a Greek cross layout. What struck us as we entered was the ornate decoration throughout, which dominates the interior without relying on the stained glass windows you’ll see in many churches. It felt intimate in its design. A real stunner of a church.

Liberty Square and the Memorial for Victims of the German Occupation

We walked over to Liberty Square to see the Memorial for Victims of the German Occupation. The small park by the memorial is lovely, surrounded by amazing architecture housing the likes of the Hungarian National Bank and the former stock exchange.

A Wine Break and the Chain Bridge to Buda

After the park, it was time for a wine break before making our way past the Parliament building to the Danube and over the Chain Bridge to Buda.

A Private Buda Castle Walking Tour with Taste Hungary

We met our guide for a private Buda Castle walking tour with Taste Hungary at the zero kilometer marker. Stephen, our guide, was a font of knowledge and fun to be with for a few hours.

We began our tour of this 1.5-kilometer-long neighborhood at the newly restored Várkert Bazár (Castle Garden Bazaar) as we made our way to the top of the hill.

The Royal Palace Complex

At the top, we found ourselves in the Royal Palace complex, filled with history alive everywhere, and the influence of the Habsburgs was everywhere too. The mix of original, restored, and newer buildings is very interesting, with a lot of renovation currently going on.

Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion

We then passed through the government buildings and Royal Court to the heart of Buda Castle: Matthias Church, with its multicolored tile roof, next to Fisherman’s Bastion. Both are iconic images of Budapest. The church in its current form was built in the late 14th century and restored in the late 19th century, Gothic and medieval in all its glory. As our second church of the day, it was very much in contrast to the “newer” St. Stephen’s Basilica from the morning. Next to the church, Fisherman’s Bastion runs along the Danube with its lookout towers in neo-Romanesque style.

A Strudel Break

Time for a strudel break: poppy seed, sour cherry, and roasted cabbage. The cabbage strudel won the day, with such an amazing flavor.

The Residential Stretch and St. Mary Magdalene Church

After our break, we walked through the last portion of the 1.5-kilometer stretch, which is mainly residential with a few important stops, including the Vienna Gate, the National Archives building and the walking park and terrace along the edge of the district. We ended at the ruins of St. Mary Magdalene Church. Heavily damaged in WWII, its roof collapsed and its interior was damaged by fires. Now its tower stands as a reminder.

Supper at 21 Magyar Vendéglő

After the full tour of Buda Castle, we stayed to eat supper at 21 Magyar Vendéglő: a bistro plate of local ham, cheese, and sausage to start, with chicken paprikash and Kárpáti pike perch with mushrooms in a wine butter sauce. A full but satisfying day.

Quick Tips for Pest and Buda Castle

• Buy the 72-hour transit pass if you plan to use public transport. It covers buses, trams, and metros for $17.00, and transit is free for anyone 65 or older.
• Keep your ticket handy — there are checks for tickets on public transit (we were checked on the bus back to the hotel), and fines ensue if you don’t have one, and make sure it’s validated.
• Consider a guided tour of Buda Castle. While it’s certainly possible to explore on your own, we felt we would have missed a lot of history, nooks, and special features without one.
• Take your time at Buda Castle — there is a lot to see, and it’s not a place to rush through.