Our 5 best hidden places in Budapest
Hidden palces in Budapest post, or secret places in Budapest.
We love Budapest, and that’s probably the reason we have been here so many times. We can also tell you that we are positively surprised every time we come again.
That’s why we wanted to write this post and share with you our 5 hidden places in Budapest, spots to see, or things to do besides the classic places.
As we said, Budapest is a beautiful city, in our personal opinion one of the best cities in Europe. Its vitality, quality of life, and characteristics make it an incredible destination not only for tourists.
Relax | Music | Italy | Ruin bars | Street food | Conclusion
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Although it may not seem like it, this city has a lot to offer, and every time we come here we find some hidden places that make us think that our visit to Budapest was totally worth it.
If you think about it, Budapest has it all, history, culture, life, and great food which millions of tourists and locals keep enjoying every year. Just put together Hungarian gastronomy with dazzling buildings such as the castle or the fascinating parliament. Day and night parties in the historical and strange ruin bars together with relaxing hours in spas in Budapest.
You always find things to do in Budapest, but if you want some different ideas or particular places, here are our 5 hidden gems in Budapest, we hope you enjoy it:
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1. Relaxing day in swimming pool on island – hidden places in budapest
This magnificent place is one of the hidden places of the city located right in the middle of the Danube river connecting Buda and Pest.
It is a perfect place where locals and expats spend their free time doing outdoor activities or just enjoying quiet evenings in the city.
And although it may seem strange to you, we have put this place on our list of hidden gems in Budapest for several reasons. The first reason is that although “Margaret Island” is located in the middle of Budapest and is frequented by locals, it is rarely visited by tourists who came to Budapest for a few days.
Another reason is its magnitude, with 100 hectares the island is huge and if you visit Budapest for a few days, tourists usually prefer visiting classic places you find in all travel guides.sec
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However, even if you stay in Budapest for a few days only, we totally recommend visiting Margarit island since there are many things to do and the best part is that many things are for free.
You will find here many bars, restaurants, a singing fountain, and even a Japanese garden which makes this place a hidden gem in Budapest to relax.
If there is one thing that everyone loves doing is to relax and we didn’t even tell you the best part about this place. There is a swimming pool and thermal baths hidden in the middle of the island. Hidden places in Budapest post
Yes, you read it right, in the middle of the island you will also find thermal baths, and the “Palatinus Spa center“, which is an incredible place to relax away from the urban chaos.
Although there are more classic and famous thermal baths in Budapest such as the Széchenyi or the Lukacs baths, which are surely worth a visit if you want to get away from the tourist circuit and relax like a local, the Palatinus baths are the secret place you were looking for.
PS: August is the only month where the island is full of tourists because they close a part of the island to hold one of the biggest music festivals in Europe, the Sziget festival.
I personally participated twice and I assure you that it is amazing. Here I leave the link
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2. Play music like a true master – hidden places in budapest
The second secret place in Budapest that we want to share with you is located inside Városliget Park, another great spot in the city that is also considered the main city park.
Like Margarita Island, this park offers many attractions such as Széchenyi thermal baths, the fantastic Vajdahunyad castle, incredible restaurants, and even a hot air balloon which will allow you to see the city from a different perspective.
There is one particular place in the park we want to share with you today and it has something to do with music, the “House of Hungarian Music” and its surroundings.
This incredible building blends perfectly with the nature that surrounds it, as a continuation of the park itself which was built between 2017 and 2022.
The House of Hungarian Music they have a permanent exhibition that shows the evolution of Hungarian music. In the gardens, they do live concerts which are usually for free and it is the perfect place to listen to nice music in a relaxed atmosphere. Hidden places in Budapest post
In addition to that we reveal another little secret, just a few meters away from the main building there is a place where you can make your own music. It is a park that has been created to play with various instruments or objects which create sounds, such as tubes, seat-stools, etc.
We had a lot of fun walking on squares that, when crushed, created different sounds making interesting melodies.
A true musical gem of Budapest awaits you in Városliget Park.
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3. The statue of an Italian in Budapest – hidden places in budapest
There is one particular thing about Budapest and for sure you will notice it as well, there are many statues all over the city. Animals, people and objects recall anecdotes that have been part of the history of this city or the country.
And speaking of statues, we come to our third secret spot in Budapest. Among the infinite statues that you can find in this city, there is one that surprised us when we saw it, it is the statue of “Bud Spencer“.
The legendary Italian actor, Carlo Pedersoli is better known as Bud Spencer has a statue in his honor in the city center of Budapest, pretty crazy right?
You may be wondering why?
It is simple. The spaghetti western genre created between the 60s and 70s by Bud and his inseparable friend Terence Hill was a cult here. In communist and prohibitionist Hungary, this type of film was not prohibited. In fact, these movies were considered fun and not offensive to the government and therefore suitable for all types of audiences.
Bud was popular here so after his death in 2016 a statue of honor was dedicated to him.
Since we are fans, we could not miss it and in addition to the statue, we found another surprise, a beer festival in its surroundings. You might see it in the photo since we had a few beers more than usual ha ha.
By the way, the statue is located in Corvin sétány, a kind of boulevard of the city. Although it is outside of the historic center, it is a quiet area and it is easy to get there by public transport.
Are you planning to visit this beautiful city during the Christmas season? Then don’t miss this interesting post about Budapest Christmas Markets.
4. Eat and drink in a ruin bars
Budapest is an incredible, vibrant and lively place. It is a perfect city for every type of tourism and also for the youngest who come here to have fun and party.
So if you want to have fun in Budapest, you should not miss the Jewish Quarter with ruin bars. Hidden places in Budapest post
What are the ruin bars?
The ruin bars are basically bars in ruins. We imagine that you are thinking about classic old, decadent and soulless bars that you can find in every country, but you are making a serious mistake, these bars are a real blast.
Old buildings, half-collapsed by wars or by abandonment have been rehabilitated and embellished with lots of decorations and different styles creating incredible places that are worth visiting even if you are not looking for a party.
It is incredible how Hungarians have been able to make these abandoned buildings themselves, authentic jewels in Budapest.
The most famous ruin bars are Szimpla Kert or Instant-Fogas Complex which are definitely worth visiting.
We also found a hidden spot where you can eat and have a good time. We are talking about Mazel Tov, an incredible ruin bar where you can have lunch or dinner like in the restaurant. This place is super famous among the locals probably for its hipster decoration mixed with Mediterranean food (more Middle Eastern) and delicious space cocktails.
We visited Mazel Tow during our last visit in Budapest and we had a great time. It might not look like the other ruin bars but it is totally worth visiting.
4. The best Langos of your life – hidden places in budapest
If you know us a little, you know that there is one thing that we like as much as travelling, and that is eating.
And in Budapest, we wanted to try all the typical Hungarian food that this place can offer us. Hidden places in Budapest post
Do you know what is the best street food in Hungary?
It is called Langos, a fried dough that is accompanied by cheese, sour cream, or other typical ingredients of Hungarian cuisine such as peppers, bacon, or sausages.
Friend, if you want to eat something cheap and tasty, you absolutely have to try Langos during your next stay in Budapest.
As we were saying, Langos is the most consumed street food in the city and you will come across many places that prepare this delicacy.
We ate many Langos and we definitely want to recommend you a real gem for the best Langos in Budapest.
The place is called Lángosom and it is a little paradise for this fried dough.
Although it is located in the center of the Jewish Quarter, it is not that famous among tourists and we didn’t have to wait at all. If you want to eat this typical street food in complete tranquility, Lángosom is the place you were looking for.
Conclusion
As we told you before, Budapest has a lot to offer and we are sure that you will not be bored on your next visit to this beautiful city. Hidden places in Budapest post
Even so, if you ever find yourself with a gap in your itinerary or you want to try new experiences off the beaten track, here are our 5 secret places in Budapest: We wish that you find our tips helpful and that you enjoy every one of them.
Our tip: When we travel we always make sure to have travel insurance. Our personal recommendation is Truetraveller as they have great support and health coverage around the world. And don’t worry if you forget about it, you can purchase the insurance during your trip!
If you see that we have forgotten something or you want to add some personal consideration, do not hesitate to contact us. You can do it here in the comments or by mail, we will answer you as soon as possible.
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