Budapest is the capital, as well as the most populated city of Hungary. Its name came from the merger of three towns, namely, Obuda, Buda, and Pest. Budapest is rich in history and is packed with galleries and museums where history junkies will learn a lot from. If you’re planning to visit this city and you happen to be a traveler who are looking for the off the beaten experiences, you’re in the right place! So before you head out for an adventure, scroll down below and we’ll give you a few suggestions you might want to consider doing there. Keep reading for our list of best non-touristy things to do in Budapest, Hungary.
1. If you're a book lover, pay Ervin Szabó Library a visit
Ervin Szabó is Budapest’s largest library. It has a capacity of 1,100,000 books and if you love reading books, you won’t want to leave this place. Even if you’re not much of a book lover, you’ll surely appreciate the architectural design of the place and maybe take a picture or two for your Instagram. You’ll also love the peaceful ambiance in this place since, after all, silence is appreciated in libraries.
Ervin Szabó
Address: Budapest, Szabó Ervin Library, 1088 Budapest
Website: Ervin Szabó
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 10am - 8pm; Sat: 10am - 4pm
Price: Free
2. Reflect on the mistakes of the past in Danube Promenade
Danube Promenade is located in the town of Pest, Budapest. The iron shoes on Danube serves as a tribute to the 20,000 Jews that were cruelly shot along the banks of Danube River by the fascist and anti-semitic Arrow Cross Party established by Ferenc Szálasi. There are iron signs on three points in Danube with the text “To the memory of the victims shot into the Danube by Arrow Cross militiamen in 1944–45. Erected 16 April 2005”, written in English, Hungarian and Hebrew. The promenade is a place where one can reflect on the mistakes of the past and how we should all strive to maintain a peaceful world.
Danube Promenade
Address: Budapest, Id. Antall József rkp., 1054 Hungary
Website:
3. Visit the grave of trains
Istvántelek Train Yard, also known as the “Red Star Train Graveyard,” was built in the early 20th century to serve as a repair yard for Budapest’s national railway. Most of the train yard is already abandoned, and only a few southern parts of it are still in use. It can be a dope place to visit because of the ancient engines and trains scattered around the area. If you can take a selfie here, it’d be a cool picture to post on Instagram or Facebook.
Istvántelek Train Yard
Address: Taksony sor 113, Budapest, 1155, Hungary
Website: Istvántelek Train Yard
Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)
Price: Free
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4. Roam Budapest's streets on a Segway (from USD 49.0)
Another not-so-ordinary thing to do in Budapest is going on a Segway tour. Yes, you heard that right! Segways are now officially used for going around Budapest’s tourist spots! It starts with a 20- to 30-minute orientation where an English-speaking guide will familiarize you on how to operate a Segway. After the familiarization, your group will glide through sidewalks, parks, and other interesting spots such as the Danube Promenades and Vigado.
Budapest Segway Tour
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Budapest Tour Guide
Tiberiu Condulescu
My name is Tiberiu(s), just like captain James Tiberius Kirk from Star Trek, or Tibi for short, and I am an IT Service Manager who found his passion in tour guiding over 5 years ago. Similarly to Captain Kirk, I will be your captain should you choose me as your guide.Every tour is a new experience for both of us, that’s why my aim is to make it both memorable and fun. I want to make memories fo... Read more
Tours by Tiberiu
Budapest Tour Guide
Ange Sandorfi
Born in Paris to Hungarian/ French parents, I moved to Budapest in the 2000s. After having driven my Fashion business to catastrophe, I turned my craving for the wonderful, endless discovery of Budapest into my number one activity, and the first I am so passionate about. As a licensed and qualified tourist guide, I tend to show my guests things they wouldn’t find on their own. My bicultural bac... Read more
5. Visit a not-so-typical church
Another off the beaten path to explore is the Cave Church located inside the Gellért Hill. It is a natural cave system which was formed because of thermal springs. It is also famously known as Szent Iván-barlang (Saint Ivan’s Cave), named after a hermit who lived there and healed people. You can get here through the Buda end of Liberty Bridge.
Cave Church
Address: Gellért Hill, Budapest, Buda, District 12
Website: Cave Church
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 9:30am - 7:30pm (closed on Sun)
Price: Free
6. Reminisce your fascination with trains in a Gyermekvasút ride
Gyermekvasút, also known in English as ‘The Children’s Railway’ is a small railway that passes through the hiking trails of Buda Hills. If you had childhood love for trains, be fascinated once again by railways and its sounds. All of the posts, with the exception of the train driver, are operated by children between the ages of 10 and 14. It is also considered as the world’s largest children’s railway.
Gyermekvasút
Address: Huvosvolgy | Gyermekvasúthoz vezető út, Budapest 1021, Hungary
Website: Gyermekvasút
Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 9:10am - 4:10pm; Sat & Sun: 8:45am - 4:30pm (closed on Mon)
Price: 2.77 USD
7. Pay tribute to Michael Jackson
Posted by Zsanett Szabó on Monday, 25 June 2018
If you happen to be a fan of the late King of Pop, then there’s no reason not to visit a special tree that serves as a remembrance for his Hungarian fans. The tree served as a camping base for Michael Jackson fans when gathered during the pop singer’s two visits in the country for a concert. After Michael passed away on June 25, 2009, some of his admirers posted pictures of him on the tree, and later on, it became a site where people could pay tribute to the late legend.
Michael Jackson Memorial Tree
Address: Budapest, Erzsébet tér 7, 1051 Hungary
Website: Michael Jackson Memorial Tree
Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)
Price: Free
8. Learn the history of a medical pioneer
Visiting a museum isn’t a favorite activity for most tourists but if you’re the type of traveler who loves history, you will enjoy your time here. Semmelweis Medical Museum revolves around one of the most prominent figures in medicine, Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis. He was the pioneer of hand disinfection standards which reduced the number of deaths of mothers due to being examined by germ-infected hands. The museum has many interesting pieces, such as the anatomical Venus by Clemente Susini, a shrunken head, and an early X-ray machine.
Semmelweis Medical Museum
Address: Budapest, Apród u. 1-3, 1013 Hungary
Website: Semmelweis Medical Museum
Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 10am - 4pm; Sat - Sun: 10am - 6pm (closed on Mon)
Price: 2.43 USD
9. Play minigolf with an ultraviolet twist (from USD 12.0)
If you haven’t tried playing minigolf under ultraviolet lights, maybe its time for you to experience it in Neonis! Definitely not your usual tourist activity, it’s a great way to enjoy your tour in Budapest. The minigolf is divided into three zones each with its own theme: Aquarium, History of Hungary, and Space. Even if you’re a solo traveler or casually travelling with your family and friends, Neonis is a great place to be.
Neonis - 3D Blacklight Minigolf
Duration: 1 to 2 hours
10. Drink to your heart's content in Ruin Pub (from USD 24.0)
Another place to add to your non-touristy places to visit in Budapest is its Ruin Pubs. The dilapidated buildings were occupied in 2004 to establish the Ruin Pubs, but they have been existing before World War II. It became a popular spot for people looking for a unique place for a happy hour session. If you want to have a one-of-a-kind beer drinking experience, the Ruin Bars is a must!
Budapest Pub Crawl Through the Ruin Bars
Duration: 5 hours
Off the beaten paths are the way to go
Travelling has been increasingly popular among people from all over the world, especially for millennials. What’s popular is where most will be. However, we often forget to find the hidden gems in an area, or to experience things that are not typical. If you’ve got your eyes set on Budapest, this is your chance to visit off the beaten paths and go for the non-touristy things to do in Budapest!
Tip from tour guide
Budapest is a popular destination for Hollywood stars. Most of them come for filming, but occasionally also for fun. Fun fact: If you want to discover some of the lesser-known places, just take a look at Hugh Jackman's commercial for Lipton Ice Tea, and you'll be able to say you've seen the places where Hugh Jackman was jogging.
Take a photo with Lieutenant Columbo and his dog on Miksa Falk Street
Contributed by Tour Guide, Tiberiu Condulescu
At the end of Miksa Falk Street, you will come across a statue of the popular American TV character, Lieutenant Columbo. Columbo is seen deep in thought, probably trying to solve a new mystery, while his basset hound looks up intently at him. Make sure to take some pictures with this endearing installation!
Explore the ruins of the Roman military camp at Flórián tér
Contributed by Tour Guide, Tiberiu Condulescu
Source: Tiberiu Condulescu
Are you interested in Roman history and culture? Then stop by Flórián tér to take a trip back in time. Here, you can find the nearly 2,000-year-old remains of the military camp of Legio II Adiutrix in Budapest. Other notable remains include Porta Principalis Dextra and Via Romana.
History
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