Budapest Guide
Things Not to Miss
1 Memento Park
• Imre Varga's revolutionary sailor is one of the highlights of the city's Communist statuary, now laid out in a park on the outskirts of Budapest.
2 Hospital in the Rock
• Revisit the Cold War in a nuclear bunker beneath Várhegy, formerly attached to a World War II field hospital.
3 Gresham Palace
• Savour a cocktail or an apricot brandy amid the Art Nouveau elegance of this landmark hotel's foyer.
4 Hungarian National Gallery
• Showcased In the imposing Buda Palace, this is Hungary's premier collection of home-grown art, from Gothic altar-pieces to Art Nouveau and abstract expressionism.
5 Margit-sziget
• A car-free refuge from the hustle of the city: go swimming, jogging or picnic on the grass during the day, or hit the island's outdoor bars after dark.
6 Sikló funicular
• Take the scenic way up to Várhegy and watch the views unfold as you rise above the rooftops.
7 Hungarian Railway History Park
• Both children and adults will enjoy this extensive collection of vintage trains – you can even drive a steam locomotive.
8 House of Terror
• A dramatic memorial-museum to the victims of state repression, occupying the former headquarters of the Fascist and Communist secret police.
9 Libegő chairlift
• A unique and wonderfully silent way to ride up the Buda Hills, with great views over the city from the top.
10 Holocaust Memorial Centre
• Harrowing audiovisual material and artefacts attesting to the persecution of Jews and Roma from 1920 to 1945.
11 Várhegy
• Its medieval Mátyás Church, Baroque houses and Buda Palace make Castle Hill a must-see for any visitor.
12 Budapest's cemeteries
• A wander through the tombs offers such rewards as the hideously ugly Pantheon of the Working Class at Kerepesi and the gorgeous azure-tiled Schmidl tomb in the Jewish Cemetery.
13 Budapest Zoo
• Feed the giraffes, tickle the rhinos and marvel at the magnificent Art Nouveau buildings – the Elephant and Palm Houses are particularly impressive.
14 Jewish quarter
• Atmospheric Erzsébetváros, with its synagogues and kosher businesses, is still the city's Jewish quarter.
15 Museum of Fine Arts
• El Greco, Raphael, Gauguin and Austrian Symbolists – this museum of pan-European art has them all.