🗺️ The right bank of Budapest: what to see in Buda and how to get there

Buda occupies the right, hilly bank of the Danube. This is where you'll find the Royal Palace, Fisherman's Bastion, and Matthias Church. Many people come to Budapest for just two days and only see Pest, with no energy left for Buda.

To make sure that doesn't happen, we've put together a full-day plan for Buda. You'll learn how to get to the city, which pass to buy, and what to see on Castle Hill first.

The terraces of Fisherman's Bastion with their Pest panorama are free and open around the clock (as of 2026, Budapest Tourism). You'll find the price for the upper towers in the section about the bastion. Castle Hill and the Danube embankment are part of the UNESCO World Heritage list.

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Buda and Pest: how the Hungarian capital is laid out

💡 In short:

Budapest sits on two banks of the Danube: Buda on the right, Pest on the left.
All of Buda's main sights are clustered on Castle Hill and Gellért Hill near the river.
Set aside a separate day for Buda and wear comfortable shoes: you'll face climbs and stairs.
Transit prices: 09/2026, verified on the official BKK website. Tickets and opening hours for sights are collected in the table below.

Budapest was formed from two cities. Buda was the capital of the Hungarian kingdom, while Pest developed as a trade and business center. Bridges connect the two banks, and you can get from one to the other in a couple of minutes by tram or on foot.

For a tourist, this means something simple. In Buda you see palaces, churches, and panoramas, while in Pest you stroll along wide boulevards. If you have only one day, don't try to cover both banks at once.

How to get to Budapest

Getting to Budapest is easy. From Central Europe, cheap flights, buses, and trains all head here. Below are three workable options for an independent traveler.

Plane

The fastest way to reach Budapest is by low-cost carrier, such as Wizz Air. Liszt Ferenc Airport receives flights from most European countries (as of 2026, Wizz Air).

Compare options for your dates in advance: flight search will show carriers and prices. That way you can pick a convenient departure without rushing.

Bus

Flixbus runs daily buses to Budapest from Vienna and Munich, including overnight services (as of 2026, Flixbus). You spend the night on the road, and by morning you're ready to head up Castle Hill.

Buses arrive at Népliget or Kelenföld bus stations. From there, the metro and tram will take you to the center.

Train

Railjet trains run from Vienna and Munich to Budapest. Trains arrive at Keleti and Nyugati stations. The rail network connects Budapest with other cities in Hungary and with neighboring countries. Keep the local specifics in mind: even regional trains are often late, and the city has several stations.

Allow extra time for transfers between stations. That way you won't miss your train because of a single delay.

Visa question: what you need to enter

Hungary is part of the EU and the Schengen Area, so entry rules here are standard. EU citizens don't need a visa; an ID card is enough for entry.

For practical information on entry and transport, see the official Budapest tourism portal.

Transport in Budapest and the Budapest Card

Budapest is big, and you can't cover it on foot. The city's network includes the metro, trams, buses, trolleybuses, and river boats along the Danube.

If you plan to take many trips, a BKK day pass is cheaper than single tickets. You can buy one at ticket machines at stops and in metro stations. Check current prices on the BKK website.

One local detail: renovated Ikarus buses still run on the streets. For Central Europeans, this is a recognizable machine from the past, and the ride itself becomes part of the experience.

Is the Budapest Card worth it

The Budapest Card is issued by BTH, not by the BKK transport company. It gives you free public transport and entry to dozens of museums. A 24-hour card costs from 17,990 forints (as of 05/2026, Budapest Card prices).

The card only pays off if you actively visit museums. For a short walk around Buda, buy a regular day pass. Budapest Card holders get free entry to most locations in the Buda Castle Quarter, and the Lukács Baths are also included.

What to know about the history of Buda

Buda was the center of Hungarian statehood until the Turks occupied it in 1541. Liberation came in 1686, and the city only merged with Pest in 1873. For a long time Hungary was part of the Habsburg Empire, and after the 1867 agreement it gained equal status with Vienna (as of the official Budapest portal).

On paper, Budapest became the second capital. In practice, the emperors visited only occasionally and never stayed long. Hence the city's nickname: the almost imperial capital.

The palaces did not suffer for it. Castle Hill is where you will find the densest concentration of historical monuments in Hungary, and right next to it, the best panoramas of the city.

What to see in Buda: our picks

All the main sights of Buda are compactly located. Castle Hill holds the fortress, the bastion, and the church, while Gellért Hill stands a little to the south by the Danube. You will easily spend a full day on them.

Night panorama: Buda Castle, Chain Bridge and the Danube

Below are four sights worth crossing to the right bank for. We cover each one separately, with tickets and honest catches.

Buda Castle (Royal Palace)

Buda Castle stands on the southern edge of Castle Hill. It is the first thing you notice from the Pest embankment. The fortress was founded in the 13th century to defend against the Mongol invasion, but it very soon lost its defensive role and became a royal palace.

The residence's golden age came under Matthias I Corvinus. He is considered the first Renaissance ruler of Europe, and the palace was rebuilt in the Renaissance style, probably modeled on the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.

Royal Palace on Buda Hill above the Danube

Later the palace was rebuilt three more times after wars and fires. It suffered most at the end of World War II: in the Battle of Budapest, the fortress became the last pocket of resistance in the city.

Today the palace houses the Hungarian National Gallery, the Budapest History Museum, and the National Library. The outer walls and courtyard are free to visit, while you pay separately for the interiors.

The indoor locations are paid, and each one requires a separate ticket. Check the gallery's opening hours and ticket prices before your trip: they change by season.

A guided walking tour of Buda Castle helps you make sense of the different eras.

The catch: each location requires a separate ticket, so seeing the interiors adds to your costs.

Fisherman's Bastion

Fisherman's Bastion stands to the right of the fortress when viewed from the Danube. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site together with Castle Hill.

The name goes back to the Middle Ages: fish markets were held here, and in dangerous times Buda's fishermen defended this section of the wall. The bastion itself was built only at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries to mark the millennium of the Hungarian conquest of the homeland.

The stone gallery and seven tent-like towers serve purely decorative purposes. In the inner courtyard stands an equestrian statue of King Stephen I, the most revered Hungarian monarch.

Conical tower of the Fisherman's Bastion against the sky

The bastion terraces are open free of charge around the clock, but the upper towers require a ticket. The panorama from here is one of the best views of Pest and the Parliament building.

The upper towers cost 1,700 forints (as of 2026, Budapest Tourism). Come at opening time or after 6:00 PM: during the day, groups gather at the ticket offices.

The catch: the best view is only available from the upper towers, and you have to pay separately to go up.

Matthias church (church of our lady)

Matthias Church stands at the back of the Fisherman's Bastion ensemble. It was built in the 14th century in the Gothic style on the site of an even older church founded by King Stephen I.

The church changed its appearance several times. After the Turkish conquest it was converted into a mosque, and it served in that role for a century and a half. During the siege of Buda in 1686, one of the walls collapsed, and behind it a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary was found.

Later the church was rebuilt in the neo-Gothic style, and it received its second name in honor of King Matthias. Today it is an active Catholic church with a distinctive roof of patterned ceramic tiles.

Silhouette of Matthias Church against a sunset sky

Entry to the church is paid: tickets are sold at the doors, and the schedule changes due to services (as of 2026, official church website). For an additional fee you can climb the tower and see the roof from above.

The catch: during services tourists are not allowed inside, so it is worth checking the schedule in advance.

Gellért Hill and the Citadel

A panoramic view of Budapest from above is offered by Gellért Hill in the south of Buda. It rises directly above the Danube, and pedestrian paths lead to the top. The climb takes time and requires effort, especially in the heat.

Rocky Gellért Hill with summit and statue

In return, along the way you get peace and greenery, not just a viewpoint. Go up in the morning or before sunset, when the sun is no longer beating down.

At the top stands the Citadel, one of the city's most somber structures. It was built by the Austrians in the mid-19th century after the suppression of the Hungarian Revolution, and Hungarians long perceived the fortress as a symbol of absolutism.

For many years the Citadel was closed for restoration. It reopened on March 28, 2026: it is now a public park with viewing terraces, and admission is free (as of 2026, Budapest.com).

Nearby stands the Liberty Statue, erected after World War II in memory of those who died for Hungary's independence.

The catch: you will be walking up the hill, and on the open summit there is almost no shade on a hot day.

Tickets and opening hours

Check opening hours and prices before your trip: museum schedules in Buda change, and the church is closed during services. The information below is as of September 2026.

Attraction	Admission	Opening hours	Source
Hungarian National Gallery in Buda Castle	paid	check by season	Budapest portal
Fisherman's Bastion	terraces free, upper towers paid (price in the bastion section)	terraces open 24/7	Budapest Tourism
Matthias Church	paid	changes due to services	matyas-templom.hu
Citadel on Gellért Hill	park free	open after restoration (date in the Citadel section)	Budapest.com

It is convenient to buy tickets for Budapest's main attractions in advance: tickets for museums and observation decks will help you avoid waiting at the ticket office.

Tours and tickets in Budapest

Guided tours, skip-the-line tickets and activities — most offers can be cancelled free of charge.

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⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

How do you see Buda in one day?

Start in the morning on Castle Hill, where Buda Castle, Fisherman's Bastion, and Matthias Church stand. After lunch, go down to the Danube and climb Gellert Hill for the panorama. The whole thing takes a full day, so take your time and build in breaks.

How much does it cost to go up Fisherman's Bastion?

The bastion terraces are free and open around the clock. You only pay for the upper towers, which give you the best view of Pest. We listed the ticket price in the Fisherman's Bastion section above.

Are Gellert Hill and the Citadel open to visitors?

Yes. The Citadel has reopened after years of restoration; we listed the opening date in the Gellert Hill section. It is now a public park with viewing terraces, admission is free, and you have to walk up.

What can you see in Buda for free?

The courtyard of Buda Castle, the outer fortifications, and the Fisherman's Bastion terraces are open without a ticket. The park and viewing platforms of the Citadel on Gellert Hill are also free. You only pay for the palace interiors, entry to Matthias Church, and the upper bastion towers.

Is the Budapest Card worth buying for a trip to Buda?

The card gives you free transport and entry to dozens of museums. It pays off if you visit museums actively. We listed the card price in the transport section. For a short walk around Buda, a regular day pass is cheaper.

In short: what to book

If you have only one day in Buda, get tickets for the National Gallery and the upper towers of Fisherman's Bastion in advance. That way you won't lose time at ticket offices and can explore Castle Hill at a relaxed pace.

If you love views, plan your climb up Gellert Hill for the evening: the panorama is better at sunset, and the heat is gone. If you're traveling with kids, start with Castle Hill; it has fewer steep climbs than Gellert.

If you have a second day, give it to Pest. And book your accommodation wherever it's easiest for you to get up in the morning: Budapest hotel prices on Trip.com.

Buda in one day: the castle, Fisherman's Bastion and Gellert Hill