Pest — Parliament, Andrássy & Great Market Hall

Hungarian Parliament (Országház)

The Hungarian Parliament (1885–1904) is the third-largest parliament building in the world and Budapest's undisputed landmark: 268 meters long, 123 meters wide, 96 meters high (the number 96 represents the year of the Hungarian conquest in 896). The neo-Gothic building by Imre Steindl was modeled after the London Palace of Westminster and consists of 40 million bricks, 500,000 semi-precious stones, and 40 kg of gold leaf.

Parliament Tour

The 45-minute tour (available in German!) is one of the best experiences in Budapest: The golden staircase, the domed hall with the Holy Crown of St. Stephen (Hungary's most sacred relic, guarded by soldiers in ceremonial uniforms), the opulent assembly halls, and the endless corridors full of frescoes and statues. Admission: EU citizens 3,200 HUF (8€), Non-EU: 6,400 HUF (16€). ALWAYS book online in advance — tours are booked out weeks ahead.

Shoes on the Danube Bank (Cipők a Duna-parton)

The most poignant memorial in Budapest stands on the Danube bank, 300 meters south of the Parliament: 60 pairs of iron shoes — men's shoes, women's shoes, children's shoes — commemorate the Hungarian Jews who were driven to the Danube by the Arrow Cross (Hungarian fascists) in 1944/45, forced to remove their shoes, and shot into the water. The shoes stand on the riverbank wall as if their owners had just taken them off. A place of silence and remembrance.

Kossuth Lajos tér

The large square in front of the Parliament is named after the freedom hero Lajos Kossuth and is framed by monumental statues and the Ethnographic Museum (Néprajzi Múzeum). On the hour: ceremonial flag raising in front of the Parliament.

Andrássy út

The Andrássy Avenue (Andrássy út) is Budapest's grand boulevard and a UNESCO World Heritage Site: 2.3 km long, stretching from downtown to Heroes' Square, lined with neoclassical palaces, designer shops, embassies, and historic cafés. Beneath the street runs the M1 (Millennium Underground) — the oldest subway line on the European continent (1896!), whose historic stations remain preserved in their original state to this day.

Hungarian State Opera (Magyar Állami Operaház)

The State Opera (1884) on Andrássy is a neo-Renaissance gem — smaller than the Vienna State Opera, but many say: more beautiful. The acoustics are among the best in the world. Tours showcase the opulent interior (Admission: 4,500 HUF / 11€). Attend a performance: Tickets from 1,500 HUF (4€!) — an unbeatable value for world-class opera.

House of Terror (Terror Háza)

The House of Terror (Andrássy út 60) is one of Europe's most impressive museums: The same building housed the headquarters of the fascist Arrow Cross Party (1944–45) and then the communist secret police ÁVH (1945–1956). The museum documents both totalitarian regimes — from the deportation of Jews to Stalinist show trials and the 1956 revolution. The torture chambers in the basement are preserved. Harrowing and indispensable. Admission: 3,600 HUF (9€).

Heroes' Square (Hősök tere) & City Park

At the end of Andrássy opens the Heroes' Square — a monumental square with the Millennium Monument (1896): A 36-meter column with the Archangel Gabriel, flanked by the seven Magyar chieftains and kings. Behind it: the Art Hall (Műcsarnok) and the Museum of Fine Arts (Szépművészeti Múzeum) with an excellent collection of European paintings (El Greco, Goya, Raphael). Admission: 3,200 HUF (8€).

Behind Heroes' Square begins the Városliget (City Park) — Budapest's green lung: Boats on the lake (in winter: Europe's largest outdoor ice rink), the Vajdahunyad Castle (an eclectic architectural monument), and the Széchenyi Bath.

The Jewish Quarter (Erzsébetváros)

The VII District (Erzsébetváros) was Budapest's Jewish Quarter — and became a ghetto in 1944. Tens of thousands of Jews were crammed here, many deported or shot at the Danube. After the war, many buildings fell into disrepair. From the 2000s, the district was rediscovered by young creatives — the ruin bars in the abandoned buildings made it the most exciting nightlife district in Europe.

Great Synagogue (Dohány utcai zsinagóga)

The Dohány Synagogue (1854–1859) is the second-largest synagogue in the world (after the Temple Synagogue in New York) and the largest in Europe: seating for 2,964 people, in Moorish-Byzantine style with two 43-meter onion towers. In the courtyard: the Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park with the poignant "Tree of Life" — a metal weeping willow with the names of murdered Jews engraved on its leaves. In the adjoining Jewish Museum: the history of Hungarian Jews. Admission: 6,400 HUF (16€) including museum and garden.

Ruin Bars (Romkocsmák)

The ruin bars are Budapest's most unique cultural contribution to the world: In the 2000s, young Hungarians began transforming the dilapidated buildings of the Jewish Quarter into improvised bars — with furniture from the junkyard, bathtubs as seating, old TVs as decor, and a creative anarchy that quickly achieved cult status.

• Szimpla Kert: The original ruin bar (since 2004) and still the best — a multi-story labyrinth in a former residential building. Each room decorated differently, from the bathtub lounge to the Trabant car with a table. Craft beer, cocktails, live music, street food. Sundays: Farmers' market (9–14) with fresh produce and brunch. Kazinczy utca 14.
• Instant-Fogas: The largest party complex — several dance floors, from techno to pop, spread across a huge building. More club than bar.
• Mazel Tov: More elegant than the classic ruin bars — a courtyard with fairy lights, Mediterranean-Jewish cuisine, cocktails, and a relaxed atmosphere. Perfect for dinner + drinks.
• Ellátó Kert: Smaller, local, less touristy. A garden with street food stalls and affordable drinks — the counterpoint to the Szimpla hype.

Nagyvásárcsarnok (Great Market Hall)

The Great Market Hall (1897) is one of Budapest's most beautiful buildings: a neo-Gothic iron hall with a colorful Zsolnay ceramic roof, reminiscent of a cathedral of food. On two floors, you will find everything that defines Hungarian cuisine:

• Ground floor: Fresh produce — paprika powder (the best in the world), salami (Pick, Herz), goose liver (libamáj), truffles, fresh fruits and vegetables, Hungarian wine. Perfect for souvenirs.
• Upper floor: Snacks and souvenirs — here you can get Langos (the best in the city: Langos Erzsi), goulash soup, chicken paprikash, and Töltött Káposzta (stuffed cabbage rolls). Main course: 2,000–4,000 HUF (5–10€). The tourist density is high, but the food is authentic.

Opening hours: Mon 6–17, Tue–Fri 6–18, Sat 6–15. Closed on Sundays.

Váci utca & Vörösmarty tér

The Váci utca is Budapest's shopping street — a pedestrian zone from Vörösmarty tér to the Market Hall. Historic buildings, international brands, souvenir shops, and street musicians. Touristy, but still worth a stroll, especially for the café Gerbeaud on Vörösmarty tér — the most legendary coffee house in Budapest (since 1858), famous for its cakes and Belle Époque decor.

St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent István-bazilika)

The St. Stephen's Basilica (1851–1905) is the largest church in Budapest: 96 meters high (same height as the Parliament — the number 896!), neoclassical, with a walkable dome offering a fantastic view over the city. Inside: the Holy Right (Szent Jobb) — the mummified right hand of Saint Stephen, Hungary's state founder. Admission: Church free (donation requested), Dome: 1,400 HUF (3.50€).