I recently took a weekend trip to Budapest and it was such a lovely gem of a city. I was not expecting the hip boutiques, delicious food, rich history, and most of all, the many amazing viewpoints in Budapest.
Some of the places we saw beautiful views from include rooftop restaurants, fairytale-esque lookouts, boats on the Danube River, and more! Stopping at these 8 best viewpoints in Budapest and taking in the beautiful Budapest views was definitely a highlight of my time in the city.
So this post will go over my recommendations for the eight best places to enjoy views of Budapest!
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Map of 8 best places to take in Budapest Views
*Use this interactive map to explore the best panoramic views in Budapest. Click on the full-screen icon in the top right corner to have this map open in your own Google Maps app or click on the arrow in the top left corner to see a pullout list of all points on the map*
8 Best Viewpoints in Budapest
1. Fisherman’s Bastion
- Price: Fisherman’s Bastion is free for most viewing platforms or only €3-4 for the upper viewing terrace (fee can be paid in cash or card at a small vending machine at the entrance). Matthias Church Tower entrance ticket is about €8.
- Location: Up on a hill in Buda with views overlooking the water to Pest. See it on Google Maps here.
My top favorite Budapest view was from Fisherman’s Bastion. The area of Fisherman’s Bastion feels like a fairytale- gorgeous white stone with intricate round towers around every corner.
The area was basically built with the purpose of providing an amazing place to relax and enjoy epic panoramic views of the Pest part of the city across the water.
Right in the courtyard of Fisherman’s Bastion is one of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen: Matthias Church. Matthias Church dates back to as long ago as the early 1200s AD (however church lore says it could have been as early as 1050 AD).
However, many of the features that I adore about Matthias Church were built in the 1800s. The browns and turquoise of the diamond-patterned roof are to die for and the spires are just epic. Taking in the views of the church was almost as enjoyable as the sweeping views of Pest.
You can even purchase a ticket for around €8 to go to the top of the tower in Matthias Church. You can purchase tickets for the Matthias Church tower here.
I highly recommend visiting just before sunset as the sun falls behind you and turns the city different shades of pink. And if you stay long enough you will then see the lights of the city begin to turn on and sparkle across the city (including the stunning Parliament Building).
2. Leo Rooftop Bar/Restaurant
- Price: $$$ (a bit pricey, but really not bad for the ambiance and views)
- Location: Located on the Buda side of the city right near the end of Széchenyi Chain Bridge with gorgeous bridge, water, and city views of Pest. See it on Google Maps here.
The most relaxing evening we had in Budapest was our dinner at the Leo Rooftop. The Leo Rooftop is a total hidden gem that I would say should definitely be on the list of top things to do in Budapest.
From here you can take in some of the best Budapest views all while enjoying an amazing ambiance.
Leo Rooftop is a restaurant located on the roof of Hotel Clark on the Buda side of the city right near the end of the gorgeous Széchenyi Chain Bridge. They offer a menu of small plate dishes, appetizers, and cocktails (with a few non-alcoholic versions if that’s your thing).
Although the restaurant is on top of the hotel, you never enter the hotel. You enter via a dedicated entrance door staffed with a hostess and an elevator that takes you to the top (it feels quite posh really).
We’d had a late lunch the day we ate here so we chose a sampling of appetizers and drinks for our dinner and it was just right to have some good food while enjoying the view.
I definitely recommend making reservations in advance. However, if you forget or it shows that they are booked up you may want to show up anyway and see if they can squeeze you in.
We were lucky enough to get a spot at the bar without reservations even though they were all booked up online. But if this is something you want to do for sure while you’re in Budapest, be sure to make a reservation. You can make reservations here (be sure to choose the rooftop and not the Bistro downstairs).
The entire restaurant has views of the city, however, there is a small seating area located outside if you prefer. Something to keep in mind is that the outdoor area is a smoking area, so if you don’t want to risk sitting next to someone smoking, you may just want to book an indoor seat.
3. Széchenyi Chain Bridge
- Price: Free
- Location: Over the Danube River connecting Buda and Pest. You can see the location on Google Maps here.
No trip to Budapest is complete without a walk across the Széchenyi Chain Bridge. Budapest is home to many beautiful bridges, but this is one of the most iconic.
The bridge has a pedestrian path on both sides which is a perfect way to get from the Pest side (east side) to the Buda side (west side) of Budapest.
Not only is the bridge itself beautiful, but the views from the bridge are amazing. Unlike other viewpoints in Budapest, you can see both the Buda and Pest side of the city while crossing the Széchenyi Chain Bridge.
From here you can watch the boats sail below the bridge, admire the spires of the Parliament Building in Pest, and take in the views of Buda Castle towering above on the hill in Buda. It’s a great spot to be- I definitely recommend walking the bridge at least once while you’re in the city.
4. Buda Castle
- Price: Free for views from the ground, additional price if you want to enter Buda Castle to see any exhibitions
- Location: Buda side of the city overlooking the water and Pest. You can see the location on Google Maps here.
If you must choose only one viewpoint in Buda, I’d choose Fisherman’s Bastion. However, Buda Castle also offers beautiful views of the Danube, Széchenyi Chain Bridge, and St. Stephen’s Basilica.
We walked up to Buda Castle after dinner at the Leo Rooftop as it is only about an 8-minute walk away. There weren’t many visitors on the grounds after dark and it was a very meditative experience being able to hear and see the sounds of the city while sitting removed in a quiet area looking down.
From Buda Castle, you have a bit of a better view of St. Stephen’s Basilica as compared to the Parliament Building at Fisherman’s Bastion and the area seemed quieter (however that may have been because it was later at night instead of at sunset).
5. the Citadel Atop Gellert Hill
- Price: Free
- Location: Buda side of the city overlooking the river and Pest. You can see the location on Google Maps here.
Before you walk up Gellert Hill to take in the views of Budapest, be sure to take in the view of the tree-covered hill itself from Liberty Bridge! I loved seeing the contrast of nature right along the Danube when otherwise surrounded by the city.
You can take a 15-20 minute walk up Gellert Hill, but if an uphill walk like that sounds too difficult (or just not fun) you can take the public bus right to the top or the Budapest Sightseeing Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus stops there as well.
From atop Gellert Hill, not only are you rewarded with a sweeping Budapest panoramic view, but you can also visit the WWII Museum situated on Gellert Hill.
While you are in the area, you may also want to visit the Gellert Baths which are thermal pools located right nearby.
6. St. Stephen’s Basilica Panoramic Terrace
- Price: €12 for an all-in-one church entrance and terrace ticket or you can book a guided tour of the basilica here.
- Location: Near the river on the Pest side of the city. You can see the location on Google Maps here.
St. Stephen’s Basilica was built in the 1800s and is one of the most important churches in all of Hungary. It is named after the first king of Hungary, Saint Stephen, dating back to about 1000 AD.
Not only is St. Stephen’s Basilica a sight to behold from down below, but the views from the church’s panoramic viewing platform are also amazing!
As far as Budapest view points go, St. Stephen’s Basilica sits at the top with the best. From here you really have the opportunity to see more of the city’s orange and brown rooftops, the hills in the distance and even the Budapest wheel.
You can purchase tickets online for St. Stephen’s Basilica here or you can purchase them in person. Remember that you will need to purchase an all-in-one ticket that includes both entrance and access to the tower/treasury.
If you love a good guided tour, you may be interested in this guided tour of St. Stephen’s Basilica before you go up to take in the views.
7. Atop the Ferris Wheel of Budapest
- Price: €12 for adults, €6 for kids, and €1 for babies. You can purchase them online here or at the ticket booth
- Location: Near St. Stephen’s Basilica on the Pest side of the city. You can see the location on Google Maps here.
We picked up some chimney cakes right near the base of the Budapest Ferris Wheel (which, btw, you definitely need to try while you’re in Budapest) and we were so close to hopping on for a ride but it started raining and we didn’t want to wait in line in the rain.
Instead, we ran back to our hotel (which was very close by) and rested up for a few minutes before we headed out for dinner.
That being said, the Budapest Ferris Wheel has got to be one of the most fun ways to take in the views of Budapest (or slightly terrifying if you’re like me and afraid of heights).
The Budapest Eye (as it’s sometimes is called) is open every day of the year and it’s open LATE. So if you are looking for something to do at night, the wheel may be a great option!
8. From the Water on a Danube River Cruise
- Price: Around €22- check out cruises you can book here
- Location: Danube River. This is where our river cruise started.
You can take a cruise/boat ride on the Danube River at any time of day, however, I highly recommend booking a nighttime river cruise. A river cruise will give you some of the best Budapest night views you can find.
The buildings and bridges along the Danube River really come alive at night with gorgeous twinkling lights and a boat ride is one of the best ways to experience them.
The lights on the Parliament Building are seriously next-level stuff, and seeing those lights reflect off the water from a river cruise is *chef’s kiss*.
The cruises really aren’t expensive and are an amazing way to spend the evening out in Budapest. There are even loads of dinner cruises to choose from!
We booked this boat ride on the Danube River and were very impressed with what we got. Trust me, I’ve taken many sightseeing boat tours in Europe and this was one of the most comfortable, cozy boat rides I’ve been on.
Right after taking off, staff came through the aisles to get our drink orders (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and served our drinks shortly after.
Plus the tour was super informative. Not only did we have headsets with commentary about everything we were passing, but there were also TVs at the front of the boat showing interior images of all of the buildings. It was actually quite neat to see the images of the interiors at the same time as riding past the buildings on the river.
I highly recommend booking days in advance because we checked the day-of and almost all of the nighttime sailings were booked! Thankfully, we were lucky enough to grab a 10 PM booking, but we almost missed our chance to see Budapest from the water at night.
Check out our boat tour here or other Danube River boat cruises here.
And these are the places I recommend to see the best views in Budapest! Sitting and relaxing at some of the spots were really a highlight of my time in Budapest and I hope you make the time to swing by a few! Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions about visiting Budapest and I’ll be sure to help if I can!
Check out these other posts, I know you’ll love them:
- 18 Things to Know Before Visiting Budapest Hungary
- The Only Itinerary You Need for a Weekend in Budapest: 2 Days in Budapest