How to spend 72 hours in Budapest

Now I don’t know about you, but if you’re looking for a beautiful and affordable city break destination. Then Budapest should be top of your list. Not only is it just a couple of hours away from London. But as it’s not part of the Euro, it’s a very affordable place to visit. Especially if you manage to bag a bargain on Voyage Prive, like I did! So, if you’ve got a trip planned, or just not sure what to do in Hungary’s capital, then here’s my guide on how to spend 72 hours in Budapest.

DAY ONE IN BUDAPEST

For us, day one started with a morning flight on Whizz Air out of London Luton Airport, arriving in Budapest for just after lunch. It was then just a short 25-minute taxi ride into the heart of the city and to our Hotel – the Matild Palace. Which I have to admit has just jumped onto pole position for one of my favourite hotels ever!

After checking into our Deluxe twin room, and enjoying our welcome drink. It was time to head out and explore. As the hotel is at the bottom of the Elizabeth Bridge, we decided to head down to the river and walk along to the houses of Parliament and take in the Shoes on the Danube statues. This is a monument in memory of those who lost their lives during the Battle of Budapest and it’s a beautiful but moving tribute.

After enjoying the Parliament from the outside, we decided to nip into a coffee shop for a quick snack and drink before heading back out to take in the view of St Stephen’s Basilica – which is so beautiful and impressive!

Then we headed over to the Ferris Wheel to enjoy a night-time ride to see the sights at height. For the equivalent of about £5 each – it was a really great experience and a fun ride!

Dinner that night was at the Instagram hotspot TwentySix Budapest. Which is a tropical themed restaurant. It’s fully booked most nights and it’s easy to see why. Not only is it a beautiful venue, but the food was so good! It has a Mediterranean themed menu, with lots of small sharer plats to choose from.

DAY TWO IN BUDAPEST

As part of our hotel packaged, we also got a two-day hop-on-hop-off buss and boat voucher, which is a great way to see the city. We started at stop 1 on the tours and then went up to Heroes Square to get out and enjoy the views. The square is right next to the city park, which is a beautiful place to explore, along with the Vajdahunyad Castle.

We spent a couple of hours wondering around Heroes Square and the surrounding areas, before jumping back on the bus and heading to the Castle District. The bus actually drops you at the bottom of the hill, where you can get the Funicular up to the top. I would really recommend doing this. Not only is the Funicular the fastest and easiest way to get up the hill. But these are some beautiful sights to see at the top, including the castle and Fisherman’s Bastion.

As the sun started to set, we headed back down to pick up the bus and head back to the hotel. This is because we had a Prosecco boat cruise to board at 5pm. And what a fun experience that was! Tickets were just £25 and that included bottomless Prosecco and a charcuterie board each while cruising down the Danube at night. Which is a must do in my opinion.

After the cruise, we then headed to the Ruins Bars for a quick drink before heading back to the hotel and dinner at Spargo – the Wolfgang Puck Michelin star restaurant. Now this was such a lucky find. I tried to head to Spargo when I was in Las Vegas, but it was full. So I couldn’t believe it when there was one in our hotel, that happened to have space on our final night.

And let me tell you, the food was amazing! It’s Italian inspired and I went for the mozzarella and avocado salad to start. Followed by the Ragu Gnocchi for main. Plus, two glasses of Prosecco. And the grand total was less than £50 per person.

DAY THREE IN BUDAPEST

Our 72 hours in Budapest was coming to an end but before it was time to leave. We made a trip to the famous Szechenyi thermal baths, which are my favourite ones to visit in the city. Here there are two main pools, both of which are set at over 30 degrees in temperature. And then a swimming pool in the middle. You can book a cabin to get changed in and keep your belongings in. Which is well worth the price tag.

After the baths it was time to head back to the hotel to shower, get ready and check out before heading back to the airport in a taxi.

So how much did my 72 hours in Budapest cost me? Honestly, not as much as I thought! As mentioned we got a great deal on Voyage Prive where two nights in the five star Matild Palace Hotel and flights from London Luton cost £490 each. And as for spending money. I only spent £180 which included the boat cruise, and all activities and food and drink. Which feels like a bargain to me. And also 72 hours in Budapest, is the perfect amount of time to spend in Hungary’s capital.