Divided into 23 districts, we’ve narrowed down the city’s 8 gorgeous Budapest neighborhoods that travelers need to know!
The rustic yet charming Budapest is divided into 23 districts, all numbered similar to the different arrondissements in Paris. This elegant metropolis is separated into two major parts: Buda and Pest. As a traveler, you’ll be jetting on foot, back and forth between the two. Here, we’ve edited down to eight gorgeous Budapest neighborhoods that you need to know! This will be an easy and simple way to know the city as a jetsetter spending a few days (or weeks) in a city that you’ll fall head over heels with.
Just an FYI: Neighborhood such as Rózsadomb (known as Rose Hill and the most luxurious district in Budapest) and Óbuda (where the annual Sziget Music Festival is held) are great areas for residents to live in but there isn’t much to do for travelers. So we didn’t include them in the list below. Safe travels!
Aka: Castle District contains the city’s most well-known attractions, including: Buda Castle, Fishermen’s Bastion, the Labyrinth and Mathias Church. The district is the oldest, dating back to 13th century.
Think: Medieval walls, the Royal Palace and lots of cobblestones all on a hill.
Aka: Watertown, which comes from all the hot springs in this area. Víziváros is snuggled between Castle District and the Danube river. Being also a part of the Castle Hill, the main attractions here include: St. Adalbert Primatial Basilica and the Christian Museum. Although this area used to be populated by fisherman and artisans, it’s now an expensive district for both locals and travelers.
Aka: Inner City of the Pest side, where you’ll see many historical buildings alongside Danube River and numerous luxury hotel chains. Want to do the best shopping? It’s all here in the heart of Pest! Just head to Váci Street (Váci utca).
Leopold Town, a continuation of Belváros downtown district in Pest. You’ll see the famous Parliament building here with lots of business and government bureaus, banks, courthouses. We suggest you walk along the Danube river to take photos of these beautiful establishments as they were globally considered as highly bourgeoisie before the war. Today, you’ll find restaurants, cafes and luxurious hotels in the neighborhood.
Aka: Theresa Town, which was named after Queen Maria Theresa in 1777. Part of this district is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its rustic and elaborate architecture. Just look at the main boulevard: Andrássy, decked out in full on elegance. Terézváros is also home to Nyugati pu. (Western Railway Station) – another architectural haven.
Aka: Elizabeth Town, which is the Jewish quarter of Budapest. Much of it was ruined from the war, but today’s Erzsébetváros has been renovated and gentrified since the 2000’s. The Dohány Street Synagogue is located in this area, it’s the largest synagogue in Europe.
Aka: Joseph Town, which used to be known as the older suburb areas of Budapest. The area underwent renovation, it is now a hub for student life where you can find restaurants and cafes. There are quite a few artistic landmarks to see (Hungarian National Museum and St. Joseph Parish Church) and several universities, including: Eötvös Loránd University, Semmelweis University, the Academy of Drama and Film, the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library…etc.
This is now an UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the “Banks of the Danube River.” A an affluent area where you can see embassies representing countries from all over the world, there are several landmarks you can check out. The most popular ones being the Gellért Thermal Bath and a newly discovered crystal cave.
