Budapest is much more than thermal baths and goulash. It’s a vibrant, ever-changing city with a combination of Western and Eastern-European air, providing a unique, eclectic atmosphere that makes it so popular for tourists. In the fourth part of this series, we have collected the most fun, unique and romantic things to do in Budapest on your honeymoon.
Romantic Activities on Your Honeymoon in Budapest
Romantic River Cruise on the Danube
Book a candle-lit dinner cruise down the River Danube! One of the most romantic activities in Budapest is an evening cruise on a sightseeing ship. While having a delicious al la carte dinner with live music playing in the background, you and your newly-wed partner get to enjoy the unforgettable panorama as the whole inner city lights up for the evening. The sight of the brightly lit Buda Castle, Parliament building, Statue of Liberty on Gellért hill, the Art Nouveau style Gellért Bath and the elegant Gresham Palace will surely leave both of you breathless.
Beautiful Island Picnic
Have a picnic at Kopaszi-gát! Located in south Buda, next to Rákóczi Bridge, this narrow peninsula called Kopaszi-gát is a great place for couples as it’s full of charm, bistro restaurants, and outdoor venues. It’s also a popular picnic spot, so bring a bottle of wine and a blanket and just lay out on the grass with your sweetheart and watch the boats and kayaks go by. On hot summer days, make sure you take your swimsuit with you. If you’re looking for something romantic, you should include this program on your list of Budapest honeymoon ideas.
Couple’s Massage at a Thermal Bath
Have a couple’s massage at Gellért Spa! A great tip for your honeymoon in Budapest is to visit Budapest’s stunning Art Nouveau-style thermal bath. The small thermal pools contain water from Gellért hill’s mineral hot springs, while the complex also has saunas, splunge pools, and a swimming pool. After the relaxing soak, let the highly professional massage therapists pamper you with a calming massage treatment and relieve both of your stressed muscles. You can also book a massage package which includes the massage treatment, the bath ticket, and the private changing cabin as well.
Romantic walk along the Danube
Walk hand-in-hand on the Danube promenade! Promenading along the Danube is not only romantic but also a great way to see the most famous sights of the Hungarian capital. Looking over towards to Buda side of the river, you will see the stunning Buda Castle, the olive-leafed Liberty Statue on Gellért Hill, and the fairy-tale like Fisherman’s Bastion, while on the Pest side of the river, you get to enjoy some of Budapest’s five-star hotels, upscale restaurants, cafés, and casinos. Have your after-dinner drinks at one of the cafés, then snap a picture with the famous sculpture of the Little Princess sitting quietly on the Danube promenade’s railings.
Scenic Hike into the Sunset
Have a romantic picnic in the sunset at the Citadel! The Citadel is the English name for the Citadella, a 19th-century fortification located in Budapest on top of Gellért Hill. The fortress was built in 1854 to serve as a defense during the Habsburg Monarchy. Today, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For a truly romantic experience, take a picnic basket with you and time your visit for sunset when the views over the city are truly breathtaking.
Fun Things to Do during Your Honeymoon in Budapest
Walk Through Hungarian History
For an unconventional honeymoon activity in Budapest, check out the old communist statues at Memento Park! If you and your partner are interested in history, then don’t miss the opportunity to visit the giant statues of the communist dictatorship and take a selfie with Lenin or soldiers of the Red Army soldiers at the Memento Park open-air museum, where the removed statues of the fallen, communist regime are collected.
Couple’s Shopping in Budapest
Go on a shopping spree: Budapest is shopping heaven for those who are into fashion as it hosts the largest and the biggest number of shopping malls in Central Europe. Most malls are located on the Pest side. Among them, Westend City Centre and Aréna Plaza are the two biggest. If you want to avoid shopping malls, then head into Váci utca, Budapest’s famous pedestrian shopping street located in the 5th district. The street has a lively atmosphere featuring upscale boutiques, cafés, and many souvenir shops.
Chairlift Ride up a Mountain
Take the chairlift to Jánoshegy and visit the Elisabeth look-out tower: the Budapest chairlift transports passengers between Zugliget and the Elizabeth Lookout Tower on János Hill. János Hill is the highest hill in Budapest, while the Elizabeth Lookout Tower was built in Neo-Romanesque style and named after the empress of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, Sissi. The ride on the chairlift takes about fifteen minutes, and from there, it’s a short but steep walk to the lookout tower. The hike, however, is worth it as the spectacular views over the Buda Hills.
Explore the Dark Past of Budapest
Go on a Hammer & Sickle Tour! If you’re interested in the socialist history of the Hungarians and want to find out what life was really like behind the Iron Curtain, then make sure to book a Hammer & Sickle walking tour during your visit to Budapest. During the 2-3 hour walk around the city, you’ll not only learn about the most important historical facts but also visit an exhibition room where many household goods, pieces of furniture, and relics are collected from the communist times.
Sightsee Budapest with the Great Ferris Wheel
Ride the Budapest Eye! What’s more romantic than riding the Ferris wheel hand in hand with the one you love and enjoying the breathtaking views from the top? With its 65-meter height, the Budapest Eye is one of the largest Ferris Wheels in Europe, located at the very heart of the city in Elizabeth Square and offering a spectacular panorama over the Hungarian Capital. If you are looking for an unforgettable evening during your honeymoon in Budapest, make sure to include this program on your list of Budapest honeymoon program ideas.
Learn About Hungarian Foods on a Cooking Course
Do you guys like cooking and trying out new things? Then the Hungarian cooking course is the perfect honeymoon activity for you! During this 4-hour program, you and your husband or wife get to go shopping with a local chef in the Great Market Hall of Budapest, then learn how to cook a tasty, traditional Hungarian meal. The cooking is organized in small groups, where you’ll taste Hungarian dishes and local wines, and palinka. You don’t have to be a culinary expert to enjoy this program. The cooking class is suited for beginners as well.
Ride to the Buda Castle in Style
One of the most fun ways to get to Buda Castle is by riding the Buda Castle Hill Funicular. Running between Adam Clark Square and the Royal Palace, the Funicular has been in service since the second half of the 19th century. With this, it’s the second funicular railway operating in Europe and was admitted to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1987. The retro-style Funicular currently runs on a 95-meter route every 10 minutes up and down Castle Hill and provides a stunning view over Budapest and the river Danube.
Have a Wonderful Honeymoon Activity in Budapest
The Palace of Wonders, also known as the CSOPA science center, is a 5000 sq.-meter interactive playing area and entertainment center in Budapest. Although it’s primarily aimed at children, it can be an exciting place to visit for anyone who wants to learn about natural sciences experimentally. If you are a fun-seeking couple, this place could be interesting for you as you’ll get to play with more than 250 exhibited games which you will both enjoy. Let the receptionist know you’re visiting Budapest on your honeymoon and pick up your heart-shaped balloon as a special after-date gift.
Out of Your Comfort Zone Programs on Your Honeymoon in Budapest
Go Adventure Caving Under Budapest
If you’re looking for a truly adrenaline-fueled, unique activity while on your honeymoon in Budapest, then crawl through Budapest’s longest underground cave system on a 3.5-hour adventure caving experience. Discover the source of Budapest’s hot springs and marvel at the limestone rock formations left behind by geological activity. If you are less brave or have claustrophobia, choose the safer option and join a cave walk into two caves, both paved and equipped with artificial lighting. Cave walks are organized for small groups with English or German guidance.
Visit the House of Terror
Take a glimpse into the darkest days of 20th-century Hungarian history by visiting the House of Terror, located in Andrássy Avenue near Oktogon Square. The former headquarters of the brutal communist secret police – similar to the Russian KGB – is one of the most visited museums in Budapest. Its chilling but well-put-together exhibition commemorates the innocent victims of Hungary’s Nazi and communist regimes.
Have a Romantic Room Escape Experience
Escape from a room, just the two of you! Escape rooms have become quite popular over the last few years, and one of the first such game providers is found in Budapest. The aim of these games is to escape from a room using a series of consecutive clues. Budapest Escape rooms offer many different well-planned games from groups of 2 to 7 with a great emphasis on realistic presentation – whether it is an underground base, a secret lab, a killer’s hideout in the woods, or a motel room. If you’re looking for an exciting or even thrilling evening with your newly-wed partner on your honeymoon in Budapest, then try one of Budapest’s escape rooms.
Vintage Joyride in Budapest
Probably the most fun way to discover Budapest is by renting an old Trabant car. The unique and much-beloved product of East Germany became a popular people’s car and the symbol of socialism in many Eastern-European countries, including Hungary, during the socialist times. So, if you want to feel like a local, hop into a Trabi and enjoy the dazzling, unforgettable experience. It’s also fun to rent a Trabi for the evening as you’ll see Budapest’s beauty after sunset by crossing one of Budapest’s many beautiful, historic bridges.
Invisible Adventure for Two
Visit the Invisible Exhibition! This unique exhibition aims to give visitors the chance to experience what life is like for people who are blind. A registered blind guide will take you on tour through various artificially created environments – like a garden, supermarket, or a bar – all of which are in completely dark rooms. After the exhibition, you can enjoy dinner in the dark, served by blind waiters, who will help you to find your way around your dinner plate. If you’re looking for a unique, out-of-the-comfort zone experience while on your honeymoon in Budapest, don’t miss out on this program.
Cultural programs during your honeymoon in Budapest
Visit the best museums in Budapest
The Hungarian capitol is filled with museums, exhibitions, and galleries. Some of the most significant ones include the Hall of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts, the Budapest National Gallery featuring the largest public collection of fine arts in Budapest, the Hungarian National Museum introducing Hungarian culture and history, the Hungarian Natural History Museum featuring dinosaurs and exploring the natural environment of the Carpathian Basin, and the Ludwig Museum in the Palace of Arts displaying artwork by modern and contemporary artists. Whether you are a fan of the arts or history, visiting a museum could be a great program during your honeymoon in Budapest.
Romantic Jazz Performance in Budapest
Combine dinner with a jazz concert! If you’re looking for a great evening with dinner and fantastic jazz music, then don’t miss out on visiting either Opus Jazz Club or Budapest Jazz Club. Opus presents the most exciting artists from the European and Hungarian jazz scene, while the club’s restaurant features international cuisine, offering unique dishes, deliciously warm and cold concert bites, and a variety of great Hungarian wines during their concerts. Budapest Jazz Club is the other center of the Budapest jazz scene awaiting guests with a fusion bistro offering delicious meals and an old-world coffee house with great coffee, desserts, and daily concerts from local and world-famous jazz musicians.
Have a Romantic Classical Concert in Budapest
Looking for a spectacular evening during your honeymoon in Budapest? The Palace of Arts Budapest is not only the leading concert hall of the Hungarian capital but is also an attractive, modern building on the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Danube waterfront in Budapest. It has an attractive, contemporary design and hosts a wide variety of concerts – including classical, contemporary, popular, and world music – and gives place to opera, jazz, dance performances, and film events as well. The place awaits visitors not only with concert halls but also with a stylish restaurant offering delicious local and international cuisine.
Organ Concert at the Largest Church in Budapest
If you are a fan of classical music, don’t miss out on the enchanting organ concerts organized at the magnificent St. Stephen’s Basilica, one of Budapest’s most beautiful neo-classical buildings, featuring the largest church organ in the country. Tickets can be booked online. The concerts are about an hour long and cost about 20 EUR/person.
