3 Days in Budapest with Kids
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The four of us at the Easter Market in Budapest
Budapest with Kids
If you’re looking for what to do in Budapest with kids, I’ve got you covered! This guide will take you through spending three days in Budapest with family. We traveled to Budapest with a baby and a toddler, plus my parents! This was a multi-generational trip to Budapest! Budapest has to be one of our favorite and one of the most family friendly cities we've ever traveled too. As a matter of fact, it's one of the few places I would visit again just to have more time there. Budapest is beautiful, friendly, and feels especially magical when standing on the banks of the Danube. If you're making a list of must-see places, put Budapest towards the top because there are so many things to do in Budapest with kids in tow! Below you will find all of our travel tips for exploring Budapest as a family!
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Table of Contents
Best Places to Eat in Budapest with Kids
Vakvarju Pest: This restaurant takes family dining to the next level. They offer an outstanding children's menu, changing tables and highchairs are available. If the kids get restless during your meal, they have a fantastic kids corner for the kids to play with. Vakvarju Pest takes it to the next level by offering a babysitter to look after the kids while you eat on the weekends! If you’re headed to Budapest with kids, definitely make a stop here!
Easter Market (Or Christmas Market): (LUNCH AND DINNER) While the Budapest Christmas Markets are well known worldwide, we were able to experience the annual Easter market! (Spring Fair/Spring market) Here at this Market, we experienced awesome foods, delightful smells, and lots of handicraft products! There is one main market (shown below) and there are smaller Easter and Christmas markets scattered throughout the city. These markets are at the top of Budapest top 10 attractions, so I highly recommend planning a family trip around these!
Jegbufe (Pastries and Coffee): (SWEETS & COFFEE) The Ice Buffet is a liquor-free patisserie that opened in 1952 and served large crowds. Since the store sold ice cream, ice cream, parfait, and cold products, it was given the name Ice Buffet. The 1958 World's Fair in Brussels brought huge progression to gastronomy, and for the first time since 1945, Hungarian professionals were able to enter and present their professional knowledge. This was when the Somló dumplings were born and the Budapest Cake was created! The Ice Buffet is located in the busiest place in Budapest and is an absolutely amazing spot to experience living history.
Eco Cafe: (COFFEE) This is a great family friendly spot for quality coffee, friendly ambiance, and eco-consciousness practices. Eco Cafe uses only organic and fair trade goods. The shop has a little play area for children too making it the perfect place for families.
Fruska Bisztró: (LUNCH) This place has great food and even offers picnic meals to go! If you dine inside, they offer a nice children’s menu. They have a children’s corner and toys to keep the kids occupied.
Pastrami: If you are looking for classic Hungarian food, look no further. Pastrami has a great selection of meal options, but also several children’s options. The restaurant also offers high chairs and a changing table. During your meal, send the kids over to play in the mini-kitchen located in the kid’s corner! This is a fantastic choice for anyone traveling to Budapest with a toddler or kids!
Street Food: If you are looking for food on the go, check out these amazing options for the Best Street food in Budapest!
People eating at the budapest easter markets- such a great place to eat as a family
Best Places to Stay in Budapest with Kids
Our three bedroom, 2 bath apartment in budapest was perfect for our family
Finding a family-friendly place to stay in Budapest can be overwhelming. There are SO many choices. I decided on this 3 bedroom, 2 bath Airbnb in an unbelievably convenient location. The apartment is directly across the way from St Stephens Basilica and within walking distance to everywhere. I appreciated the 2 bathrooms. This is a perfect spot to stay in Budapest with Kids.
If your family would prefer to stay in a hotel in Budapest, use the map below to find one that fits your family size and budget. There are so many great places to stay in Budapest with family.
Best Places to Play in Budapest with Kids
There are so many monuments, gardens, and parks throughout the city. this is the soviet war monument
Budapest Parks: Bupapest’s green spaces are an amazing place for families to rest and take a break from the bustle of the city. The Hungarian capital has many natural treasures sprinkled through the city making it one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Playgrounds in Budapest: Playgrounds are sprinkled around the entire city and we absolutely loved them. They are all unique, colorful, and well thought out. The playgrounds are some of the most fun things in Budapest and an absolute must for any Budapest family holiday.
Children's Museum: This is an incredible children’s museum and is one of the best Budapest kids attractions. Through the fields of science and art, design, the museum shows how humanity's knowledge of vision and sight has evolved - from ancient discoveries to the latest technical innovations.
Budapest Zoo & Botanical Gardens: Budapest's Zoo is a professional conservation organization dedicated to the survival of endangered creatures. Here you can see animals from all 7 continents right in the heart of downtown Budapest. The Zoo is one of the great Budapest attractions!
City Park: This large, 0.9-by-0.6-mile park, is great in summer and in the winter is home to an outdoor ice skating rink.
Margaret Island: In the Danube River, between Buda and Pest, Margaret Island is a quiet getaway within the city. Pedestrian promenades navigate around the park for people to peruse. There is an art nouveau water tower, the ruins of a 13th-century Dominican convent, a musical fountain, and even a small zoo. Other attractions include jogging tracks, thermal spas, and swimming pools. If you visit in Summertime, you’ll see pop-up bars and restaurants, as well as live music.
This is the kinderplatz located right at fisherman’s bastion
Best ways to Explore Budapest with Kids
This is the German occupation memorial — We did our own walking tours throughout budapest, but if we went back, i would love to do a river cruise or try the guided walking tours again.
Free Guided Walking Tours: Get the best introduction and insight to the city with the Budapest free walking tours. These tours explore all the must-see sights, share the fascinating history, and help you discover the wonderful local culture. Dive deeper into the turbulent tales from the communist period in Hungary on the free Red Budapest city tours, and marvel at the impressive legacy of the Jewish quarter on the free Jewish legacy walking tour – all with excellent professional local guides who are passionate about providing you with an authentic & truly valuable experience on the best free city tours in Budapest.
1-Hour Guided Canal Cruise: Cruise down the River Danube, and pass monuments such as the National Parliament, Buda Castle, and the Várkert Bazár, recently restored to its original splendor. Head to the open deck for perfect views of the illuminated Vigadó Concert Hall, or look at the floodlit monuments between the Margaret Bridge and Rákóczi Bridge from the comfort of an air-conditioned deck with panoramic windows.
Rick Steves Budapest (with walking tours & self guides) <-- link to purchase the book
Budapest Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus: Explore Budapest at your own pace with a 24, 48, or 72-hour ticket on this open-top hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus. Enjoy engaging commentary from the local driver as you wonder at the views of the Hungarian Parliament Building, Margaret Bridge, and the Danube River landmarks.
Budapest Metro information: We used the metro to get from the train station to our apartment and then a couple times to get around Pest, but we mostly walked everywhere above ground. It's extremely easy to use and highly recommended to get out to Hero's Square & the Baths!
Reminders: Great Market Hall & Frantz List Museum are closed on Sundays and MOST of Budapest's museums are closed on Mondays, so be sure to look up what you want to see and check their hours ahead of time.
***I Highly recommend getting a Budapest Card or a Budapest Card Plus! The Budapest Card Plus offers, in addition to the 40+ services included in the BUDAPEST CARD product range for free, you also get an airport transfer, a cruise on the Danube, free admission to Matthias Church, a ride on the Buda Castle Funicular Railway, and a chimney cake from Molnár’s, all free of charge.
You can snag a Budapest Card for your family with the link below.
3 Day Itinerary for Budapest with Kids
The hungarian parliament is an icon of budapest
Day 1: Liberty Square, Ronald Reagan Statue, Hungarian Parliament, Holocaust Monument, Easter Market
We arrived to Budapest with our two kids via a 2ish hour train ride from Vienna, Austria. The trip was very easy and the train car we were in had a fabulous children's area with a little TV and play area, so our toddler stayed entertained throughout the ride. She also got the chance to play with other kids which she loved. Check out our 10 Reasons to Travel By Train in Europe with Kids.
Once we arrived we had to take the metro from the train station to our apartment. Looking back, it was a pretty straightforward walk from the metro, but we were a little disoriented in the new city and we got ourselves very turned around. After a confusing phone call to our host and an exhausting walk with all of our bags, 2 kids, and 4 adults we managed to find our apartment. This place could not have been in a better location. Seriously. It was DIRECTLY in front of one of Budapest's most famous attractions; St Stephen's Basilica. The apartment was also a very short walk to many cafes, attractions, shops and metro stops. I recommend this apartment to any family staying in Budapest. The location, living space and 3 bedrooms makes it hard to pass up.
We got ourselves situated in the apartment, put the baby down for a nap (the grandparents stayed with the kids) and Jimmy and I walked down to find food for everyone. After refueling we started on one of Rick Steve's walking tours to get oriented with the area surrounding our apartment and to better understand where we were in proximity to all Budapest has to offer. For any family traveling with children, I recommend self-guided walks because they allow you to stop and go at your pace, but also offer tons of information and let you in on history and locations you may have otherwise passed up.
The Nomads posing with the Ronald Reagan Statue
The walking tour took us down to Liberty Square (Szabadság tér), then to the Ronald Reagan Statue, past the Statue of Imre Nagy, and directly in front of the famous Palace of Parliament. The Parliament building and surrounding square are HUGE and a fun place for kids to run wild. We let Charletta walk wherever she wanted and she ran and ran and ran. It was great to just let her be wild and free. While we were walking around, taking in the vast infrastructure all around us, we were lucky enough to witness one of Parlaiment's Changing of the Guard. The entire experience at the Parliament building was spectacular. We continued our walk down to the waterfront walkway, stopped to take in the Shoes on the Danube Bank (Cipők a Duna-parton) and then walked past Chain Bridge (Széchenyi Lánchíd) along the canal. As we ended our short walking tour and headed back towards the apartment we stumbled onto one of Budapest's amazing Easter Markets located at Vörösmarty Ter. It was a sight for sore eyes. Every booth offered some kind of local food, drink, craft or specialty item -- to include Rooster Testicle Stew. We piled up plates of food and had a traditional Hungarian dinner. If you’re visiting Budapest in December, check out this full post on Things to Do In December in Budapest.
The food at the easter markets was so dang good
Fancy some Rooster testicle stew?
Day 2: Little Princess Sculpture, March 15 Square, Jegubufe, Great Market Hall, Funicular, Royal Castle, King Mathias Fountain, Mathias Church, Fisherman's Bastion
For some reason, we thought it would be amazing to join in on one of Budapest's FREE guided walking tours. We got everyone ready and headed over to the square to sign in and join one of these tip-only tours. Once we got started, we realized quickly that our kids couldn't sit through the stops and explanations, so we handed over a tip and parted ways after only one guided stop. My parents continued on with the tour and when we met back up that evening, they said it was an amazing tour and would recommend it to anyone willing to walk a lot -- so bring comfy shoes and get ready for a great tour.
She looks unimpressed, but she ate a lot of that giant pastry
Once we parted ways, we pulled out our handy Rick Steve's Guide and chose the Pest Town Center walking tour that took us from where we were. This walk covers areas within the inner city of Budapest and, for us, was the start to an amazing day. We were guided from the famous Little Princess Statue (Kiskirálylány-szobor) along the Danube toward Budapest's prized Central Market Hall (Nagy Vásárcsarnok). The baby rode along while we intermittently let Charletta out to walk (and run). We took our time walking along and were able to see SO many unique places we would have easily overlooked. One place that stands out was seeing the ancient ruins of the Contra-Aquincum; a third-century fortress. The ruins were slyly behind a class and concrete enclosure that blended into the surroundings. I would have never thought to look through the windows if I didn't KNOW to look. Another great find on our journey: Jégbüfé. This bistro is a rare relic from communist-era Budapest; a quick, cheap, stand-at-a-counter coffee and cake stop. We indulged. Charletta absolutely loved her gigantic pastry too. We sat outside instead of inside, but we still got to feel the nice vibe and made a point to use their free restrooms. The bistro itself is not very stroller friendly, so consider leaving the stroller at the door and carrying the kids in. This historical relic is one that both parents and kids love.
As we walked along we took in the Pest half of Budapest. We peeked into courtyards, stopped into random churches, shopped in little shops. And finally, we made it to Central Market Hall. The market is a HUGE 3 story marketplace packed with food, trinkets, and people. We had an adventure navigating the narrow aisles with our double stroller but were delighted to find escalators that we rode from the first to the second floor and an elevator we took to get to the basement. We loved the bustling vibe but were happy to get what we needed and leave.
After a short break back at our apartment, we headed out to visit the Buda Castle District. We walked across the famous Chain Bridge and headed straight for the super cool Funicular that would take us up to the sites. (You can walk up to the castle, but there are a ton of stairs) We waited in a brief line to get tickets and they escorted Tavia + Kids (and stroller) up a separate accessible entrance while Jimmy went the normal route. We ended up having a car all to ourselves and enjoyed a quiet ride with spectacular views. (AND our giant double stroller FIT, so it's definitely stroller friendly)
Fisherman’s bastion is absolutely gorgeous
Buda Castle Overlook
Once up top, we started one of the best self-guided walking tours we've done. We walked the Buda Castle grounds, enjoyed breathtaking views of Pest (and Parliament) as a background to the commanding Danube River, enjoyed some ancient artifacts, walked along the main street and ended at the Matthias Church + Fisherman's Bastion. We bought tickets for both and decided to do the church first. The entrance is not accessible, so we did have to lift our stroller up to get it through the door. The inside of this church is unlike any other church or basilica we have visited. There is an incredible amount of detail everywhere you look. We left the church and had to change a diaper, so we headed for the public restrooms near the entrance of Fisherman's Bastion. We realized there is no way to bring a stroller up to the Bastion and were preparing to baby-wear both kids when we saw the most amazing kid's park calld Kinderplatz. We went to the park and let Charletta loose while Latham slept in his stroller. Jimmy took the first tour while I played at the park, then I went.
This park was MAGICAL. It had everything and so many Hungarian families were there with their kids. If you are exploring Budapest with a toddler you must make a top at this Kinderplatz - it is definitely one of the best things to do for kids in Budapest.
This park was so great - kinderplatz next to fisherman’s bastion
Once we got our fill of photos of Fisherman’s Bastion and coffee from the conveniently located Starbucks, we took in some last views and we meandered back over to Pest. We decided to re-visit the Easter Market for some delicious Hungarian dinner. Yes, the food at the market is really that good!
PS - I could have spent HOURS standing on Fisherman's Bastion looking out with my coffee in hand
Day 3: Szechenyi Baths, Millineum Monument, Hero's Square, Easter Market & Birthday Celebrations
Our morning at the baths
Are children allowed in the thermal baths?
YES! The Szechenyi Thermal Baths do allow children, but they must be potty trained.
This was one of the most relaxing days of our trip. I highly recommend taking a trip over to any of Budapest’s famous thermal baths. Since my kids were both still in diapers, Jimmy and I left our kids with my parents and took the metro out to the very famous Szechenyi Thermal Baths. We enjoyed every single second of the warm water, the jets, and the relaxing atmosphere. We tried the thermal baths inside and outside. Then we headed upstairs where we each received a one-hour massage. Since we knew we wouldn't be back to this part of Budapest, Jimmy and I took the time to walk over to the Millennium Monument (Millenniumi emlékmű) at Hero's Parkk before we took the metro back to our apartment. We stopped for lunch before going back to the kids and we can not rave enough about Montenegrói Gurman. The food and beer were delicious, the service was impeccable and the restaurant was child and baby-friendly. We saw both children and babies with their families. This is a white table cloth type place and you'll pay a little more, but it's worth the stop.
people enjoying the warm waters of the famous Szechenyi Baths
Once we met up with everyone, Ed and I took the metro out to Jegbufe to get a birthday cake for Charletta. She was turning two and we decided to do a photoshoot (my mom is a photographer). We came back, got her ready in her birthday outfit, and set up a spot in front of St Stephen's Basilica. Both my mom and I were snapping photos of our girl when a crowd of curious Hungarians and tourists crowded around and started singing Happy Birthday in Hungarian. It was awesome and unforgettable. Our photos and the video will be one of our most treasured.
Happy 2nd Birthday to our girl - her cake was to die for and we picked it up from Jegbufe
After the celebration, we cleaned up and headed out for a drowsy and slow evening. We took our time meandering Budapest, stopped to take all the touristy photos and ate at the Easter Market one last time. We spend the cool evening soaking up the unforgettable feeling Budapest has.
The very next morning our hired driver from miniBUD (the airport transfer service) picked us up at our apartment door and drove us to the airport and ended another spectacular Europe trip. MiniBUD was great, but you can also get a shared ride with the link below!
tHE BUDAPEST AIRPORT HAS A GREAT PLAY AREA FOR FAMILIES
Our meal at Montenegroi Gurman was TO. DIE. FOR.
Budapest is kid friendly and adult friendly. Best of all, Budapest is extremely budget-friendly. You will find cheap food, family-friendly Airbnbs, and cheap activities everywhere. The people of Hungary are incredibly nice and hospitable. We absolutely loved Budapest. If you’re looking for a trip the whole family can enjoy, you’ve found it.
This guide has taken you through spending three days in Budapest with family. We traveled to Budapest with a baby and a toddler, plus my parents! This was a multi-generational trip to Budapest! Budapest is one of our favorite European cities we’ve traveled to. If you're making a list of must-see places, put Budapest towards the top because there are so many things to do in Budapest with kids in tow! Below you will find all of our travel tips for exploring Budapest as a family!
