TIPS FROM LOCALS
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Green Areas in Budapest
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These green places provide shade from the scorching summer heat too. A walk in these parks between mid-September and mid-October will reward you with beautiful scenery: sunbeams burst through multicolored leaves of trees creating a warm, vibrant aura. Take a book with you, some snacks and refreshments, perhaps a blanket and relax in the following green retreats in Budapest.
City Park (Városliget)
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The largest green areas of Budapest are not only for recreation pruposes but also function as the lung of the city providing it with fresh air.
Városliget (City Park)
Location: behind Heroes' Square in XIV. district, M1 (yellow) metro, Hősök tere station, trolleis 70, 72, buses 20, 30
Városliget (City Park) is the largest of all Budapest parks attracting many people on weekends.
It stretches behind Heroes' Square on cc. 100 hectares/cc. 250 acres. In nice weather you can devote a whole day to City Park because it has many attractions both for adults and kids.
Vajdahunyad Castle is an iteresting architectural monument built for the 1896 Millenary Exhibition. The castle houses the Hungarian Agricultural Museum.
The City Park Lake is great for rowing in summer and ice skating in winter.
Other attractions in the park: Budapest Zoo, Széchenyi Baths, Amusement Park, Transport Museum. You'll also find a few nice restaurants in Városliget.
Read more about Budapest City Park: history, major attractions, photos.
Margitsziget (Margaret Island)
Getting there: trams 4,6 Margit sziget stop
A serene oasis in the heart of a bustling city in the embrace of the Danube. The island is lined with romanic walkways, flowery growes, old ruins.
The island received its name after Princess Margit, daughter of King Béla IV. who rebuilt the country after the Mongol Invasion in the 13th century. The open-air theatre stages opera and ballet performances in summer.
Read more about Margaret Island.
Gellert Hill - magnificient view, pleasant walks in green surroundings
Getting there: Trams: 41, 47 and 49, Buses: 7, 86, get off: Szt. Gellért tér stop
You can see this steep dolomit rock with the Statue of Liberty on its top from almost every point of the city.
Walkways meander up the hilltop to the Citadell. Take your time to walk up and admire the splendid parks and groves and breathtaking panorama. See our photos about Gellért Hill taken during a summer excursion.
Buda Hills - hiking, fresh air, lots of green
The gentle slopes rising on the right side of the Danube entice you for hiking. If you're with children go up the hills with the Children's railway.
First take the cog-wheel railway from its Városmajor termini opposite Hotel Budapest (near Moszka tér, M2 metro termini). Not far from the upper terminus is the Children's Railway that'll take you along a 12 km scenic ride.
Many parts of the Buda Hills are nature reserves, like the Budakeszi Vadaspark (game reserve) with live animals. Other attarctions of the hills are: playgrounds, lookouts, caves.
Népliget
Getting there: M3 metro Népliget station, tram 1, 1A Népliget stop
It occupies an area of 112 hectares/300 acres in south-east part of Budapest. It is not as popular for strolls as City Park or Margaret Island though nice paths run accross the park lined with trees, shrubs, flowers and some statues. The Planetarium stands in this park, in the dome of which spectacular laser shows accompanied by classical or pop music provide nice enetertainment.
Lesser Known Budapest Parks and Gardens
Károlyi Kert (Károlyi Garden) - perhaps the most beautiful small park in Budapest
This charming park lies behind the Classicist Károlyi Palace (Károlyi utca 16., off Múzeum körút, V. district, M3 (blue) metro line, Ferenciek tere or Kávin tér station.
The garden is a home to some rare plants like the honey locust, Caucasian wingnut, silver poplars, horse chestnuts. These stately trees were probably planted at the beginning of the 19th century. The Károlyi Palace provides shelter from the traffic and noise of downtown Budapest that's why the park is and ideal place to relax after a walk in the city centre.
Tip: the palace turns into a cultural centre during summer hosting the Summer Evenings in the Károlyi Garden event with classical music, dance, folk and other cool programs (26th June-20th July 2007).
Orczy Kert
Getting there: M3 (blue) metro line, Klinikák or Nagyvárad tér station
It's best to take a walk in the garden after visiting the Natural History Museum next door.
Many old trees provide shade in the garden; oaks, horse chestnuts, ash. Behind a small lake stands a memorial of the Hungarian soldiers died in the two world wars.
Kiscell Castle Garden
Getting there: Kiscelli utca 108. III. district, tram 17, bus 60, 165 Kiscelli utca stop
Although the park is a bit neglected it's still a nice place to take a rest. In the Kiscell Museum you can see exhibitions about Budapest's history with photo, textile, ceramics, furniture collections.
Erzsébet téri Park (Park at Erzsébet Square)
Getting there: M1, M2, M3 metros, Deák tér station
This is a brand new garden one the biggest green area developments of the last couple of years. Fountain and water steps, a nd a pool with glass bottom refresh the air.
Under the park operates the Gödör Klub cultural centre with art exhibitions and music programs (program info: +36 20 201 3868).
Two Luxury Budapest Hotels the Le Meridien Hotel and Kempinski Hotel stand at Erzsébet Square. St Stephen's Basilica, Budapest's largest church is also just a short walk from the park.
Szabadság téri park (park at Szabadság Square)
Gettig there: M2 (red) metro Kossuth tér station, tram 2 Kossuth tér stop, a short walk south east of the Budapest Parliament.
This one of my favourite parks in Budapest. If you visit Budapest Parliament do take some time to take a look at Szabadásg tér, it's just a a few-minute walk from the parliament. By the way, the parliament building is also surrounded by pleasant parks with varoius statues and historical monuments.
Back to Szabadság tér: Grandiose buildings of high architectural value flank the square: the Art-nouveau National Bank and the building of the Hungarian Television, the venue of riots in autumn 2006.
The Us Embassy is at Szabadság tér too. In front of the embassy's building is the Memorial of the Russian Army (the meeting point of the former Western and Eastern blocks). A nice playground attracts kids with various toys.
Arboretums in Budapest
Füvészkert Botanical Garden
Illés utca 25., VIII. district, M3 (blue) metro line, Klinikák station, bus 9 or trolley 83 Kálvária tér stop, from there just a short walk
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs: 9.00-16.00, Fri: 9.00-12.00, Sat-Sun: 9.00-16.00, the greenhouses: Mon-Thurs:9.00-12.00 and 14.00-15.00, Fri: closed, Sat-Sun: 10.00-12.00, 13.00-15.00
The oldest botanical garden in Hungary (founded in 1771) gives home to around 7000 plants including 150-year old orchides.
The garden was an important venue in the famous novell, Paul Street Boys written by Pál Molnár. The Palm Huose (built in 1866) is the habitat of tropical and subtropical plant species, cactus, orchides, bromelieas. The neo-Classical administration building is also worth looking at.
Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden (Fővárosi Állat- és Növénykert)
Address: Állatkerti krt. 6-12, City Park (Városliget), XIV. district,
Getting there: M1 (yellow) metro line, get off at Széchenyi fürdő stop or trolley bus 72 (Állatkert stop), or trolley buses 75, 79 ( Állatkerti út stop)
Although when you visit the zoo the animals are the main attractions but spare some time to drop in the botanical garden housing around 2000 different plants.
The Japanese garden has a real oriental atmosphere with special trees, flowers, streams, a meditating hut, stone lamps. The garden is a place for pleasant musical concerts in summer evenings.
Related Pages from our Website
World Heritage Sites in Budapest
Return from Budapest Parks to Homepage of Budapest Tourist Guide.
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