Back in April, I visited Hungary for the first time, spending three days exploring its beautiful capital, Budapest. I planned my itinerary around a handful of must-see sights while leaving plenty of time to wander the city's streets, discover hidden gems and enjoy its incredible food scene.

This three-day adventure was part of a ten-day trip, where I flew into Budapest, followed by getting the coach to Novi Sad, and then flying from Belgrade to Split a few days later. This would give me a few days to enjoy what Budapest had to offer, before heading over to visit family and friends in Serbia and Croatia.

Day 1 - Explore the Cave Church, Try Lángos & Settle into Budapest

I arrived in Budapest around midday on Wednesday. Driving into the city was exciting as we followed the Danube River, and I could already spot the Cave Church in the distance – one of the places I was most looking forward to visiting.

Cave church

After dropping my things off at the hotel, I headed to the Cave Church, which took around 35 minutes on foot. It was a straightforward walk along the Buda side of the Danube before arriving at the foot of Gellért Hill, with the cave church tucked into the hillside above.

The Cave Church is also known as Saint Ivan's Cave. It's believed that a hermit once lived there, using the nearby natural thermal waters to help heal sick people.

After purchasing my ticket, I was given an audio guide and made my way through the cave. Stepping inside was a welcome break from the warm spring sunshine outside, and I found the history of the church fascinating.

By the time I'd finished exploring, I was very hungry, but I remembered walking past a delicious-smelling lángos stand not too far from my hotel earlier. I headed back that way and tucked into a delicious chicken lángos. If you've never tried one before, they're available with both sweet and savoury toppings and are a bit like a large fried doughnut - absolutely delicious!

After relaxing for a while in my beautiful hotel room, I headed back out for dinner at an authentic Sicilian pizza restaurant just down the road, Pizzeria Bella, followed by a scoop of chocolate ice cream (my favourite) from K1 Ice, only a few doors away.

It was then an early-ish night, ready for a sunrise walk up to Fisherman's Bastion the next morning!

Day 2 - Sunrise at Fisherman's Bastion & Exploring Pest

Thursday morning, I was up before sunrise to make it to Fisherman's Bastion in time. It was about a seven-minute walk up to Buda Castle, and I wasn't surprised to see people already there taking photos, as it's one of Budapest's most popular viewpoints. Even so, it was definitely much quieter than it would be later in the day.

Built in the late 19th century, Fisherman's Bastion offers some of the best views over the Danube and across to the impressive Hungarian Parliament Building. Sunrise is one of the best times to visit, as you can watch the city slowly come to life while enjoying the fresh morning air before the crowds arrive.

My plan afterwards was to get to Párisi Passage as soon as it opened for breakfast, before the queues started to build. It was around a 30-minute walk into the centre of Pest, but the streets were still nice and quiet at that time of the morning.

The architecture was stunning, with elegant stained-glass windows, intricate ceramics and beautiful Art Nouveau details throughout. The restaurant was also incredibly peaceful, with only a couple of hotel guests enjoying breakfast when I arrived.

Be prepared for a pricey meal here – I paid 9,830 HUF (around £24) for French toast, a cappuccino and a glass of fresh orange juice. The service, however, was exceptional and made the experience feel worthwhile. I spent some time reading over breakfast, and the waiter even encouraged me to stay and read for as long as I liked after I'd finished eating.

They do recommend reserving a table, but if you arrive early for breakfast like I did, you'll get to enjoy the quieter atmosphere. When I walked past later that day, there was already a huge queue for lunch.

Ervin Szabó Library

After breakfast, I wandered through the city towards Ervin Szabó Library, which is housed inside the beautiful 19th-century neo-Baroque Wenckheim Palace. Tickets cost around £4.90 and give you access to each floor of the library.

The main reason I wanted to visit was to see the stunning stained-glass windows and the magnificent historic reading rooms. It felt more like exploring a grand palace than a library, and it quickly became one of my favourite buildings in Budapest!

Cinema Mystica

Cinema Mystica was somewhere I stumbled across while exploring the city. It wasn't actually on my itinerary, but a colourful light display outside immediately caught my attention.

I bought a ticket and ended up discovering one of the most unique experiences of my trip. Cinema Mystica is a fully immersive digital art exhibition where you can interact with different light installations. One room even invited visitors to lie on the floor while sounds, lights and vibrations combined to create a surprisingly relaxing sensory experience.

If you're looking for something a little different from Budapest's historic attractions, I'd definitely recommend adding it to your itinerary!

Danube River Cruise & Parliament

Although I didn't get the chance to tour the famous Hungarian Parliament Building itself, I made sure to book an evening river cruise instead.

We set off just as the sun was beginning to set, and over the course of an hour we cruised along the Danube, passing many of Budapest's most iconic landmarks. Seeing the Parliament illuminated against the evening sky really was beautiful. On my way back to the hotel, I stopped at an authentic Japanese restaurant called Ennman, just around the corner. I was craving sushi after a busy day of exploring and both the service and the food was impeccable.

Day 3 - Buda Castle Caves, St. Stephen's Basilica & even more Hungarian Food

I started my final morning in Budapest with breakfast at a little bagel shop just down the road called Zerge. The coffee was great, and there were plenty of bagel options to choose from, whether you were after a quick snack or something more filling before a day of exploring.

Buda Castle caves

I stayed on the Buda side for the morning, making my way to my Buda Castle Cave tour. I did get a little lost trying to find the entrance, as it's tucked away down a narrow side street and Google Maps seemed determined to send me in circles, but I made it eventually!

The caves remain chilly all year round, so I'd definitely recommend taking a jumper or light jacket. As we made our way through the labyrinth-like tunnels, we learnt how the caves had served many different purposes over the centuries. They were used as wine cellars, bomb shelters, an emergency military hospital, dungeons and places to hide valuable treasures. More recently, they even hosted fashion shows and raves during the late 20th century.

You'll even come across human remains in one section of the cave system, with several skulls still on display. Apparently, there used to be many more, but some of the bones were looted when people held raves in the caves.. Many of the remains belong to soldiers who tragically lost their lives here after becoming trapped beneath Buda Castle during the Siege of Budapest in the Second World War. It was a fascinating, if sobering, part of the tour.

St Stephen’s Basilica

After emerging back into the sunshine, I wandered over to St. Stephen's Basilica. If you're planning to visit the viewing platform at the top, I'd definitely recommend booking your tickets online in advance as it gets extremely busy. There's also a small ticket office across the road, tucked amongst the cafés, where you can collect pre-booked tickets or buy them on the day if there's availability.

St. Stephen's Basilica is a Roman Catholic church named after Hungary's first king. Built in the Neoclassical style, construction began in 1851 before finally being completed in 1905. One of its most striking features is the impressive dome, which stands 96 metres high. You can either climb the 364 spiral steps or take the lift for part of the way before enjoying panoramic views across Budapest from the top.

After taking in the views from the top of St. Stephen's Basilica, I headed over to 2DBeloved for a sweet lunch. I'd seen their famous fluffy Japanese pancakes all over social media before my trip, so I had to give them a try. They definitely lived up to the hype—light, airy and beautifully presented, they made for a delicious (and slightly indulgent!) lunch. I chose the chocolate banana combo, of course!

Later that afternoon, I stopped by Ildikó Konyhája for an early dinner, where I ordered a traditional Hungarian beef stew. It was rich, hearty and packed with flavour and honestly, I think it might have been my highlight of the three days. I really cannot recommend it enough, it was one of the best stews I’ve ever had, and paired with their homemade strawberry lemonade, it was the perfect way to end a day of exploring.

Three days felt like the perfect amount of time to explore Budapest for the first time. There are a few more places I’d like to visit in future, like the Thermal Baths and perhaps taking a tour inside Parliament, but this was a great introductory trip that gave me enough time to get a flavour for the city. The whole time I was there I felt safe walking around, even as a solo traveller. All of the staff in shops and in restaurants and cafes were extremely helpful and friendly, and you’ll have no issues if you cannot speak Hungarian, as the majority of people could also speak English.

How to spend 3 days in Budapest as a solo-traveller