Nokia, Ericsson, Bosch, Microsoft and IBM employ thousands of engineers in research and development in the city. Although there is no particularly special industry in the city's economy, the financial centre role of the city is strong, with nearly 40 major banks being represented in the city including as well as those like Bank of China, KDB Bank and Hanwha Bank, which are unique in the region. The city ranked as the most liveable city in Central and Eastern Europe on EIU's quality of life index in 2010. The capital is home to many convention centres and there are thousands of restaurants, bars, coffee houses and party places, besides a full range of hotels. The leading business schools and universities in Budapest, the Budapest Business School, the CEU Business School and Corvinus University of Budapest offer a whole range of courses in economics, finance and management in English, French, German and Hungarian. Moreover, the global aspect of the city's research activity is shown through the establishment of the European Chinese Research Institute in the city.
How to get around in Hungary
Budapest’s coffee-drinking culture dates back centuries, and its classic coffeehouses are a sight to behold. If you don’t want to spend money on a sightseeing cruise, use the public boats with a regular transportion ticket. It chugs alongside everything you'll want to see downtown, all for the price of a regular public transportation ticket. Other spas throughout Budapest's neighborhoods have special amenities, such as the rooftop hot tub at Rudas Baths. These waters are said to be capable of curing just about anything, and soaking in a thermal pool is a top Budapest experience.
Accessible Hungary
The Budapest Spring Festival includes concerts at several venues across the city. The largest theatre facilities are the Budapest Operetta and Musical Theatre, the József Attila Theatre, the Katona József Theatre, the Madách Theatre, the Hungarian State Opera House, the National Theatre, the Vigadó Concert Hall, Radnóti Miklós Theatre, the Comedy Theatre and the Palace of Arts, known as MUPA. Budapesters regularly kayak, canoe, jet-ski and sail on the Danube, which has continuously become a major recreational site for the city. BKK (through the operator BKV) also provides public transport with boat service within the borders of the city.
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Institutions such as the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe, located in Budapest, are very important assets. Government ministries are all located in various parts of the city, most of them are in the District V, Leopoldtown. There is a base for major international companies including, but not limited to, Nissan CEE, Volvo, Saab and Ford.
- The central feature is an octagonal pool over which light shines from a 10 metres (33 ft) diameter cupola, supported by eight pillars.
- In the early 1970s, Budapest Metro’s east–west M2 line was first opened, followed by the M3 line in 1976.
- To decrease the use of cars and greenhouse gas emissions, the city has worked to improve public transportation, and nowadays the city has one of the highest mass transit usage in Europe.
- Budapest is among the 25 most visited cities in the world, welcoming more than 4.4 million international visitors each year, therefore the traditional and the congress tourism industry also deserve a mention, as they contribute greatly to the city’s economy.
- Budapest attracted 6 million international overnight visitors in 2024, making it one of the most popular destinations in Europe.
- The Széchenyi Baths are one of the largest bathing complexes in all Europe, and the only „old“ medicinal baths to be found in the Pest side of the city.
This is less than a quarter of the channels broadcast from Budapest; for the whole picture see Television in Hungary. Budapest is a prominent location for the Hungarian entertainment industry, with many films, television series, books, and other media set there. Fashion brands like Zara, H&M, Mango, ESPRIT, Douglas AG, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, Guess, Nike and other retail fashion brands are common across the city's shopping malls and on the streets. Hungarian models, like Barbara Palvin, Enikő Mihalik, Diána Mészáros, Viktória Vámosi usually appearing at these events along international participants.
With the curving Danube, graceful bridges and stunning landmarks, Budapest is especially beautiful – and photogenic – from above. Razed and rebuilt several times through the ages, today it houses the Hungarian National Gallery and major temporary exhibitions. The Buda side's rolling hills are crowned by the former Royal Palace, one of the city’s most emblematic buildings. Full of fancy shops, cafes and gorgeous buildings, tree-lined Andrássy út is Budapest’s version of the Champs-Élysées. The Museum of Fine Arts, other museums, the Budapest Zoo, the renowned city circus, and an amusement ground (which was once called the “English Park”) are all found nearby.
Get ready to glide along the Danube, lay into a bowl of hearty goulash and take in some serious views from rooftop bars, chairlifts and great heights – Budapest awaits. Check out the concert and party schedules at the Dürer Kert, A38 Boat and Akvárium Klub, as well as the city’s upcoming Beer Festival and Wine Festival. Relaxing spas, raucous bars and rooftop views await in the Hungarian capital Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush). Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city. The area may be short on sights – except for Béla Bartók’s house, where he spent his final year in Hungary – but the Buda Hills are a welcome respite from the dusty city in warmer months.
- Pest’s terrain rises with a slight eastward gradient, so the easternmost parts of the city lie at the same altitude as Buda’s smallest hills, notably Gellért Hill and Castle Hill.
- The city is a major centre for banking and finance, real estate, retailing, trade, transportation, tourism, new media as well as traditional media, advertising, legal services, accountancy, insurance, fashion and the arts in Hungary and regionally.
- Beneath the surface, the hill is riddled with caves, tunnel networks and cellars, some of which date back to medieval times.
- This reorganized the city into 22 districts, a number that grew to 23 after Soroksár seceded from Pesterzsébet in 1994.
- The Sziget Festival is one of the largest outdoor music festival in Europe.
- Ring road M0 around Budapest is nearly completed, with only one section missing on the west side due to local disputes.
How to have the perfect day in Budapest
The track was completely resurfaced for the first time in early 2016, and it was announced the Grand Prix's deal was extended for a further five years, until 2026. The Hungarian Grand Prix in Formula One has been held at the Hungaroring just outside the city, a circuit which has FIA Grade 1 license. Beside classic sports, recreational modern sports such as bowling, pool billiard, darts, go-carting, wakeboarding and squash are very popular in Budapest, and extreme sports are also gaining ground. The Hungarian Parliament also voted to support the bid on 28 January 2016, later Budapest City Council approved list of venues and Budapest became an official candidate for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
Mihály Pollack (1773–1855) and József Hild (1789–1867), built many beautiful Classicist-style buildings in the city. There are many Baroque-style buildings in Budapest and one of the finest examples of preserved Baroque-style architecture is the Church of St. Anna in Batthyhány square. At one point the distinct sloping central square in Budapest became a bustling Oriental bazaar, which was filled with "the chatter of camel caravans on their way to Yemen and India". The most characteristic Gothic-style buildings are actually Neo-Gothic, like the most well-known Budapest landmarks, the Hungarian Parliament Building and the Matthias Church, where much of the original material was used (originally built in Romanesque style in 1015). Budapest is one of only three capital cities in the world which has thermal springs (the others being Reykjavík in Iceland and Sofia in Bulgaria). The city's importance in terms of traffic is very central, because many major European roads and European railway lines lead to Budapest.
The perfect day in Budapest always begins with coffee, ideally with an extravagant cake at the ornate Művész near the Opera. 📍Discover the best free things to do in Budapest Budapest is no longer a cheap date but the weak local forint means your meal or night out is still affordable. From attractions to nightlife, here’s our local’s guide to the city. This city is steeped in history, blessed with spa waters and embellished with grandiose façades from the Habsburg days, with plenty of new openings to get stuck into too.
Restoration of the palace was completed in the mid-1970s, and it now houses the National Széchényi Library, Budapest History Museum (commonly called the Vármúzeum, or Castle Museum), and the Hungarian National Gallery. In the 13th century a fortress was built on the site and was replaced by a large Baroque palace during the reign (1740–80) of Maria Theresa as queen of Hungary. In a central position is Castle Hill (Várhegy), 551 feet (168 metres) above sea level and crowned by the restored Buda Castle (Budai vár, commonly called the Royal Palace).
Furthermore, the Budapest Marathon and Budapest Half Marathon also attract many people every year. Numerous Olympic, World, and European Championship winners and medalists reside in the city, which follows from Hungary's 8th place among all the nations of the world in the All-time Olympic Games medal table. Budapest' food shops also have a solid reputation for supplying quality specialised culinary products and supplies, reputations that are often built up over generations. Budapest is the largest centre for film and television production in Hungary. Budapest is home to a fashion week twice a year, where the city's fashion designers and houses present their collections and provide a meeting place for the fashion industry representatives.
Highlights of Budapest in Pictures
Budapest was named "City of Design" in December 2015 and has been a member of UNESCO Creative Cities Network since then. Artists have been drawn into the city by opportunity, as the city government funds the arts with adequate financial resources. Budapest is an important center for music, film, theatre, dance and visual art. There are a couple of less common vehicles in Budapest, like the trolleybus on several lines in Pest, the Castle Hill Funicular between the Chain Bridge and Buda Castle, the cyclecar for rent in rolletto casino registration Margaret Island, the chairlift, the Budapest Cog-wheel Railway and children's railway. Special vehicles in Budapest, besides metros, include suburban rails, trams and boats.
Join our community to get discounts, travel inspiration and trip ideas – just in time for summer! For travelers on a short trip that want to make the most of their time exploring. Epic Guides provide inspiration and first-person stories for a lifetime of unforgettable travel experiences. The finest thoroughfare in Budapest, Andrássy Avenue, runs in a straight line from the centre of Pest to City Park (Városliget), which contains the Millennium Monument. The stucco buildings of this eclectic architectural collection have not weathered well. The part Neoclassical, part Neo-Renaissance St. Stephen’s Basilica, the Neo-Renaissance State Opera House, the National Theatre, and the concert hall of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music were all built in the 19th century.