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A centuries-old penchant for hedonism going back to the Romans, who decided to stay for the area's thermal springs more than 2,000 years ago, has left Budapest with a legacy of establishments geared to pursuing the good life. But visitors to the Hungarian capital will also enjoy latter-day incarnations of the pleasure principle—from Michelin-starred restaurants to high-tech spas. A city that has seen its share of dark days keeps inventing new ways to pamper and indulge. Here are a few favorites.
Where to Stay
Budapest offers accommodations in every category, from the cool and offbeat to the luxurious.
The Gresham Palace Four Seasons
One of the best hotels in Europe, in a richly ornamented former grand apartment building erected by an insurance company to prove it had liquidity.
Hotel Clark
Opened in 2018 in a spectacular location, this high-design boutique hotel boasts a lively roof deck bar and restaurant with drop-dead views of Pest and Buda.
Gerlóczy Rooms de Lux
Charming and affordable antique-filled rooms upstairs from French-style Gerlóczy Café, one of the most beloved hangouts in the heart of downtown Pest.
Bródy Villa
For a splurge, rent this entire 19th-century aristocratic villa in the Buda hills, with exquisite rooms, pool, and one of the most scenic private gardens of the city.
Where to Eat
Budapest’s once uniformly artery-clogging fare has been tamed and diversified. A new generation of chefs has returned from abroad, armed with international culinary savoir-faire.
Stand
Opened in June, with husband-and-wife team Szulló Szabina & Széll Tamás (who won a Michelin star for their prior work at Onyx) working the open kitchen, this uncompromising Ghetto district restaurant brings out the best from Hungarian ingredients with spectacular technique and service.
Babel Budapest
Exceptional innovative cuisine inflected with Hungarian flavors in an urbane room, right in the heart of downtown Pest.
Á la Maison Grand
Breakfast and brunch can be challenging in Budapest, but not at this sleek eatery, which focuses exclusively on meals for the first part of the day, including international staples for those looking to take a break from Hungarian cuisine.
Rosenstein Étterem
In a nondescript quarter of Pest, tucked behind the Keleti train station, this old-school place run by a Jewish family serves up arguably the most reliably satisfying Hungarian food in town.
Fáma
Peripatetic chef Krisztián Huszár, who opened his hip Buda restaurant last year, likes to play around with international ingredients, especially Asian.
The Food Stalls at the Central Market Hall (Nagy Vásárcsarnok)
Why eat a huge disk of fried dough slathered with garlic and sour cream? Because you can. The truly adventurous can follow it up with a link of blood sausage.
For a Drink
Drinking and people-watching is a Budapest art practiced in a wide spectrum of establishments.
High Note Sky Bar
Atop the Aria Hotel, one of the best spots for taking in the picturesque panorama of Budapest.
Cruise the Romkocsma scene
“Ruin Pubs” have filled courtyards and empty lots in the former Jewish Ghetto district, behind the Great Synagogue, now one of Europe’s busiest night life areas. Among the liveliest ones: Szimpla Kert, Fogas Ház, and Mazel Tov.
The Gilded Cafés
To truly understand Budapest's hedonism, spend time in its cafés.
Gerbeaud
The grandest of them all, its gilded rooms on downtown Vörösmarty Square have been the epicenter of Budapest social life for a century and a half.
Ruszwurm
The smallest and oldest of the historic cafes, in operation for 190 years, is a must-visit gem in the Castle District.
New York
Look past the Adam Tihany renovation of this almost comically ornate establishment, and you may conjure the glory days of Budapest’s literary life, long headquartered here.
To Indulge
Morning facial at Omorovicza Spa
In a country famed for its skin care, Omorovicza—a luxe spa on Andrássy Boulevard owned by a family with historic ties to Buda’s bathing culture—sets a high bar, with products filled with minerals from the thermal waters.
Afternoon at the baths
In a city founded by the Romans for its healing waters, several baths vie for the top spot: Gellért, with its orientalist décor and outdoor wave machine; Széchenyi, for its belle époque grandeur; and Rudas, which feels like the Turks never left.
Evening of classical music
Dress up and go to the Opera or the Art Nouveau Academy of Music, two of Europe’s most fabled concert halls.
Why Budapest Is Europe's Unlikely Capital of Hedonism
Day Trips
Nothing is too far from Budapest, so venture past the city limits.
Szentendre
A charming town known for its art life and picturesque streets, less than an hour by car or boat up the Danube.
Veszprém
Alive in the summer months, this well-preserved rural spot, around 70 miles southwest of Budapest, is a perfect stopover when visiting the Balaton, Europe’s largest freshwater lake, and the surrounding wine country.
