10 Crucial Mistakes to Avoid on Your First Trip to Budapest
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Looking back at our first trip to Budapest, we got a lot right. We booked a great hotel, packed our days with incredible sights, and quickly understood why it's one of our favourite cities in Europe.
But we also got a few things wrong. We thought you could just turn up at the Hungarian Parliament and buy a ticket on the day. And we had no idea clinking beer glasses with locals was considered rude by many Hungarians.
And after returning to Budapest twice more, we've realised first-time visitors keep making many of the same mistakes. None of them are hard to avoid… you just need to know about them first.
Here are the 10 biggest mistakes to avoid in Budapest and how to avoid every one of them.
Mistake #1: Getting into an unmarked “taxi” in the city
We were warned about this by friends before we even landed, and within MINUTES of walking out of the arrival terminal at the airport, we understood why.
There are two types of taxis in Budapest, and they're both yellow. One has a company logo on the side (like Főtaxi). The other just says “Freelancer” or “Független” on the door. Avoid the second type at all costs!
These Freelance drivers are completely unregulated.
They'll insist on cash, may use rigged taximeters, and they've been known to charge double or triple what you should pay. We've even seen one getting loud with a passenger who questioned the fare.
Mistake #2: Showing up at Parliament without a ticket
The Hungarian Parliament Building is the MOST stunning parliament building we've ever seen. It looks spectacular from every angle and in every light. You can visit the inside on a guided tour, and we'd absolutely recommend it!
But because visitor numbers are limited on these tours, tickets sell out days in advance. In summer, we've even seen them sell out weeks ahead. That’s why this is the single most important thing to pre-book before your trip to Budapest.
EEA citizens (all EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) can get half-price tickets through the official ticket site. Just note those tickets are non-refundable.
If you're not from the EEA or would rather have more flexibility (our travel plans often change), we'd suggest booking your Parliament tour on GetYourGuide. You'll get free cancellation up to 24 hours before your visit.
✅ Do this instead: Book your Parliament tour before you go! Same-day tickets sometimes exist and are released from 8am at the on-site office, but they go quickly.
Mistake #3: Not validating your public transport ticket
Most people will tell you inspectors are rare. On one of our trips to Budapest, two tourists in front of us on the tram had bought their tickets and still got fined. They'd just forgotten to stamp them but the inspectors didn't let them off.
Budapest's public transport runs on an honesty system. But buying a ticket isn't enough.
Paper tickets need to go through the orange or yellow validating machine before you board. Digital tickets work differently: you scan the QR code sticker at the metro entrance or by the tram doors with your BudapestGO transport app.
The only tickets that need nothing are daily travel cards and passes, including the Budapest Card.
Plain-clothes inspectors check regularly, and the fine is quite hefty at 25,000 HUF (about US$70, €65, or £55).
✅ Do this instead: Validate every single time, unless you're on a daily travel card or pass. When in doubt, stamp it.
Mistake #4: Skipping the night cruise because it “seems touristy”
We skipped the river cruise for this exact reason on our first trip to Budapest. We thought it would be one of those overcrowded tourist boxes, and we didn't want to do the typical touristy things.
When we finally did it on our second visit, it became the highlight of the entire trip.
The Parliament lit up from the water, the Chain Bridge, Buda Castle on the hill… all perfectly reflected in the Danube.
Nobody on the boat said a word for the first few minutes. It was probably the best night cruise we've ever done in any city.
Yes, it's a bit touristy. But that doesn't mean it's bad.
While there are loads of options, we really LOVED this 75-minute night cruise.
The boat was the perfect size (not one of those massive tour boats packed with people), the atmosphere was relaxed, and we had unlimited drinks included. It was brilliant from start to finish.
✅ Do this instead: Book a night cruise, seriously! It was one of our favourite experiences in Budapest, and it's the one thing our readers consistently tell us they loved most about the city.
Mistake #5: Ignoring the Buda side of the river
Fisherman's Bastion on the Buda side looks like it's straight out of a fairytale, and it absolutely lives up to the photos.
But we've overheard other tourists who only came over to the Buda side to take a few pictures at Fisherman’s Bastion, and then went back to the Pest side.
This is such a common Budapest tourist mistake! In our opinion, the Castle District is SO much more than this.
The whole Buda neighbourhood is full of medieval streets, quiet courtyards, the Castle, several museums, and Matthias Church. Plus, it has some of the most gorgeous viewpoints over the Danube and the Parliament Building.
One of our general tips for Budapest visitors is to book at least one guided tour.
And the Buda side has two of our absolute favourite tours in Budapest:
If you can, come back at sunset. The light hitting Parliament across the river is one of our absolute favourite views in Budapest.
✅ Do this instead: Give the Buda side at least half a day, not a quick photo stop. It’s best to go early in the morning before the crowds (and tour buses) arrive.
Mistake #6: Staying only one day in the city
Look, we get it. You're doing a multi-city Europe trip, time is tight, and Budapest is one stop of several. But please don't give this city just one day.
Budapest is very walkable, but there's a LOT to see. And it's all split across two sides of the Danube, with completely different neighbourhoods on each.
The Buda side alone could fill a day. Pest has enough to keep you busy for two days. And we haven't even mentioned the thermal baths, the ruin bars, the food, or all the hidden gems Budapest has to offer.
We'd say three full days is best. Four is even better. If you're choosing between an extra day in Budapest or rushing to the next city, stay. We've never met anyone who regretted it.
If you really only have one day, this 3-hour Budapest highlights walking tour would be our recommendation to see as much as possible (the tour is also amazing if you’re here for two or three days by the way!).
But even with two days in Budapest, you can see a LOT.
✅ Do this instead: Give Budapest at least two full days, but better three. You'll want the time.
Mistake #7: Eating at the upper floor of the Great Market Hall
The Great Market Hall is one of the best things to do in Budapest. It's the city's largest and oldest indoor market, and the architecture alone is worth the visit.
The ground floor is a proper working market where locals shop for seasonal produce, meats, and cheeses. That part is great.
The Budapest tourist trap is the UPPER floor. It's lined with eateries selling traditional Hungarian food, and it's become entirely geared towards tourists.
We ate there on our first trip, and the food was totally overpriced and tasted very forgettable… not something we'd do again. A local friend of ours said no Hungarian person would ever eat there, and honestly, we could see why.
Everything on that upper floor you'll find at better quality and lower prices just a few streets away. If you'd rather have someone show you where, we'd recommend this Budapest food tour.
We also have a full list of Hungarian dishes worth trying.
✅ Do this instead: Walk through the Market Hall, enjoy the ground floor, but eat somewhere else.
Mistake #8: Not bringing flip-flops or a swimming cap to the thermal baths
The thermal baths are one of the things Budapest does better than almost anywhere else in the world.
They were a highlight of every trip we've made here, and we've now tried several different ones. But you should really bring your own gear!
Flip-flops are compulsory inside the bath complex. If you forget them, you'll have to buy a pair at the gift shop, and they are NOT cheap. A friend of ours learned that one the hard way.
If you're planning to swim laps in the pool sections (not just soak in the thermal pools), you'll also need a swimming cap. It's mandatory and they will enforce it.
We also strongly recommend to book ahead. Walk-ins on weekends can mean waiting over an hour.
Széchenyi is the most popular, but our real recommendation is Rudas on a weekday morning. Out of all the thermal baths we've tried in Budapest, this 500-year-old Ottoman bath became our clear favourite.
✅ Do this instead: Pack flip-flops, a towel, and a swimming cap. Book your entry in advance. And if you can, go to Rudas on a weekday morning.
Mistake #9: Staying in the Jewish Quarter (District VII) if you want a quiet night
District VII (the Jewish Quarter and ruin bar area) is easily the most fun neighbourhood in Budapest to walk around. But we'd never sleep there.
It's loud until 4am on weekends, and not just “a bit of noise from the street” loud. It can get properly, windows-rattling loud. If you're here for the nightlife, it makes total sense. For anyone else, we'd think twice.
Our favourite area in Budapest is District V (the inner city). You're within walking distance of most of the Budapest attractions, but without the noise. We stayed at the voco Budapest D8 by IHG there, which was super stylish and had comfy beds.
If quiet is the priority, the Buda side around Castle Hill (District I) is very peaceful and still very central. We stayed at the Hilton Budapest on another trip and the views from our window were absolutely stunning.
We break down every area in our Budapest areas and hotel guide.
✅ Do this instead: Visit District VII for the ruin bars, but sleep in District V or District I.
Mistake #10: Clinking beer glasses
On our first night out in Budapest, we raised our beers to toast with a friend from the city and she pulled her glass away. We were properly confused.
She explained that the tradition of NOT clinking beer glasses dates back to 1848, when Austrian generals reportedly clinked their beer glasses after crushing a Hungarian uprising.
Hungarians stopped doing it in defiance, and it never came back.
When we asked if people still follow it, she said about three quarters of her friends don't clink. But it's mostly unconscious now. Nobody ever did it growing up, so why would you start?
✅ Do this instead: Toast, smile, make eye contact, but keep your beer glass to yourself.
Ready for your Budapest trip?
Most of these travel mistakes in Budapest are easy to avoid once you know about them. None of it is complicated… it's just the kind of thing nobody thinks to mention before you land in Budapest.
The one that still gets us is the Parliament tickets. Budapest isn't a huge city, and it's easy to assume you can just show up and buy a ticket at the door. But those tours sell out faster than almost anything we've seen in a much larger city. Book it before anything else!
When you're ready to plan the details:
Have an amazing trip to Budapest!
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