10 Things to Do in Budapest in Summer

In the middle of the city you can also relax in the City Park, ride the chairlift, enjoy a panoramic sunset and even learn to row - there's so much to do in Budapest and so much more to see!

With stunning views of Budapest's sights, the **city'**s rooftop hangouts come alive in summer. Some are located on top of luxury hotels, others atop historic buildings in prestigious locations. Specific venues include the E360 Bar and the High Note SkyBar.

The E360 Bar is an iconic rooftop terrace in Budapest and with a 360-degree panorama, the views are jaw-dropping. 360 Bar is located on top of the tallest building on Andrássy Avenue, hence it offers a perfect view of St. Stephen's Basilica, the Citadel, the Parliament and basically the whole of Budapest. If you want to visit the Budapest Parliament, one of the best ways to appreciate its exterior architecture is from the E360 Bar due to the proximity and height of this bar.

High Note SkyBar is another bar and restaurant on the rooftop of the stunning Aria Hotel. This place will give you a unique experience thanks to its landscaped rooftop and the breathtaking 360-degree view.

The palm-fringed Lupa sandy beach-park brings the coastline close to Budapest in the summer months. The beach is spread along two kilometres of coastline near Budakalász, and this leisure park offers a true holiday experience. To be clear, it is not a beach as such, but a very well-kept lake suitable for swimming.

In addition to Budapest's seaside resorts, there are many sports on offer, such as beach volleyball and handball, but you will also find street training and teqball. There is also the largest wakeboarding centre in the region, flyboarding, scuba diving; plus many buffets, restaurants and cocktail bars.

This waterfront leisure park and sports centre is one of Budapest's best attractions from May to September. However, if you visit Budapest in August you may see festivals and enjoy live music.

When summer in the city becomes overwhelming, you can escape the crowds with a day trip to the Buda Hills, where the Zugliget chairlift will take you up the side of János Hill for about 15 minutes. From here, you can reach the Erzsébet Lookout Tower, the highest point in Budapest. The chairlift is operated by the city transport company BKK, a single ticket costing 1200 HUF (€3.28) one way and 1600 HUF (€4.38) return.

The Zugliget (Libegő) chairlift is a fun and alternative mode of transport in the Buda Hills transporting passengers between Zugliget and the road leading to the Erzsébet Lookout Tower, while offering panoramic views of Buda's surroundings. The chairlift ride is a special experience to do in summer as it is not available in winter.

You can get there by taking bus 291 from Nyugati station to its final stop. By the way, by purchasing the Budapest Card you get unlimited use of public transport and many other benefits.

The Budapest Pride Festival is a month-long event created to celebrate LGBTQ culture and support the movement. More than 100 events, including concerts, performances, talks and workshops, are presented before the festival comes to a colourful conclusion with the grand parade. The festival is held at the end of June.

The procession usually spans the City Park and Kossuth tér, the crowd marches along Andrássy út, the city's showcase avenue, while music plays and people parade in costume. After the procession, an open-air rainbow party awaits you in Budapest Park.

With the warm weather Budapest's swimming pools will open to welcome water lovers with outdoor water attractions. Among the most attractive areas are the Palatinus Bath on Margaret Island and the Paskal Thermal Bath, which will be accessible to guests in early May.

Meanwhile, in May, many more of the city's water parks begin high season operations, most of them complete with newly added amenities, including new pools, sports facilities, children's features and a cashless payment system. In addition, from July onwards the spas will remain open after the sun goes down, an act welcomed by tourists and locals alike.

The Palatinus Bath, one of Budapest's first open-air public baths, is usually open all year round since its interior was refurbished, so you can even enjoy it when visiting the city in winter. However, the outdoor area is only accessible during the summer months. Here you'll see a children's water park and upgraded training facilities, as well as the musical slide and wave pool, two of the most popular attractions in the bathing area.

In summer Budapest specialises in natural, traditionally made, high quality ice cream. You're sure to find something to suit your taste, as in summer they are offered at various locations around the city. You can even indulge in rose petal inventions at Gelarto Rosa, as well as various creative combinations of handmade ice creams. All kinds of sprinkles, cones and sauces are also on offer, as well as lactose and sugar-free options.

I also recommend the extravagant dill cucumber yoghurt, salted caramel or matcha. Fans of classic flavours won't be left out either, as vanilla, chocolate, pistachio and lemon ice creams are also available. The average price is one euro.

Summer sees Budapest, and its party places, move outdoors. If you prefer not to pay for a concert ticket, you can always enjoy the party atmosphere on the A38 boat, a music venue and event boat moored near the Petőfi Bridge, or at the popular party venue ** Pontoon** near the Chain Bridge.

Near Nyugati station, Zsiráf, live sounds are also offered. On the Buda side, you'll also find live music on Tuesdays in summer, near the terrace of Bartók Béla út.

And if you're more of a party person, a party tour of Budapest's four best ruin pubs is your plan. You can combine both options and enjoy the night!

If you visit the city in August, don't miss the St Stephen's celebrations at the end of the month - I dare say it's Budapest's biggest summer event.

Fireworks explode in the night sky over Budapest and thousands of people gather in prime locations along the Danube, booking tables in open-air restaurants or even hotel rooms.

During the day, processions, food tours and concerts are held at the city's landmarks, while major museums and parliament offer free admission to visitors. The bank holidays eulogises Hungary's first king, St Stephen, and the founding of the state.

From sightseeing trips along the city centre's waterway to thrilling speedboat rides, Budapest's boat companies offer incredible options for excursions around the bend of the Danube.

Of course, one of the best things to do in Budapest at night is to take the night cruises along the river. This is because, thanks to the high season, you'll be able to appreciate a city full of lights and movement. Also, thanks to some of Budapest's ruin bars located on the riverbanks, you can listen to music while you cruise along the immense river.

These trips usually last an hour and run several times a day. The trips start at Vigadó tér station and the shuttle service usually runs between Margaret Bridge and Rákóczi Bridge.

The lake in the City Park is a skating rink in winter, but in summer the ice rink turns into a beautiful lake for romantic and pleasant walks. If you visit the city in September you should take a stroll through the park, as by that time there will only be water in the lake.

Városliget (City Park) has been attracting generations of locals seeking green space and tranquillity for over a century. It was once the main venue for the millennial celebrations in 1896. Today, this urban oasis contains two lakes, one immediately behind Heroes' Square and the other by Vajdahunyad Castle. If you don't feel like taking a rowboat with your loved one, you can sit and feed the ducks while enjoying the cool shade by the water.

---

It can get quite hot in summer, especially compared to the winter season in the city. Average temperatures in July and August are 20°C, but the city suffers from several heat waves with highs of over 30°C.

Although humidity levels are usually lower during the warmer months of the year, this is rarely the case in Budapest, as summer is when it rains the most in the city. This naturally raises the humidity in the city, making it feel hotter.

The good news is that there are thousands of ways and places to combat these temperature rises, as you've seen in this guide.

Yes, it is, as there's plenty of nightlife to enjoy in Budapest thanks to the ruin bars and summer festivals. In addition, in August you can celebrate the Sziget Festival on the island of Obuda, a unique celebration that you should not miss.

The city's parks also blossom with the weather, an ideal season for picnics.

The only thing less pleasant is the influx of tourists, which is higher in the summer months. In addition, the city tends to be less clean than in winter due to the effects of thawing snow. Also, forget ice skating, for those you must visit the city in winter.

That's easy, in the 7th district of Pest. Here you'll find the highest concentration of ruin bars in the city, so called because they occupy formerly abandoned buildings and courtyards, and in many cases ramshackle and graffiti-ridden.

Among the most party-friendly ruin bars are the Instant, the Kuplung (a former motorbike repair shop, the name means "clutch") and Rácskert, one of the newest additions to the scene. In any of these venues you can expect multiple musical events from live music (jazz, folk, rock) to parties and celebrations.

I also recommend the bars along the Danube and the open-air venues in Margit-Sziget, as they tend to be very lively in summer, especially if you visit the city in August and September.