4 days in Budapest. Please give some feedback.

Your hotel is not in the Jewish Quarter, it’s in District V which is a not too far walk to the lower end of the Jewish Quarter. Never stayed there, but I’ve stayed in a couple of Kempinski hotels and they have all been very nice. My favorite one is in the Slovakian High Tatras, but I am regressing… By the way, the hotel name comes from King Matthias Corvinus one of Hungary’s most famous kings.

Day1 : walking to the Chain Bridge, taking funicular up the castle
Hill( buda palace, Matthias church, fisherman’s bastion etc) . I am
giving myself 2-3 hrs there. Walk downhill, stop at the hotel and then
Széchenyi bath. Dinner at Spiler( or anything else but close to the
hotel we are staying. Any advice?).

I am guessing Day 1 is a half day?
Spiler isn’t a place I would go out of my way to eat at. By the way, maybe you have a misunderstanding of where your hotel is located as it isn’t “near” your hotel. Still, a pleasant and interesting enough walk. If it’s your first night in town, I think if the weather is good I would walk down to the river (less than 5 minutes from the hotel) and find a place on the Corso. They are tourist places (so is Spiler) but its worth if for the view from the outside terrace. Of the handful you will see lined up, my favorite is the Panorama Terrace. In less than favorable weather, maybe Vak Varju on Pauley Ede utca. That will get you a bit away from the tourist, still close and a place similar to Spiler in style. Very good traditional Hungarian food.

Day 2: visit Dohány sinagoge on my own and after I am meeting with the
private guide for Jewish quarter tour( about 3 hrs)

From your hotel you will walk away from the river till you reach a great loop road. Maybe a 3 minute walk. Look to your right and you will see a yellow tram. Walk on your side of the road towards the tram and look for stairs going down to the metro station. At the bottom of the stairs is an office where you can get a map and your TravelCard. Now get on the yellow tram and go one stop. Why not walk? You can, but the trams are fun. Get off at the first stop and walk back about a block and you will see the Synagogue set back off the road about half a block.

The Synagogue has its own tours. Not expensive and generally well done. Worth about an hour for the short tour. They also do neighborhood tours.

2nd half of the day I was thinking of taking free walking tour which
starts ether at st Stephens basilica or Vörösmarty sq( which one is
territory preferable considering I am in the Jewish quarter ?) about 3
hrs.

Your hotel is about a 3 minute walk from Vorosmart ter. Better get a meeting location as it’s a large square.
At night ether night Cruise On Dunabe or concert at the Matthias church?
I love the sights, so I would go for the cruise every time. Matthias, and Buda in general are probably the most distant of places (time wise) that you can visit so that’s another reason to avoid it. Another choice would be the Operet Theater (closed July and August)

Day 3: planing to go to Santandre ( if to go at all) because I didn’t
figure out how to do it yet and if I should do it for a hole day)

You would go to Deak Ferenc ter (where you got your Travel Card the first day), then take the RED M2 metro line 2 stops to Batthyány tér. At Batthyány tér you can buy a ticket and get on the H5 commuter train to Szentendre. Show the ticket agent your TravelCard for a discount. Cheap, either way. In Szentendre just walk north and towards the river for about 10 minutes and you will be in the heat of it.

I would leave after lunch and plan to take the 5pm boat back to Budapest.

Dinner? Don’t be afraid to be a tourist. I am going to guess you will have fun (and good food) at Rézkakas Bistro complete with live Gypsy music.

Day 4 : parliament building, Market hall, Opera House, walk along
Andrassy ave , shoes Memorial. How connect this ? May be some of it I
should do in the previous days. Oh , Gellért Hill? Should it be done
day or night and is it possible to squeeze it somewhere in my “ crazy
horse run “ lol in Budapest. If I need to reorganize may be you can
give me some direction. Thank you.

Not crazy. Almost works. You are going to walk through Vorsomarty ter to the river Corso. There you will get on a yell tram heading left to right along the river. Go two stops and get off, cross the lower road and walk back about 100m to the shoes. Back on the tram for another stop and you are at the back of the Parliament. If you are taking a tour of the inside I believe the office is at the opposite end so you can ride the tram just one more stop or walk. Tickets must be purchased well in advance.

After the parliament, get back on the yellow tram heading back from where you came, but don’t get off until the tram passes under a bridge (the second bridge, the first being the Chain Bridge.). It’s a beautiful ride and not long so back tracking isn’t the end of the world. Get off under the bridge and go up the stairs and you will see the market Hall. I don’t know what days of the week you are traveling so google Budapest Great Market Hall Hours and check the closing times.
After the Market Hall you will see the 47/49 tram. It’s the same you took to the synagogue. So get on it away from the river to the end stop. You’ve been here before too. Go back to the metro station, but this time take the M1 line. (read the history). You want to take it towards Mexikói út but get off at the stop before; Széchenyi fürdő. You are at the Széchenyi fürdő (baths). From here you walk through the park, past Hero’s square and down Andrassy ut to your hotel. It’s a 40 minute walk at best. Past embassies, mansions, restaurants, shops. It’s a beautiful street. The best news is that the M1 metro runs directly beneath it so if you get tired you can hop on and hop off at one of about a half dozen stops.

The evening? Get “local” if the weather is good and go to Kadarka wine bar. Decent food, great Hungarian wine, nice street corner tables, lots of Hungarians. At 9:30 pm call City Taxi and have them take you to the lookout park at the Citidella on Gellert Hill. You want to go this late to avoid the tour busses. Take a bottle of wine and say good bye to Budapest with the most amazing view in the world.

James, thank you so much for such a detailed breakdown! I am simple following it! Can’t wait to go. I wish you would do tours there. Thanks , again

allapod,

I had a guest in May that i played tour guide for. I was exhausted by the 4th day. Dont think i will be doing that again any time soon.

A LOT! Couple more questions if I may: Because I don’t have a Whole evening in the city on Sunday( day 4 I am flying out at 8 pm). Do you think I can fit Gillert hill visit after Sentandre . If so should I take a cab straight from the bout docks. Or have a dinner first at the place you suggested and then go up? How long is the bout ride back? Or may be I can go to some place on Gillert hill for dinner?
Do you have an opinion about this places. And what are they close to: Barkonyha WineKitchen, Rosenstein Vendeglo, Bock bistro.
Thanks , again

A LOT! Couple more questions if I may: Because I don’t have a Whole
evening in the city on Sunday( day 4 I am flying out at 8 pm). Do you
think I can fit Gillert hill visit after Sentandre . If so should I
take a cab straight from the bout docks. Or have a dinner first at the
place you suggested and then go up? How long is the bout ride back? Or
may be I can go to some place on Gillert hill for dinner?

Yes, but you want to be up there sort of late. After 9 or 10 pm to miss the tourist buses. Much to beautiful to be in a crowd.

Do you have an opinion about this places. And what are they close to:
Barkonyha WineKitchen, Rosenstein Vendeglo, Bock bistro.

Rosenstein is sort of a new age, fusion Jewish place. Ive been wanting to go for years. The only problem is the location. Take the M2 to Keleti Station and then its a few minute walk. The problem isnt the distance, its sort of a seedy looking area. Actually the area looks like all of Budapest did on our first trip 15 years ago. BUT, its as safe as a suburban american neighborhood. Actually the experience would be fun.

Bock Bistro is a Michelin Bib place, and probably deserves a star. Creatively prepared traditional dishes. Not cheap. Take the M1 to the Oktogon and about a 5 minute walk.

Barkonyha is a Michelin Star restaurant not far from the Kempinski. Never been there. But with a Star, i would expect it to be good and to be expensive.

Rosenstein would be my choice as you would know you were in Budapest in a way none of the others will give you.

Note, any restaurant in town will require a reservation.

Also look at http://www.kiskakukk.hu/ for an excellent place with few if any tourists.

100 years old, excellent food and service, a few sidewalk tables if the weather is good.

James, thanks a million! You are better then Google!!!! My trip is all set thanks to you.

Hi
Just visited for the first time and def returning!
Some suggestions
Aquincum Roman Ruins Museum (HEV 5) was amazing and fun just a s RSs book said it would be
If you don't have book, go buy it, it was very helpful, their Museum was well done and the whole area was fun to explore , we spent 2-3 happy hours there!!
Other recommendations: The Budapest Eye ferris wheel in Elizabeth Park next to Roman statue gave us better views than the funicular which I would skip, as the trams and buses over Chain Bridge was nice too.
Next to the Bud Eye Ferris Wheel is an amazing Danubius Well statue that wasn't mentions in RSs book but the internet gave us background
The walking tours RS book suggests were time well spent
If you want to enter the Parliament, make a reservation in advance or you might not get in
Do a Danube one hour boat ride, they are usually good for 24 hours so do a day and night boat ride, the views are different and both are beautiful. The day cruise gives an optional stop to explore Margaret Island, we saved that for another day
Gellert Hill, Central Market, National Museum were all amazing, as well as House of Terror
Opera House was disappointing as they are renovating and thus half of it is closed, they compensate with extra time for listening to arias if you want, Rick Steves guide book says you can see enuf in the lobby and he is right.

The Holocaust Museum was well done and I would recommend it
The Tortellini Museum is too dark to enjoy, Buda Castle was fun to explore
Fishermans Bastion was of course a must for the views, and near it is Hospital on the ROck that we enjoyed exploring, the guided tour was excellent!!
For fun you can find House of Houdini in Buda or Flippermuseum in Pest
Enjoy and tell us about your trip!

Thank you very much for all the info. I am definitely going to take it all into the account! Thanks a million!