Itinerary Feedback & Airport Question

On the 22nd our flight leaves at 6:30 am. Can I arrange a taxi at 4:00 in the morning? Do I need the full 2 hours at the airport?

Yes. When I was there in October, I flew out of Budapest back to Minneapolis and my flight also left at 6:30 a.m. I was surprised at how crowded it was, and I would not want to have gotten there any later than two hours beforehand. In fact I would strongly suggest getting an airport hotel on your last night since you're leaving that early. You could always stay in the city until later and get there after dinner.

I stayed at the Ibis Airport Hotel the night before, because I did not want to deal with coming from the city to the airport at that time of the morning. It was so convenient—it was a 3-4 minute walk from the hotel to the departures entrance, and it made it so much easier. Plus the Ibis serves breakfast starting at 4 am so you can eat something before you go.

1. Should I get some cash here too? Or should I find a bank near my apartment? We have a taxi reserved through the apartment so I want to have money to tip.

You should be able to tip when you pay the bill through the card reader. So you shouldn't need any cash for that. I was in Budapest for five nights and I did not pay cash for anything while I was there.

Feedback for possible lunch options or must see cafe near these areas is greatly appreciate.

Két Szerecsen is very near your Airbnb and I would highly recommend this restaurant. I ate there for lunch and loved my meal. The interior is lovely with an interesting decor and like I said, the food was amazing. https://www.ketszerecsen.hu/en

I agree with Mardee that you may want the full 2 hours before your departure flight. Mornings are busy.

However since you are taking a taxi to the airport, I disagree about staying near the airport. While it has a place in some itineraries and I sometimes do that, I think it’s a personal preference in this case. And moving a family for one night is harder than picking up myself for a one-night move. It’s really only about a 20 minute difference since it’s about 30 min. from the city center and you’d need to allow about 10 min to check out and walk. Not to mention that this is next week.

If you set up the City Taxi app before you leave home, you can schedule a morning taxi on the day before. They have always been reliable for me.

The 18th & 19th are pretty full. You may need to make your priority list and remain flexible.

There are lots of great dinner options. You might consider Cork Breakfast and Wine for the 21st.

My last trip the hotel set up a taxi for €40. There were reasons I had them do that. But just know that the average cost is about $35. If you use FO Taxi from the airport, you can use your card to pay.

Sounds like a wonderful trip!

In case you are not aware, there is a third option for getting up Castle Hill--a city bus that would be covered by your transit pass.

I picked up strudel for breakfast on many mornings when I was in Budapest last year. My source was the Strudel Garden Cafe and Bakery at the corner of Hajos u. and Zichy Jeno u. It's west of Andrassy Blvd and quite close to your apartment. The bakery has a repertoire of close to 100 kinds of strudel, of which about two dozen are available every day. The price is extremely reasonable. I can't find a website and never ate in, so I don't know whether there are offerings beyond hot drinks and pastries. I would have a very hard time passing up the strudel in any case. Google Maps says they open at 8:30 AM, which sounds right to me.

acraven, Strudel Garden was fairly near my hotel as well and I really wanted to go there. I had it on my list and I kept thinking about it but just never made it there. It was just one of those things. That said, it's still on my list and hopefully I will get there next time.

The reason I'm bringing all this up is because I had the website in my trip planner. It does look like they offer sandwiches as well. https://strudelgarden.hu/

Agree with all the above.

The only thing I needed cash for in Budapest was for a pay toilet on castle hill. Didn't have cash with me, so found an alternative that didn't require payment.

Yes to the early airport arrival. Have your hosts call and arrange the taxi pickup for the time you specify (in our case, very early) - advantage: no traffic at that hour!). We got to the airport 2.5 hours before our early departure and were glad we did.

Airport Questions: I saw the information about purchasing the
BudapestGo passes at the airport for my family, which I will.

BudapestGO is a phone app that you can buy tonight if you want. I really don’t like the idea of using the phone app for boarding transportation. I prefer the paper ticket. You can buy the paper ticket at the BKK office in the arrivals hall of the airport. App or paper, you will want a 15 day pass. With the 15 day pass you will only show it when requested.

Should I get some cash here too? Or should I find a bank near my
apartment? We have a taxi reserved through the apartment, so I want to
have money to tip.

First about the Airbnb Taxi, I would be careful. You dont know what it will cost and second, it will be more work and more time than using a regular taxi. There is only one approved taxi company for the airport; FoTaxi. All the others including the one that will be sent for you, must go park in the lot. You will be greeted, then walked upstairs to a point outside of departures (not arrivals), then they will go get the car and pick you up. For all of this you will probably pay more than just going to the FoTaxi stand outside of the Arrivals Hall and being on your way in minutes. The cost will be $30 to $35
Yes, you should get some cash. Wait till you get to your AirBnb. Your firsd day you are going to the Vorosmarty ter market, this ATM is on the way: https://maps.app.goo.gl/CGCDYj9hsyTy1yrv6 Take out 9.000 forints (about $30). The number is specific to give you a 5.000 note and four 1.000 notes which is pretty convenient. Use them when credit card machines go down, for tipping for buying small things around town and for feeling local. What you don’t use you can spend on wine at Kadarka Wine bar (just a suggestion), or at the coffee shop at the airport on your way out of town.

1. On the 22nd our flight leaves at 6:30 am. Can I arrange a taxi at 4:00 in the morning? Do I need the full 2 hours at the airport?

Some people want to stay at the airport hotel. That’s a fine solution. Me, I want to soak every minute I can out of a holiday and you are staying on Andrassy ut which is beautiful in the evening. I would want to be there. But no wrong or right on this. Download and use the City Taxi phone app. Request a taxi the night prior. Since you want to be 2 hours early at the airport, then I would say request the pickup at 4:00am. That will get you 1:50 early unless the taxi comes early (they do about half the time) in which case you get there 2 hours early.

But do you need to get there 2 hours early? If you travel carry-on only, no. The before mentioned crowds are people who come 2 hours early and begin lining up to check bags at the counter that will open 90 early if they are lucky. Without checking a bag you go straight through security to the gate (or coffee shop). Okay, you are checking a bag, do you need to be there 2 hours early? Ehhhhhh, for peace of mind, probably. In reality, no. If you are departing out of 2B, and the security looks crowded, look to the left and you will see a sign to another security check point in terminal 2A. Generally less crowded. Both checkpoints empty into the exact same sport so doesn’t matter which you use. Security moves fast in Budapest and the airport is small. No long walks to gates. If your onward flight is to another Schengen country to make a connection to the US, then there is no passport control to deal with.

Dec 17
Retek is sort of on the way to Vorosmarty, but steer away from the Basilica Market area as it’s a bit full and your time is a bit short. Otherwise great. What time is the cruise. Book it now.

Dec 18
Your plan if that is your intended order has you bouncing back and forth up and down Andrassy ut but you know, using the M1 its not that big a deal. But try walking back down Andrassy ut
Szechenyi thermal spa, then take the M1 to Deak Ferenc ter and change to the M2 to Kossuth Lajos tér and do your Parliament tour at noon.

Then lunch: https://maps.app.goo.gl/QqnfeZJx9z6NK12r6
Then 2 Tram to Vigadó tér and Walk to the M1 metro stop in Vorosmarty ter https://maps.app.goo.gl/Btdrx1Jx1VGKcaHu5 . The M1 will take you back to Hero’s Square. Do the museum.
Now walk as much of Andrassy ut as you are up to and take the M1 if you get tired If you want to tour the Basilica then try and reach it by about 3pm. The idea is you tour it, you come out and its dark and perfect time for the Christmas Market in front of it.

Dinner: not finalized- maybe Twentysix Budapest, I wouldn’t do TwentySix. Nice place but Kirlay utca is a screaming mess right now. I was going to say Mozel Tov but I see that you are doing that tomorrow. For very nice I would say N28 https://maps.app.goo.gl/vdR7vkMeoTbpSh6R6

Dec 19
early morning trip to thermal spa, Lukacs: https://maps.app.goo.gl/XbBgVQbsn5fHMwuNA or here is another idea. Hidden next door to the Lukacs bath is the Veli Bej Bath. It is one the cities three 500 year old baths. I spoke to friends, locals, who went today and they said it was amazing. I have never been. https://maps.app.goo.gl/7Bj7ikET8mn1YdoT8
Budapest Castle Hill Funicular (or take the stairs), Funicular up, stairs down. But the stairs that go down to the Castle Gardens. Great walk.

Hungarian National Gallery,
National Szechenyi Library,
The Church of Our Lady of Buda Castle,
Lunch: tbd,

Fisherman’s Bastion,
Church of Saint Mary Magdalene,
Citadel (If we have time),
Dinner: Mazel Tov 4:30pm

Dec 20
Tour to Esztergom, Visegrad, and Szentendre. For this you need a tour guide with a fast car. If you do, no more said. If not, consider just doing Szentendre or just doing Esztergom and Szentendre with a guide (slower car will work).

Dec 21
4 hour locals tour,
On our own:
Vajdahunyad Castle,
House of Terror Museum,
Dinner: Cork Breakfast and Wine or Kiraly 100 or Macesz Bistro

Dec 22- time to wander and shop,
Central Market Hall Budapest Hungary [VASARCSARNOK],
Szabo Ervin Library,
DOHÁNY STREET SYNAGOGUE [DOHÁNY UTCAI ZSINAGÓGA],
Dinner: The Great Hall in Mystery Hotel Budapest (5pm)

Consider the antique book / art print stores and consider the antique shops on Falk Miska utca.

Oh, missed the cafe question.

Directly across the street from your apartment building is a street that runs up the right side of the Opera House.
A handful of nice cafes there. For breakfast, lunch or dinner my favorite there is Cork Breakfast and Wine. One of my favorites in town actually.

For breakfast besides Cork, if you walk down the street that runs down the side of your building, then make a small jog, and walk another 30 second you will be at The Lions Locker. Very excellent breakfast. At the end of that street is Kadarka Wine bar. Halfway down the street is a wonderful old synagogue hidden in a court yard (you can see through the gate).

Stika is another good breakfast place, but a bit further. https://maps.app.goo.gl/KkPir9D9fgYp78MA9 nice walk and interesting area with an old market hall.

For an inexpensive lunch or dinner, very good Hungarian / Transylvanian food try Szek, which would be about a 3 minute walk up Andrassy ut from your apartment building. https://maps.app.goo.gl/51Txue9JP9txasKp8

On your list is The Great Hall in Mystery Hotel Budapest (5pm). At 5pm you will be the only ones there. Very interesting place. Enter the building, go up the stairs, look for the elevator, read the signs and you will find your way to it. Part of the charm is that it was once a hidden room in the hotel. Very grand hidden room for very grand private rituals. Walking there will show you some more typical Budapest off the tourist path.

lenariverswrites
Go to this link and look at the file called "lenariverswrites" The photo shows the building in which your AirBnb is located. The building is marked with a white arrow. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14ZOGD8i2grmyjU_slSBdp6PCQEesigdi?usp=sharing Help yourself to the other stuff in the folder. Might be useful. Photo was taken a few hours ago.