Family-friendly Programs in Budapest

Here are some great family programs in Budapest, the exciting capital city of Hungary for both kids and adults: most of them are very affordable things to do and are truly entertaining for the whole family. Needless to say, it's not easy to pick the overall top ten, but we have tried to come up with programs for small kids, young teens and adult teens too. If you have specific requests and would like to get some more personalized tips for your Budapest family trip, email to us at TopBudapest [at] gmail [dot] com, and we will try to make sure that you find the Best Family-friendly Budapest programs of your style and priorities. We usually reply within 48 hours.

Top Ten Family Programs in Budapest

Heroes' Square, City Park, ZOO in Budapest

The great thing about this Number 1 Budapest family program is that the location of all the fantastic kids' favorites are just a few minutes walk from each other. Visit the Heroes' square featuring the historical equestrian statue complex called the Millennial Monument. Then visit the Zoo and have some cake, refreshments in Szamos Cafe (within the Zoo).

Alternatively, go to the Amusement Park, just next to the Zoo, or take a walk in the City Park to the Museum of Transport (real life replicas, train models, etc.), spot the Anonymous statue (resembles Gandalf from Lord of the Ring) and Vajdahunyad Castle (mixed castle building with the Agricultural Museum featuring old tools, trades and stuffed animals). In fact, this is such a great place for kids that you can return here several times before either the kids or you get bored.

Margaret Island Budapest

Walk along the River Danube embankment, have a look at the Parliament go over the Margaret bridge and take a fun bike (kid and adult sizes!) to go around Margaret Island. Stop at the mini Zoo on the island where kids can ride the pony or just see a handful of animals. There is no entrance fee to the island, and it is a highly restricted area for cars ensuring the best recreational time in Budapest. The easiest way to get to Margit Sziget (Margaret Island) is to take the tram/ streetcar number 4 or 6 and get off right at the southern tip of the island. There are only a couple of buffets and cafes, so it is recommended to bring your own food and drink to the island (it is also a lot cheaper).

Children's Railway & Chairlift in Budapest

Take a nice hilltop train ride with the Children's Railway and climb to the top of Elisabeth Lookout Tower (if it snows you can use the Normafa hillside for sliding like hundreds of others). Hop on the Chairlift downwards.

Puppet Theaters in Budapest

Enjoy a superb professional puppet show in the Puppet Theater in Andrassy avenue, Budapest: from Pinocchio through the Magic Flute and Nutcracker to the Miraculous Mandarin - number one performances for both kids and adults. There is another Puppet Theater called Kolibri Babszinhaz with various great puppet performances too. Check the kids theater programs in both and ask if they suggest the performances for foreign kids too. Kolibri Puppet Theater is approx. 10 min from the 'old National Puppet Theater' on Jokai square.

Millenary Park Budapest

Go to Millenary Park / Millenaris Park entertainment complex - they offer various programs throughout the year especially at weekends. Throughout the week, the Palace of Wonders is a safe bet for all-inclusive family programs featuring a nice smart interactive intro to the wonders of our modern world. It is also a great kid program if your children are not in the same age as 3, 10 or 16 year olds will be very likely to find something of interest.

National Circus in Budapest

See a traditional circus performance with acrobats, tamers, clowns, horses and more in the National Circus in Budapest - performances all year round. Each year there is also an international circus festival with several foreign guest stars. Luckily, there will be soon alternative circus programs following the latest French and Danish circus movements.

Bathe in Budapest

Soak and enjoy the whirlpool thermal baths in one of the best Budapest Baths, like Szechenyi Baths, Gellert Baths. The great thing about Szechenyi and Gellert is that they are mixed, and very often frequented by whole families (note: there are some baths that are only for male or female visitors though). Bring your towels, fli-flops and bathing suits. Alternatively, for cold-water swimming in summer, go to the open-air pools of Palatinus on the Margaret Island .

Royal Palace District in Budapest

Take the historical Funicular Railway uphill, and walk around the Buda Castle - (real life cannons on Toth Arpad setany) go through the Castle Labyrinth, enjoy the view on the ramparts from the Fishermen's Bastion, visit the Matthias Church, have a cake and coffee in Cafe Ruszwurm. If you are a spending spree, check out the luxurious restaurant of Hotel Hilton with its medieval-themed interior. Kids will like the knightly atmosphere.

Shopping in Budapest

Buy gifts, little Hungarian dolls, fresh vegetables and fruits, Hungarian paprika, tablecloths, and try the Hungarian savory snack, 'Langos' in the Central Market Hall. There is a flea market on Saturdays in City Park at PECSA (Petofi Csarnok), if you are interested in peculiar used rareties from the former Eastern block. The entrance fee is less than half a euro/dollar.

Hungarian Museum of Natural Science

Visit the Hungarian Museum of Natural Science: cool interactive presentation of all sorts of scientific riddles, all kinds of weird skeletons (including a giant mammoth skeleton, life-size imitations of infamous dynosaurs like the Stegosaur and Allosaur, etc.), natural processes, etc.

Further Family program ideas:

• visit the Planetary Cupola (Planetarium) for kids' astronomical shows (Hungarian)
• go to the Dripstone Cave on the Buda side of Budapest (the cave is called the Palvolgyi cseppkobarlang): not only fun and adventure, but very healthy for the lungs too! Have a super-delicious cake in Cafe Daubner before/after submerging into the cave
• see the Underground Museum of the first continental underground in Europe (at Deak ter, city center)
• take part in a Sunday brunch - again, both highly enjoyable for parents and kids alike to have a treat at one of the popular English-speaking Sunday brunches in Budapest (highlighted venues: Grand Hotel Royal, Kempinski Hotel Corvinus, Gerbeaud Restaurant
• Ice Rink in the City Park: loads of skaters, floodlight, music
• the Zoo deserves another recommendation: there is a cool playground in the Zoo with intricate climbing structures, plus various programs are offered by the Zoo kids program managers.