Vienna’s culinary scene is as rich as its cultural calendar: it thrives on the delicacies of Austrian cuisine and borrows from international influences, such as nearby Italy and Germany. The restaurants in the former imperial capital reflect this, offering traditional, stunning food that ranges from the classic wiener schnitzel and Sachertorte to insider treats, such as Frittatensuppe or Tafelspitz. We take a gastronomic tour of Vienna to bring you its 10 best cultural restaurants.
Originally intended to open in New York, Skopik & Lohn is located many thousands of miles away in Karmelitermarkt, an artsy area of Vienna’s second district. This restaurant is both serious and playful about its food, drink and atmosphere, cleverly combining the elegance of Austrian fine dining with the laid-back feel of a 1920s NYC bistro (think Viennese favourites, such as wiener schnitzel). Designed by Austrian artist Otto Zitko, its interior is dramatic, with chaotic black splashes dashed across the ceiling in stark contrast to the neat, white-clothed tables underneath.
This place offers a few typical Austrian main dishes, but people visit here for one reason only – the wiener schnitzel. Figlmüller is already an institution in Vienna and popular among both locals and tourists alike. It is furnished in an original Austrian pub-like decor and waiters still wear traditional smoking jackets. All of these elements lend a special antique and elegant charm to the whole experience of this restaurant.
Considered one of the oldest taverns in Vienna, enjoy your wiener schnitzel in a building that dates back to the 12th century. Pfarrwirt’s saying, ‘a wiener schnitzel is a wiener schnitzel’, makes an allusion to its simplicity. Located in Vienna’s 19th district, where the city’s historic vineyards are, it is an ideal place to have dinner after a long walk in the hills.
This restaurant, bar and pâtisserie offers Viennese and international cuisine along with more than 800 wines from national and international estates. Here is where you’ll find a variety of typical Austrian dishes, from schnitzel to apfelstrudel. You can also opt for a drink at the bar, which is a great place to meet, day or night. The restaurant also produces its own tasty produce, including marmalade, chocolate, oils and pasta, which are for sale in the neighbouring shop.
Enjoy one of Vienna’s most celebrated cakes inside of one of the city’s most traditional cafes. The Sachertorte at Dommayer is quite simple, remaining as true as possible to the original recipe. Dommayer is one of the city’s most prized coffee houses and it is known for upkeeping Viennese tradition. Located around the corner from Schönbrunn Palace, it’s a lovely place to grab a coffee and a slice of Sachertorte, or a larger meal, after a day spent wandering the Imperial grounds.
Boasting picturesque views along the canal, Motto am Fluss is situated inside a glass covered building designed to resemble a naval vessel. The menu is made up of a mix of gourmet Austrian and international dishes, with many classics like beef tartare, salmon fillet and wiener schnitzel. A classier option, as opposed to some of the more casual eateries along the canal, this restaurant is perfect for formal occasions.
Located in an old Palais in the centre of Vienna, the interior of this two-star Michelin restaurant boasts classic stone walls combined with modern design, giving Silvio Nickol im Palais Coburg a unique feel. Each meal is made with precision and you can choose between five, seven or nine-course menus (meat, fish and vegetarian options are all on offer), which can be ordered with or without wine.
A subterranean bar-slash-restaurant in the cool 7th district. Erich is tucked away down the side of Sankt-Ulrichsplatz, and it’s easy to walk past it – but you’ll be glad you didn’t. From breakfast tacos to salmon poke bowls and dairy-free sundaes made in collaboration with Veganista, Vienna’s first all-vegan ice cream parlour, it ticks all the boxes around the clock.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”5452″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]
Mama Liu & Sons
Great value dim sum, hot pot and noodles in a loft-style dining room – it’s easy on the wallet, but a night at Mama Liu & Sons still feels like a treat.
The fried and steamed dumplings are a standout, and it’s worth saving space for less obvious dishes like smacked cucumber and homemade tofu balls. The huge, hearty hotpots easily feed two – choose between a vegan version, a seafood one and a meat feast. If you’re travelling solo you can park yourself at the bar with a cocktail and a 10-piece dim sum set for under €20.
Vienna’s world-famous botanical hothouse (think Kew with a fancier roof), overlooking the stately Buggarten gardens, is home to an all-day brasserie. The menu is Austrian-meets-Mediterranean, with a strong selection of wines by the glass, expertly mixed cocktails and desserts to die for. Frond memories guaranteed.
Where else can you tuck into dumplings surrounded by loads of lush tropical foliage? It’s especially inviting on a chilly day: follow up one of the hearty lunch specials (mushroom ragout, strozzapreti with veal bolognese) with a slice of warm almond-and-chocolate
The Hofburg Palace in Vienna provides an authentic view into the daily life of what was once the center of the powerful Hasburg dynasty, a family that once ruled the Austria-Hungry empire. The house of Hasburg was one of the most important dynasties in Europe at the time as it produced some of the kings that ruled Western Europe for several decades starting from the 15th century. It also owned the Roman Empire throne during this time which was a significant source of power.
The origins of the Vienna Zoo (Tiergarten Schönbrunn) can be traced to Emperor Francis I’s menagerie, founded in 1752 and the oldest continually-operating zoo in the world. With many of its original Baroque buildings still intact, it’s one of the most pleasant zoos in Europe to visit, particularly if you spend a little time seeking refreshment in the original 18th-century Imperial Breakfast Pavilion that now houses a great café.
A highlight of the zoo’s more than 750 species are its giant pandas, including cubs, as well as the many fascinating creatures housed in the interactive Rainforest House and Aquarium. If you’re traveling to Vienna with children, be sure to check the zoo’s official website for details of feeding times, always a fun family experience. Also worth checking into is the availability of special themed and backstage guided tours.
The Burggarten is a once-royal garden that is a bit of England in Vienna, as it is patterned after English gardens. The Burggarten was the court garden for the Hapsburg rulers. One Austrian ruler, Kaiser Franz II used to work in the garden, which is now a place where people can enjoy outdoor lunches on pleasant days. A memorial to that great Austrian composer, Mozart, can be found in one corner of the garden, while the Palmenhaus, a magnificent glass palm house, is located in the northern part. The left part of the Palmenhaus houses the Schmettlerlinghaus where visitors can see tropical butterflies and even bats.
Graben is one of the most famous streets in central Vienna. The word Graben means “trench” in German, and dates back to an old Roman encampment in the Austrian capital. Back in those days, Vienna was surrounded by a city wall, with a trench alongside of it. The trench was later filled in and became one of the first residential streets in Vienna. Craftsmen originally lived in wooden houses on the Graben, but it gradually evolved into a market place and later residences for the city’s elite. Today it is an up-scale shopping promenade, with many local specialties such as Wien Porzellan
No visit to Vienna is complete without going to see an opera. The city is synonymous with the majestic art form and the Vienna State Opera is the perfect place to go and watch a performance.
Opened in 1869 on the Ringstrasse, much of the opera house was destroyed by a bomb during the Second World War and it was rebuilt in 1955 in the form of the elegant high Renaissance building we see before us today. The interior is equally opulent, with its marble staircases, luxurious lobbies and the breathtaking auditorium itself.
With numerous operas, ballets and classical concerts being performed daily, the Vienna State Opera has something for everyone to enjoy.
Located in Vienna’s Innere Stadt, the Albertina hosts an amazing collection of artworks, including drawings, paintings, and sculptures.
Once part of the city’s old fortifications, the Albertina has stood since the 17th century and was renovated into a palace before becoming an art museum. Home to one of the most extensive and important print rooms on Earth, the collection is wonderful to explore. Masterpieces by da Vinci, Bruegel the Elder and Toulouse-Lautrec are on display.
In addition to its delightful permanent collection, temporary exhibitions ensure that this is a place worth returning to for both locals and tourists.
Prater is a large public park located in Leopoldstadt. Its huge green spaces make it a popular spot among locals and tourists alike. While many people visit to relax and unwind amongst the greenery, an amusement park, museum, and even a disco are situated within the park. While wandering around the park, make sure to take a ride in the huge Ferris Wheel that towers over Prater – the views are breathtaking.
Vienna’s Natural History Museum is one of the most important of its kind in the world and is remarkably home to over 30 million objects.
The 39 exhibition rooms cover everything from precious stones and dinosaurs to prehistoric art and stuffed animals. Visitors will learn a lot from its fascinating displays and exhibits. Just as stunning as the extensive collection is the beautiful palace itself, featuring elegant galleries, staircases, and lobbies. Built in the late nineteenth century, the Natural History Museum is located on the Ringstrasse and is identical to the Kunsthistorisches Museum which lies directly in front of it.
Among Vienna’s most popular attractions, Belvedere Palace is really two splendid Baroque buildings: the Lower (Unteres) Belvedere and the Upper (Oberes) Belvedere. Highlights of the Upper Palace include the Ground Floor Hall with its statues, and the Ceremonial Staircase with its rich stucco relief and frescoes. Also worth seeing is the Marble Hall, a stunning two-story hall with numerous period sculptures, paintings, and ceiling frescoes. The Lower Palace also boasts a Marble Hall, this one noted for its oval plaster medallions and rich ceiling fresco, as well as a Marble Gallery built to house a collection of historic statues.
Other notable buildings include the Winter Palace (a Baroque building that once housed the Court Treasury), the Orangery, the Palace Stables (home to the Medieval Treasury), and the Belvedere Gardens and Fountains linking the two palaces.The Österreichische Galerie Belvedere is an art museum in the Belvedere Palace, known for its extensive collections, including a rich array of sculptures and panel paintings from the 12th to the 16th centuries. But it is perhaps best known for Austrian Symbolist artist Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss, a masterpiece of early modern art..
Located on the Ringstrasse, the elegant Parliament Building was built in Greek Revival style. It is here that the Austrian Parliament holds its sessions. Classic Greek architecture was decided upon due to democracy’s link with Ancient Greece; its brilliantly white columns and marvelous bronze statues are wonderful to behold, while the lovely Pallas Athene Fountain stands in the foreground of the building. One of the most popular tourist attractions in Vienna, the Parliament Building is well worth visiting for its spectacular design and importance to the country.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
5 Best hidden gems in Vienna
If you already know the typical sights in Vienna and want to experience something a bit different on your city trip to Vienna, then you’ve come to the right place.
Kahlenberg – The most beautiful viewpoint in Vienna
Whenever we asked people for their favorite spot for the best view of the city, we always got the same response: the Kahlenberg. The 480-meter-high summit is located to the northeast of the city and offers a great view of Vienna.
On a clear day, you can see all the way to the Carpathians in neighboring Slovakia. Especially at the weekend, many Viennese flock to the Kahlenberg.
Only a few hundred meters from the Kahlenberg lies the Cobenzl. This hill, officially called Latisberg, also offers a great view of Vienna.
How to get there: Take the U4 to the terminus at Heiligenstadt. From there, take bus number 38A, which stops at the Cobenzl first and then continues to the Kahlenberg.
The Danube Island is a 21-km-long and up to 250-meter-wide artificial island on the Danube. It was originally created in the 70s and 80s as a flood barrier and is now the most popular local recreational area in the city.
On the Danube Island, you can hike, bike, skate, or simply escape the hustle and bustle of the city with a picnic.
The Danube Island is the perfect place to take children: There’s a beach, a climbing park, a huge water playground, and the world’s largest trampoline park.
The Danube Canal is the arm of the Danube that flows right through the middle of the city. It separates the 2nd district (Leopoldstadt) from the 1st and 3rd districts.
There’s lots of graffiti and street art along the Danube Canal, and in recent years many great beach bars have sprung up. Locals are especially fond of Tel Aviv Beachand Strandbar Hermann.
Das Loft is a great bar with an absolutely outstanding view of Vienna. The bar is located on the 18th floor of the Sofitel and is a real experience. Not only is the view great, the cocktails are really good too.
In addition to a bar, Das Loft also has a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Both the bar and the restaurant are usually pretty crowded, so it’s a good idea to make a reservation before you go.
Franziskanerplatz – Viennese coffee house culture straight out of a picture-postcard
Franziskanerplatz is a small square in downtown Vienna. It’s just as beautiful as the rest of the city center, but still there’s something very special here: the Kleines Café.
At first glance, the Kleines Café – which literally means “small café” – seems very inconspicuous, and in fact it isn’t as huge an attraction as the famous Café Sacher, but that’s what makes it so special.
The café is cramped and smoky and looks as if time stood still decades ago. So if you want to visit a typical Viennese café away from the tourist crowds, then the Kleines Café on Franziskanerplatz is the right place for you.
Margaret Island (Margitsziget), barely 2.4 kilometers long and 503 meters wide, is Budapest’s main recreation and recuperative center for locals. Thermal spring-fed medicinal baths, carefully tended gardens and paths, as well as the ruins of many historic buildings also serve to attract many tourists, too.A highlight of any visit is the Palatinus Baths, a huge spa complex that covers more than 17 acres and includes a bath with artificial waves, together with various medicinal, swimming, and children’s pools capable of accommodating up to 20,000 bathers at a time.Other island highlights are the pretty Rose Garden (Rózsakert); the Union Monument, a metal sculpture by István Kiss (1972) in the form of a flower; ruins of the Dominican convent, once home to Princess Margaret, the daughter of King Béla IV; the 51-meter water-tower, built in 1911, with its excellent viewing platform; and a large open-air theater.Other fun things to do here include bike rentals or enjoying a meal at one of the restaurants here. If visiting at night, be sure to head to the Margaret Island Musical Fountain for its illuminations.
Castle Hill is a kilometre-long limestone plateau towering 170m above the Danube, it contains some of Budapest’s most important medieval monuments and museums and is a Unesco World Heritage it is a 28km-long network of caves formed by thermal springs, the walled area consists of two distinct parts: the Old Town to the north, where commoners once lived, and the royal palace to the south, the original site of the castle built by Béla IV in the 13th century and reserved for the nobility.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1564463092267{padding-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”5278″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]
Royal Palace
The former Royal Palace has been razed and rebuilt at least half a dozen times over the past seven centuries. Béla IV established a royal residence here in the mid-13th century, and subsequent kings added to the complex. The palace was levelled in the battle to drive out the Turks in 1686; the Habsburgs rebuilt it but spent very little time here. The Royal Palace now contains the Hungarian National Gallery, the Castle Museum, and the National Széchenyi Library.
The BasilicaBudapest’s stunning Great Synagogue is the world’s largest Jewish house of worship outside New York City, built in 1859, the synagogue has both Romantic and Moorish architectural elements, inside, the Hungarian Jewish Museum & Archives contains objects relating to both religious and everyday life, on the synagogue’s north side, the Holocaust Tree of Life Memorial presides over the mass graves of those murdered by the Nazis.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1564463092267{padding-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”5280″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]
The Chain Bridge
The first permanent bridge to connect Buda and Pest, the Chain Bridge is known for its historical significance and beautiful architecture. A footpath allows pedestrians to walk across the suspension bridge, enjoying views over the Danube, while stone lions at either end are one of the monument’s defining features. It’s worth noting that the Chain Bridge is set to be closed between mid to late 2017 – 2019 due to renovations.
Budapest’s neoclassical cathedral is the most sacred Catholic church in all of Hungary and contains its most revered relic: the mummified right hand of the church’s patron, King St Stephen, it was built over half a century to 1905, much of the interruption during construction had to do with a fiasco in 1868 when the dome collapsed during a storm, and the structure had to be demolished and then rebuilt from the ground up, the view from the dome is phenomenal.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1564463092267{padding-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”5282″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]
Parliament
The Eclectic-style Parliament, designed by Imre Steindl and completed in 1902, has 691 sumptuously decorated rooms. You’ll get to see several of these and other features on a guided tour of the North Wing: the Golden Staircase; the Dome Hall, where the Crown of St Stephen, the nation’s most important national icon, is on display; the Grand Staircase and its wonderful landing; Loge Hall; and Congress Hall, where the House of Lords of the one-time bicameral assembly sat until 1944.
Underneath Castle Hill, the rock is a maze of caves and passageways that have been used for various purposes since prehistoric times. In World War II, some were fortified as an air raid shelter and emergency hospital. Now known as the Hospital in the Rock Nuclear Bunker Museum (SziklakórházAtombunker Múzeum), this site was, at the time of the Cold War, further secured against nuclear contamination.
This former hospital and bunker is well worth exploring and features a variety of exhibitions on the kind of lifesaving efforts seen here during the Siege of Budapest in World War II. Another exhibit explores the devastating consequences of nuclear weapons. Admission is via guided tours only.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1564463092267{padding-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image img_size=”80X500″ add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]
The University Church
Budapest’s University Church (Kisboldogasszony-templom) is widely regarded as the most beautiful Baroque church in the city. Although somewhat hidden-it stands in the south of Pest away from the main shopping streets-its main front faces onto a narrow side street, which scarcely does it justice.
Built between 1725-42 (the two mighty towers were not completed until 1771), the principal façade incorporates a triangular tympanum with representations of St. Paul and St. Anthony, as well as the arms of the Pauline Order (a palm between two lions and a raven).
The church has a single nave with pilasters and enclosed side-chapels, and its walls are clad in artificial marble. Highlights include the frescoes on the barrel-vaulted ceilings depicting scenes from the life of Mary (1776), the choir-stalls, and the sculptures of St. Paul and St. Anthony on the High Altar (1746). Also of note is the Pauline Monastery near the church.
With its pretty lake, the 302-acre heavily wooded City Park (Városliget) is a popular recreational site for both Budapest locals and visitors. Laid out in the 19th century, the park has had many additions over the years.
Sightseeing highlights include the Museum of Fine Arts and the Palace of Art; the Municipal Zoological and Botanical Garden; the excellent Transport Museum of Budapest; Tivoli Pleasure Park, with its kids’ rides and arcades; the massive open-air Széchenyi Medicinal Bath; the fairytale Vajdahunyad Castle; and the 100,000-seat People’s Stadium.
Another of Budapest’s most striking features is the panoramic Gellért Hill (Gellért-hegy), a 235-meter block of dolomite that falls steeply down to the Danube. It’s here along the hill’s geological fault line that several of the city’s most famous medicinal springs emerge to supply the Gellért Spa and Rudas Baths, which have lured visitors from far and wide since the 13th century. The Rudas Baths are one of a handful of buildings remaining from the Turkish occupation, and are among the few original Turkish bathhouses in the world still in use that date back to the 1600s.On the hill’s northeast slope is the Gellért Monument, a tribute to Hungary’s beloved famous saint, a Benedictine monk who died in 1046 and after whom the hill is named. Perched high above a man-made waterfall, it offers magnificent views over the city. The Citadel on the summit was built by the Austrians in 1851, and the Liberation Monument was erected in 1947 in memory of the Soviet soldiers who died fighting in WWII.
Buda Castle is a whole district that includes the historical castle and palace complex as well as museums, cafes, churches, and other interesting places. However, one of its best treasures is hidden—the sculpture garden at the Koller Gallery. The Koller Gallery is a three-story atelier-house and the oldest private fine art gallery in Hungary. In addition to its stunning (if small) indoor collection, it also features an intimate sculpture garden, the garden is an oasis between the stones, where you can relax and enjoy the beauty of art. The Koller Gallery and garden is truly a must-see while in Budapest.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1564401332569{padding-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”5265″ img_size=”800X530″ add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]
Gül Baba Street
This cobbled street near Margaret Bridge leads to the tomb of Gül Baba. As you may know, the majority of Hungary—including the territory of present-day Budapest was occupied by the Turks from 1541 to 1686. Gül Baba was a Turkish holy man, an Ottoman Bektashi dervish poet, and according to a legend, the one who introduced roses to Hungary, Gül Baba is thought to have died in Buda, and his tomb is now a museum and a meeting point for Muslim pilgrims. It is currently closed due to ongoing renovations, gül Baba street is a unique place in Budapest because it is one of the oldest and the steepest streets in the city.
During the 14th and 15th centuries it was enlarged several times. During the first-half of the Turkish occupation it remained the only Christian church in the Castle; during the second-half it was converted into a mosque. Following the defeat of the Turks in 1686 it was given back to the Franciscan Order, who demolished most of the church except for the tower, and used the stones to build a new single-nave church, in the Baroque style. As a result of the damage sustained by the church during the 2nd World War, the nave was demolished and only the Gothic style tower was restored. The ruins behind the church have been used to form an exhibition of the history of the church.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1564401332569{padding-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”5267″ img_size=”800X530″ add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]
Vajdahunyad Castle
Vajdahunyad Castle, now home to Budapest’s Agricultural Museum, was built in 1896 but looks much older because it was designed to showcase the evolution of European architecture and features both Gothic and Baroque details. The locals adore the castle and its small, artificial lake. Part of the City Park (Városliget), it is close to Heroe’s Square and the Széchenyi Thermal Bath, opposite the castle’s main entrance, you will spot a mysterious statue: a man with a hood on his face.
Gellért Hill in Budapest, Hungary was named after Bishop Gellért, who was thrown to his death by pagans in the fight against Christianity in 1046. Unusually for statues, the choice of location is fitting since this was the place where Bishop Gellért was tied up and pushed down into the river. His statue can be seen from many parts of Budapest, the Gellért Hill Cave is part of a network of caves within the hill. Saint Istvan, a hermit who lived there is believed to have used the natural thermal water of the lake next to the cave to heal the sick. It is possible that this water also fed the pools of the Gellért Baths, one of the most famous thermal spa baths in Europe.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1564401332569{padding-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”5269″ img_size=”800X530″ add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]
Szechenyi Baths & Pool
Szechenyi Baths (built in 1913) is the most visited and much praised attraction in Budapest: relaxing, fun, affordable and, at night, romantic. In addition to the marvellous medicinal natural hot spring waters in the 18 pools, there are 10 saunas / steam cabins, several massage therapies, facial treatments, and more.
Szechenyi Spa Baths is in the biggest green park of Budapest, in the City Park, close to a bunch of Budapest attractions. The Neo-baroque palace was specifically built for hosting Szechenyi Baths as Hungary has been the country of baths (and Budapest the City of Baths) for many centuries: starting with the Roman settlers who built the first spa baths, through the 16th century Turkish occupiers who built many of the famous and revived Turkish baths in Budapest to the 19-20th century natural medical trends that promote aqua therapies and their deeply beneficial effects. The beautiful building of the spa baths is the design of Gyozo Czigler (Győző Czigler) who started to build Szechenyi Furdo in May 1909.
The impressive Heroes’ Square (Hosök tere) was largely the work of architect Albert Schickedanz, who was also responsible for the huge Museum of Fine Arts that flanks this large open space.
Highlights include the Millennium Monument, a 36-meter column crowned by a figure of the Archangel Gabriel and unveiled in the late 19th century. Around the plinth can be seen a group of bronze horsemen representing the conquering Magyar Prince Árpád and six of his fellow warriors.
On either side of the column, colonnades extend in a semi-circle, and between the individual pillars stand statues of Hungarian rulers. Above the corner pillars are beautiful works in bronze by Zala.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1564401332569{padding-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”5271″ img_size=”800X530″ add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]
The Danube Promenade
The Danube (or “Duna” in Hungarian) flows through Budapest from north to south, and in some places within city boundaries is as much as 640 meters wide. One of the top free things to do in Budapest is strolling along the Danube Promenade (Dunakorzó), a pleasant century-old riverside walk that extends between the Elisabeth and Széchenyi Chain Bridges.Although there are many places from which to enjoy views of the majestic river as you stroll its banks (either the Buda or Pest sides, they’re both good), the Danube Promenade is definitely one of the best vantage points to take in views of the city’s stunning architecture.
It’s also on the banks of the Danube (the northeast side, close to the Hungarian Parliament buildings) that you’ll find the chilling Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial, a series of 60 pairs of steel sculpted shoes commemorating Jews shot here by the Nazis. It’s a poignant and moving reminder of the Nazi atrocities suffered by Hungary in World War II.
Said to be one of the world’s oldest still-operating zoos, Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden (Fovárosi Állat- és Növénykert) is one of the top things for families to do when visiting the city. Established over 150 years ago, the park is home to over 1,070 different species of animals, and has the rare distinction of being located in the heart of its host city.
In addition to its well-preserved Art Nouveau animal homes, this top-notch zoo park features a nature reserve, themed animal enclosures, and a variety of kid-friendly programming including feeding opportunities. If you’re not in a big hurry to leave, hang around for one of the regular evening concerts.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1564401332569{padding-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Mazel Tov’s moniker is a hat tip to the neighborhood, which was once the city’s Jewish Quarter. And if there were a title for the hippest place in town, this would be a serious contender. The restaurant is located in the courtyard of a crumbling building built in the late 19th century. Despite its rough exterior, the inside has been updated with a very 2018 design scheme of lush greenery and exposed bricks. The cocktails, Middle Eastern mezze plates, and merguez sausage are all excellent.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”4964″ img_size=”800X530″][vc_column_text]Café Kör
This downtown restaurant is a neighborhood institution famed for its prewar Budapest ambience. In keeping with the bourgeois tastes of the period, the interior boasts a Persian-carpeted dining room and curvy Thonet Bentwood chairs. For a truly local experience, visit at lunchtime, when businesspeople from the nearby financial district flock for cold fruit soups (in the summer), veal stew, oversized schnitzel, and vegetable stews studded with meatballs. Owner Gábor Molnár’s cheerful presence has been a constant since the opening in 1995.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”4965″ img_size=”800X530″][vc_column_text]ZONA Budapest
One of the most beautiful places in Budapest, the neighborhood of the Buda Castle, provides the atmosphere for our venue, situated on the bank of the Danube with a beautiful panorama and live piano every evening, guests settle in for an unforgettable experience…that great experience should come back to the memory of our guest on a regular Sunday morning when the family asks where to have lunch, the magic of the soup; the splendor of the main course; the subtle beating of one’s heart should be the reminder, we want this to be the experience that will bring our guests back to ZONA time and time again.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”4966″ img_size=”800X530″][vc_column_text]Up&Down
Up & Down is not only a popular meeting place in the city, but also an imprint of the stormyhistory of Budapest, its diverse crowds, its uncommon residents and its inimitable atmosphere. At first it is surprising and cool, yet elegant in every detail, hungarian favorites with international aftertaste, re-blended by well-known cocktail classics, with friends, business lunch, date, coffee. For big days or short breaks. Whatever you desire, Up & Down awaits you with an engaging, professional team and an ever-renewing array of exciting food and drinks at the foot of Liberty Bridge, with stunning views of Gellert Hill.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”5099″ img_size=”800X530″][vc_column_text]Dunacorso Restaurant
Restaurant is located in the heart of the city centre, on Vigadó Square, looking on Duna-korzó, this wonderful walking path along the Danube on the Pest side has always been a favourite meeting and walking place for people and there has always been a coffee-house or a restaurant on the site of our venue ever since the 1870’s,dunacorso restaurant is run by the same family for more than 40 years. Now it is already the third generation working here, thinking over and recreating traditional recipes.In the evenings the culinary experience is completed by live music.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”5100″ img_size=”800X530″][vc_column_text]Onyx
Onyx sits at the top of Budapest’s fine dining scene, and it’s also the city’s only restaurant with two Michelin stars. Chef Ádám Mészáros marries local ingredients with French technique, and the results are unfailingly delicious. Expect a classic fine dining experience complete with glass chandeliers, white linen tablecloths, and tableside service. The six-course tasting menu with wine pairing runs at 175 euros per person, which certainly isn’t cheap, but bear in mind that you would need to shell out even more for comparable haute cuisine elsewhere in Europe.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”5101″ img_size=”800X530″][vc_column_text]Stand25 Bisztró
Chefs and partners Szulló Szabina and Tamás Széll left their Michelin-starred tasting menu endeavor in 2016 to launch a casual restaurant specializing in unadulterated, traditional Hungarian food inside a market hall-turned-food court. Within a year of opening, the unlikely Stand25 received a Bib Gourmand, and today the space is almost always filled to capacity. Must-try dishes include the goulash soup, lightened with hints of chopped celery; the layered potatoes; and the somlói galuska, a rum-soaked local dessert.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”5102″ img_size=”800X530″][vc_column_text]Kisüzem
Budapest’s grand-but-gritty architecture and lively alternative art scene come together at this raucous bar located in the old Jewish Quarter, currently the center of the city’s nightlife scene. The place draws a melting pot of local painters, musicians, left-wing intellectuals, and lately some tourists as well. Drinks are dirt cheap, but an extensive selection of top-shelf rums are also available.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”5103″ img_size=”800X530″][vc_column_text]Dorado Café
Specialty coffee has spread across Budapest at a head-spinning pace in recent years. Dorado Café, located in the hip former Jewish Quarter, stands out thanks to owners Emese Görföl, a local Hungarian, and Mario Jimenez, a Spanish native, who created an unpretentious and tastefully designed cafe. Go for the cold brews made from lightly roasted Ethiopian beans, or, if tea is more your speed, try the aromatic chai latte.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”5104″ img_size=”800X530″][vc_column_text]Dubarry Restaurant
The restaurant is located on the most wonderful mall of the city, on Duna-korzó, while sitting on the terrace from March till October our guests can enjoy not only the beautiful, panorama of the town, which you can never get bored with, but also get some of that special „promenade atmosphere” in front of the Castle, near the Chain-bridge, this is the restaurant where we offer the exceptional view of Budapest together with its exciting gastronomy. The nostalgic old and the reformed new tastes of Hungarian cuisine combined with our own gastronomic family traditions that come from an experience of several generations already, determine the selection on the menu.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]