Our Budapest Family Itinerary With Kids

Planning a Budapest family itinerary and not sure how to pace it? This was one of the easiest European cities we have done with kids, and a week here flew by. Below is how our days actually went, plus the honest bits nobody warns you about. For the full picture, start with our Budapest with kids guide and our roundup of where to eat in Budapest with kids.

Our Budapest Family Itinerary

Viona running down the sidewalk of a street in Budapest.

A Budapest family holiday is sure to make everyone happy!  The infrastructure and dialed in transportation system make navigating this city a breeze.  There is so much to See & Do, the food is good (check out our Budapest Eats page) and the people were polite.  So let’s get down to some details for traversing this city with kids!

Is Budapest stroller friendly?

Dad pushing a stroller by a building in Budapest.

Yes!  Well mostly yes.  The sidewalks are wide and flat, and for the most part it is a relatively flat city.  The Buda side sits up on a hill but you will likely take transportation to the tops of the hill to see the sites, not walk up it.  Which brings me to transportation.  Like with many cities, there are not always elevators to get up and down from the subway system.  So we were doing a lot of this in Budapest…

Dad holding a stroller with Kaida inside whilst descending an escalator.

A little annoying but not enough of a nuisance to avoid the subway.  This could be more difficult if you have a larger stroller.  We like to travel with a hardy umbrella stroller so it is pretty light.  Other than this, the city was very easy on the stroller.

Picky Eaters

Like many cities in Europe, it is pretty easy to find pizza, familiar cracker type snacks and breakfast pastries around the city.  As well as buttered noodles or french fries and such at many restaurants.

A smiling Viona next to a pizza.

There are also a lot of fun sweet treats around Budapest to keep your kiddos motivated to behave well.  We are big fans of the, “if you can be patient while we look at these things we will get a treat afterwards” bribe.

Viona licking a flower shaped ice cream on a cone.Viona licking ice cream in a cup.

Activities for Kids

There are a lot of fun, kid friendly things to do in Budapest.  From the Circus to their well known puppet shows, there are sure to be plenty of kid directed activities to incorporate in your itinerary.  A few of the things our kids enjoyed were…

Riding on a train, operated by children!

Viona peeking out from behind a bench seat on a train.Kaida smiling as Dad holds onto her on a train.

Visiting the Houdini Museum and watching a magic show…

Viona, Dad and Kaida in front of the House of Houdini museum.Viona participating in the free magic show at the House of Houdini.Viona being amazed by a magician.

Riding the Funicular to the top of Buda Hill

View of the Danube whilst aboard a funicular.Viona entering the funicular car.

You can read all the details on these activities and see more photos on our Budapest See & Do page.  We were super bummed we couldn’t see one of their famous puppet shows but we were visiting during August and apparently the puppeteers take the month of August off for holiday.  Overall though, a great mix of family activities are available to keep you busy!

Car Seat Laws

I have no idea what the car seat laws are in Hungary.  I tried to research it and there was a lot of different information, so I do not know what is currently accurate.  This happened to be a city where we did not do any day trips outside of the city because there was so much to do in the city.  We also did not use any taxis in Budapest because the public transportation system is clean, literally everywhere and super easy to navigate with the App.  You can read more about that on our Budapest Tips & Essentials Page.

Where to stay with Kids

We loved our kid friendly AirBnB in the heart of the Pest side of the city set in a quiet neighborhood.  They provided a pack and play, high chair and a few toys for the girls to play with.  There was a washing machine and two bedrooms so mom and dad could have their own space.  You can read more about that AirBnB on our Where to Stay in Budapest page.  It was also directly across the street from the most adorable park with a fabulous playground that the kids spent a lot of time at.

Viona playing on play ground equipment.Viona and Kaida sharing a swing.

Overall

I would absolutely recommend bringing the kids on a Budapest family holiday; especially if you are looking for somewhere less heavily traveled than cities like Paris, Rome or Barcelona.  Make it soon though because it continues to grow in popularity and may one day be as crowded as some of the previously mentioned.

Of all of our travels through Europe, this has been the one city that has really made me ponder whether or not we should consider living there.  The affordability, the navigability, the incredible architecture, good food and diversity, really make for a wonderful place.

Viona descending a white marble staircase.

A Sample Day-by-Day Plan

If you like a loose plan, here is the rhythm that worked for us. We kept mornings for the big activities and afternoons slow, which is the only way we travel with kids and stay sane.

Day 1: Pest Side and the River

Start on the Pest side with the Parliament from the outside, then walk the Danube promenade to the Shoes on the Danube memorial. Break for lunch at the Central Market Hall, where everyone can pick their own thing. Finish with an easy ride on tram 2 for the views along the water.

Day 2: Thermal Baths and the Circus

Spend the morning at a thermal bath with a family section, then rest back at the apartment while the little ones nap. In the afternoon, the Capital Circus of Budapest is an easy win with younger kids and a nice break from all the walking.

Day 3: Buda Castle Hill

Take the funicular up to Buda Castle, wander Fisherman’s Bastion, and let the kids run around at the top. Grab kurtoskalacs, the sweet chimney cake, on the way back down. Stretch the trip to a full week if you can. We did, and we still left with a list of things we did not get to.

Budapest With Kids Gallery

The girls sharing a tire swing in a shady Budapest playground
One of the girls walking through the tiled entrance hall of a Budapest apartment building
Dad pushing the stroller past the arched doors of a grand Budapest building
One of the girls at the foot of a long Budapest metro escalator while Dad brings the stroller down
One of the girls descending a white marble staircase in a bright arcaded courtyard in Budapest
One of the girls helping the magician on stage at the House of Houdini in Budapest
The red bench seats inside an open sided train carriage in Budapest
The family under the entrance sign of the House of Houdini in Budapest
Dad holding the youngest aboard an open sided train carriage in Budapest
One of the girls in the audience at the House of Houdini magic show in Budapest
One of the girls in a shaded Budapest playground with slides and climbing frames
One of the girls spinning on a playground pole in a leafy Budapest park
One of the girls biting into a rose shaped ice cream cone in Budapest
One of the girls walking down a Budapest side street past parked cars
The youngest asleep in her stroller aboard a Budapest tram
A quiet Budapest park with lawns, flowerbeds and a curving gravel path
One of the girls sipping a latte beside a pastry at a Budapest cafe
The girls sitting together on an orange bench against a stone wall in Budapest
The girls at a table with a white turret of Fisherman's Bastion rising behind them
One of the girls with a tall milkshake and pastries at the New York Cafe in Budapest
The youngest in an embroidered Hungarian blouse on Dad's lap at a Budapest cafe
One of the girls licking whipped cream from a cup of chocolate gelato in Budapest
One of the girls leaning over a whole margherita pizza in Budapest
One of the girls licking cream from a spoon over a cappuccino at a Budapest cafe
The youngest with ice cream all over her face, eating a cone on Dad's lap in Budapest
One of the girls watching the ducks on a pond in a Budapest park
One of the girls stepping into an old wooden funicular car in Budapest
View of the Danube from a funicular.
Valerie, Dawson, Viona and Kaida of Little Eyes Big World on a safari truck in Kenya

Build your kids
a free Trip Kit

Heading to Budapest? Before you go, build your kids their own free Trip Kit: a printable explorer passport, a countdown to takeoff and a scavenger hunt matched to their ages. It’s the exact kit our girls travel with!

Build your kit