Explore Budapest on two wheels in one day

We have already shared a few tricks and tips for riding a bike in Budapest, and we also introduced the two most popular bike-sharing services in the capital: the Donkey Republic and MOL Bubi. This time, we decided to plan a whole day for you to explore Budapest on two wheels in one day.

Start: City Park

The perfect starting point is the city park. Before you hop on your bike, you can walk around the park, maybe even drink a glass of lemonade or fröccs at the popular ruin bar Kertem, which is basically like drinking in your own backyard.

There is both a MOL Bubi and a Donkey Republic bike station in the city park, so you can rent your vehicle for the day right then and there if you do not own one already. You can cycle around the park before heading off to the city.

Downtown sights

From the city park, start cycling in the direction of Hero Square, then ride along Andrássy Avenue. These are two main sights of Budapest right at the beginning. (If you feel like it, you can check out the House of Terror Museum on the way; however, that is quite a long detour.) Even though there is no separate bike path, a separate road goes parallel with Andrássy Avenue, where it is safe to bike, and you still get to enjoy everything the avenue has to offer.

You should turn right when you reach Bajza street, and ride straight towards the banks of the Danube. While you are approaching the banks, you will see quiet and calm streets that have a very Mediterranean vibe to them. This way, you get to see another side of Budapest in contrast with the busy Grand Boulevard. When you reach the so-called rakpart (quay), you can continue your journey on the bike path that goes along the river bank.

Pit stop at Margaret Island

When you reach Margaret Bridge, before turning right and having a pit stop at Margaret Island, stop at a grocery store to grab a beer or a cold drink for the island. In the island, lay down on the grass and chill for a while.

Instagram spots

When you are ready and all chilled out, continue your bike ride on the Buda side of the river. Ride along felső rakpart (the upper quay), glance over the Parliament and all of the most beautiful bridges: Chain Bridge, Elizabeth Bridge and Liberty Bridge. You can get the perfect shot of both the Parliament and the Chain Bridge from the Buda side.

 

Grab lunch downtown

Go on the Liberty Bridge and ride back to the Pest side. On the right side of the bridge, there is the Bálna Terasz which is the perfect place to grab a lemonade. From there, ride on the Small Boulevard to see all of downtown Budapest: Kálvin square, Astoria, Károly Boulevard (check out the synagogue) and Deák square.

This is also the time to grab something to eat. There are numerous fabulous places downtown depending on what you are in the mood for. If you want something quick and cheap, we recently wrote about all the places where you can grab lunch for a thousand forints. If you would prefer to try a new place, we also wrote about the new restaurants to try in May. I would definitely recommend Budapest Bagel and Istvánffi Veggie Burger on Kálvin square, and Pizza Me and The Donut Library on Károly Boulevard.

To finish your trip, you can just relax and chat with your friends around Akvárium Klub at Erzsébet square, which is the most popular and most well-known meet-up place in the city. Once you are there, you can start discussing your evening plans.

Featured image: Rizsavi Tamás Facebook.com/rizsavitamas/