Városliget Café is the place to eat this afternoon, a welcoming and lively restaurant occupying part of the historic ice-skating hall. Its floor-to-ceiling windows make this a splendid people-watching spot.
After that, City Park has more than enough to fill a few hours. You can go boating on its lake – or, in winter, ice-skating, which lies in the shadow of the quirky Vajdahunyad Castle, a fairytale hotch-potch of a building that incorporates over 20 different Hungarian architectural styles. Nearby, the Museum of Fine Arts in Heroes’ Square has some superb exhibitions (and is free with the Budapest Card).
Please don’t miss the House of Music, Hungary, which is not only a stunning work of design by architect Sou Fujimoto but contains one of the most engaging and interactive permanent exhibitions you’ll find anywhere, taking a breathtaking sweep through everything from choral music to rock and pop. It’s a surefire winner with adults and kids alike.
End the afternoon with a soothing soak at Széchenyi Baths, a huge complex of natural thermal pools chock-full of minerals that are said to ease everything from arthritis to migraines. Take a swimming costume, towel and flip-flops.
