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Castle Garden
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Castle Garden

See all things to do
See all things to do
Castle Garden
4.5
358 reviews
#38 of 748 things to do in Budapest
Points of Interest & Landmarks
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6:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Monday
6:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Tuesday
6:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Wednesday
6:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Thursday
6:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Friday
6:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Saturday
6:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Sunday
6:00 AM - 12:00 AM
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About
The World Heritage Site Castle Garden is Budapest’s modernest and most imposing venue, where classical renaissance meets contemporary architecture in design. Thousands of square meters of outdoor venues, multifunctional event spaces, exhibition areas and exclusive panorama terraces alternate in the building complex. However, Castle Garden is much more, than a venue. It serves as the gate of Buda Castle, it is the home of permanent and temporary exhibitions, concerts, festivals and family events. Moreover, it is Buda’s cultural stop and a leisure place in the Neorenaissance garden.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: District I / Buda
The historical center to a city with a multifarious and intricate past, Buda has some of the most outstanding buildings in Europe and an enviable natural landscape with stunning views onto the Danube. Centered around the Royal Palace, it provides a glimpse into the golden years of the Austro-Hungarian empire and the lives led by the aristocracy at the time. Matthias Church, beside the palace, hosted many events attended by the royal family and was the chosen place for the coronation of Franz Josef, one of the Hungarian Habsburg kings. Having admired the palace and the church, a visit to Buda will be unforgettable by the stunning and memorable panorama over Pest offered by the seven towered Fishermen’s Bastion.
How to get there
  • Vörösmarty tér • 8 min walk
Best nearby
Restaurants
3,208 within 3 miles
Főőrség Étterem és Kávéház (Royal Guard Café)
58
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Cafe
Tabani Goesser Soeroezo
242
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • European • Eastern European • Central European
Dubarry Restaurant
793
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • International • European • Eastern European
Marvelosa
617
0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Cafe • European • Eastern European
Lanchid Brasserie
881
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • Bar • European • Pub
VígVarjú Restaurant
297
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • European • Central European • Hungarian
Aranybástya Étterem - Kávéház
144
0.4 miBar • Cafe • International • European
ZONA Budapest
936
0.1 mi$$$$ • International • European • Central European
Leo Rooftop Budapest
232
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Bar • International • Contemporary
Vén Hajó Restaurant
265
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • European • Eastern European • Central European
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Attractions
680 within 6 miles
Varhegy
10,667
0.1 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks
Buda Castle
8,094
0.1 miCastles
Hungarian National Gallery (Magyar Nemzeti Galéria)
1,305
0.1 miArt Galleries • Art Museums
Miklos Ybl Square
30
213 ftPoints of Interest & Landmarks
Fountain of King Matthias
771
0.2 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Fountains
Budapesti Történeti Múzeum
436
0.1 miArchitectural Buildings • History Museums
Széchenyi Lánchíd
17,583
0.3 miBridges
Prince Eugene of Savoy's Equestrian Statue
46
0.1 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues
Semmelweis Museum of Medical History (Orvostorteneti Muzeum)
88
0.1 miSpeciality Museums
Mace Tower - Buzoganytorony
1
0.1 miHistoric Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
358 reviews
Excellent
184
Very good
137
Average
33
Poor
2
Terrible
2
Sarah
Oxford, UK144 contributions
Recommend going at night
Nov 2021 • Couples
It’s free to walk around the garden and outside the castle building. You can enter from the river side or the main castle entrance. There is an escalator and lift which is ideal after a full day walking. We went at night and I highly recommend this as it was quieter and beautifully lit up. There is quite a bit of restoration going on however the fenced off sections have been turned into an exhibit about the history of the castle. There is also a cafe and public toilets. Highly recommend for a peaceful walk and great views across the Danube.
Written November 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Carol A S
Marietta, GA4,202 contributions
Garden and neo-classical building complex below Buda hill
May 2019
Castle Garden is on a terrace at the southeast end of Buda Hill. It was originally designed as an alternative entrance to the royal complex from the Danube riverbank. A small palace and a formal ornamental garden covered the lower hill slopes. The area was recently renovated into a modern 19th-century neo-Renaissance complex of exhibition halls, theaters, food stalls, restaurants and gardens, with a long terrace overlooking the Danube. There are occasional meetings, formal dinners and exhibitions in the complex. When I visited there was a superb and well-organized World War I exhibit called “A New World Was Born.” I climbed a historic stairway leading up to the Buda Castle level, enjoying expansive views of Budapest and the Danube. The Castle Garden complex is beautifully lit at night.
Written February 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
JRMADA
United States3,272 contributions
Beautiful And Relaxing
Aug 2022
Good place to seat and relax, but not during summer as it get really hot. It is worth a visit as it is beautiful. I would guess that in mid to late spring is the best time to visit. I visited early in the morning on a summer day and had the place all to myself.
Written August 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Hamiczech
Ostrava, Czech Republic531 contributions
Worth visiting, to relax a little bit
Oct 2021
If you have nice weather, I certainly recommend to visit this beautiful castle gardens with interesting architecture, as u can see on my photos. There is no entrance fee.
To see all pictures from Budapest visit my blog hamiczech.tips and for more travel inspiration follow me on Insta HAMICZECH...thaaanks
Written March 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Docs On Vacay
Malaysia2,530 contributions
Neo-Renaissance architectural marvels
Dec 2022
Neo-Renaissance architectural marvels with views of Budapest.
I really loved the sights here. Castle Garden Bazaar, built in the late 19th century, was part of the journey to Buda Castle, and it made for a most memorable walk.
Written January 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
MrMrsHappyR
Liverpool, UK1,076 contributions
Nice Enough
Oct 2022 • Couples
This was a beautiful finish to a lovely walk along the castle walls. These are free to enter and walk around. There are lots of lovely plants and flowers. There are also a few impressive fountains. From here it is a short walk to Elisabeth Bridge.
Written October 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
filmex
Budapest272 contributions
The Varket Revival.
Nov 2014 • Solo
I am an Englishman living in Budapest. I am lucky enough to live a 2 minute walk from this spectacular revival from ruin to a magical fantasy....
For years I walked by the horrendous ruin as walls and architectural features disintegrated..
For 3 years dedicated designers and workmen injected new life into this incredible fantasy with walkways ,gardens ,passages and relaxing areas that overlook the magical Danube...
Now each evening I walk my little Chiwawa along the illuminated boulevard and having been in the film industry for 30 years I feel I am walking through a film set with illuminated neo classical frontage on the one side and old trams on the other..
Unlike a film set however this transfornation is here to stay..For people to wonder at and enjoy..
There are museums and exhibition areas ..Restaurants are opening ..Soon coffee shops and other attractions will follow..
From the river boats it also looks amazing..
This is just one of many reasons to visit this great city...It is a Spring, Summer,Autumn and Winter wonderland..
Written November 12, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1234texas
Seabrook, TX2,402 contributions
These are very nice gardens--more for the hardscape and structures than the flora
Apr 2019
As we did our walk around the castle, we were pleasantly surprised at the number of gardens tucked into the architecture. It is definitely worth your time if you have any interest in gardening.

As a bonus--there are no fees!
Written August 12, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
GyuriP
Budapest, Hungary37 contributions
A beautiful new attraction
Dec 2014 • Couples
Built by the most important Hungarian architect, Miklós Ybl the arcade of the Várkert Bazár (Castle Garden Bazaar) was originally housing shops, hence the name. Later workshops and studios moved in here. The gorgeous Neo-Renaissance garden with lovely flowerbeds, dazzling fountains, and grottoes above the arcade made it a genuine attraction of Budapest. From 1961 on and the so-called Youth Park used to function here, kind of an open-air live music club, but following a severe accident in 1984 it was closed and became a neglected area. Step by step it developed to one of the most endangered monuments of the world, a real shame of the Hungarian capital. After decades of deterioration the Várkert Bazár along with the multilayered and zigzagged park was finally renovated and is shining in its old glory again.
A nice programme is to walk from the entrance at the Danube up the garden, using the walkways, stairs and even an escalator, while enjoying the magnificent view over the river and the city. There are also elevators, but at the time we were there, they were ungeared. You will finally arrive in the Castle Area where you can visit further must-sees. At the end you can take bus line 16, getting off on Széll Kálmán tér (Metro 2), from where you can continue discovering the city.
The Neo-Renaissance Garden can be visited free of charge, the exhibitions are against entry fees.
Getting to the Várkert Bazár is easy if you hop on the tram line 19 or 41 from Batthyány tér (Metro 2) and get off at the stop called Várkert Bazár. You can also get there by boat, disembarking at the jetty with the same name.
Written January 1, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
charlotte990
London, UK71 contributions
Great renovation - could be utilised better.
Mar 2017 • Couples
This is a great way to get to the castle district, as the area has not only a escalator, but also a lift to the top and saves those whose walking ability is not as great as was. Also if your legs are tired, you will be able to give them some respite. In Summer there are pop up concerts and other events which are fun to attend or just have a picnic on the very landscaped lawns. Also a bonus of having free wifi in the area,should you wish to check your next port of call or times of events online, as you are out for the day.
Written April 11, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Castle Garden (Budapest) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Castle Garden
Castle Garden is open:
  • Sun - Sat 6:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking Castle Garden tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 26 Castle Garden tours on Tripadvisor
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