Parks, Gardens & Playgrounds

Hungarians love to stroll in the park, and on weekends and summer afternoons, it seems as if the whole of Budapest is out enjoying what Hungarians lovingly refer to as "the nature."

Popular Margaret Island (Margit-sziget) has been a public park since 1908. The long, narrow island, connected to both Buda and Pest via the Margaret and Árpád bridges, is barred to most vehicular traffic. In addition to three important ruins -- the Dominican Convent, a 13th- to 14th-century Franciscan church, and a 12th-century Premonstratensian chapel -- attractions on the island include the Palatinus Strand open-air baths, which draw upon the famous thermal waters under Margaret Island; the Alfréd Hajós Sport Pool; and the Open-Air Theater. Sunbathers line the steep embankments along the river, and bikes are available for rent. There are several snack bars, open-air restaurants, and even clubs. Despite all this, Margaret Island remains a quiet, tranquil place. In any direction off the main road, you can find well-tended gardens or a patch of grass under the shade of a willow tree for a private picnic. Margaret Island is best reached by bus no. 26 from Nyugati tér, which runs the length of the island, or tram no. 4 or 6, which stops at the entrance to the island midway across the Margaret Bridge. Warning: These are popular metro lines for pickpockets.

City Park (Városliget) is an equally popular place to spend a summer day, and families are everywhere. Heroes' Square, at the end of Andrássy út, is the most logical starting point for a walk in City Park. Built in 1896 as part of the Hungarian millennial celebrations, the square has been the site of some important moments in Hungarian history. The lake behind the square is used for boating in summer and for ice skating in winter. The Vajdahunyad Castle, located by the lake, is an architectural mishmash if there ever was one. The castle was built as a temporary structure in 1896 for the millennial celebration in order to demonstrate the different architectural styles in Hungary; it was so popular that a permanent structure was eventually designed to replace it. It is now home to the Agricultural Museum, the largest of its kind in Europe, which has especially interesting exhibitions on Hungary's grape and wine industries. Admission to the museum is 900 Ft ($4.50); it's open in summer, early fall, and late spring Tuesday through Friday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 6pm; in late fall, winter, and early spring Monday through Friday 10am to 4pm, Saturday and Sunday to 5pm. Take the Yellow line of the metro to Széchenyi fürdo to get to the museum. The park's Animal Garden Boulevard (Állatkerti körút), the favorite street of generations of Hungarian children, is where the zoo, the circus, and the amusement park are all found. Gundel, Budapest's most famous restaurant, is also here, as are the Széchenyi Baths, which boast a splendid outdoor pool. The southern end of City Park is considerably less crowded, with fewer buildings. The Transport Museum is among the few attractions here. The nearby Petofi Csarnok is the venue for a variety of popular cultural events, concerts, and flea market fairs. The Yellow metro line makes stops at Hosök tere (Heroes' Sq.), at the edge of the park, and at Széchenyi fürdo, in the middle of the park.

There are numerous parks and nature reserves in the Buda Hills. You can ride the Children's Railroad through the hills or take the János Hill chairlift to its highest point. The Buda Hills are a great place to explore on your own; you'll hardly ever stray too far from a bus or tram line, and yet you'll feel as if you're in the countryside, far from a bustling capital city. Moszkva tér is the best place to start an excursion into the hills. Pick up tram no. 56 or bus no. 21, 22, or 28; get off when you see an area you like.

Tucked away throughout Budapest you will find some charming playgrounds. The Hungarian word for playground is játszótér (or játszó kert). Károly kert, a wonderful little enclosed park in the southern half of the Inner City, is bordered by Ferenczy István utca, Magyar utca, and Henszlmann Imre utca. Enter the park through a wrought-iron gate. Once inside, you'll find swings and seesaws, an enclosed miniature soccer field, a sandbox with a slide, and a nice stretch of green grass to run on. In the middle of all this is a fountain surrounded by flowers. The equipment is not as modern as what you'll find at some of the city's other playgrounds, but the park has a distinct old-world charm. Indeed, it once belonged to the adjacent Károlyi mansion, which was the home of Mihály Károlyi, who served briefly as Hungarian prime minister in 1918. The mansion was recently restored to its old splendor and functions as the Museum of Hungarian Literature (tel. 1/317-3611, ext. 203). Its location in the Inner City makes it a convenient destination. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Admission is 400 Ft ($2).

The playground in the Millenáris Park, right behind the Mammut Shopping Mall in Buda's Széna tér, would probably be preferred more by the kids. The playground is located in a reconstructed industrial heritage site that was once home to the famous Ganz Company, which produced carriages and engines for the Hungarian railroads beginning in the 19th century. Parents can watch their kids playing in this safe and creative playground from the shade of trees, next to an impressive system of decorative waterfalls and fountains.

Another fine playground is located not far from Buda's busy transportation hub, Móricz Zsigmond körtér. At the intersection of Villányi út and Tas Vezér utca (directly across the street from the Hotel Flamenco), this playground is entirely self-enclosed (no dogs allowed), clean, well maintained, and very large, with lots of modern equipment.

Other good playgrounds can be found in VII. Almássy tér, between Blaha Lujza tér and Oktogon, and at Hild tér, in a small park near the Pest side of the Chain Bridge.

Margaret Island, for all its charm, lacks a decent playground. The best one it has to offer is just off the main road to the left after you pass the stadium at the head of the island.

If you find yourself in Buda's Watertown district (perhaps on our Watertown walking tour) and you want to make a little play stop, there is a small, colorful neighborhood playground in a quiet, residential area on Franklin utca, between Donáti utca and Iskola utca.

Another neighborhood playground is found in Pillangó Park, just across the street from the Pillangó utca metro station (Red line). This playground is situated in the midst of a huge Socialist-era housing development in outer Pest. The architecture is not pretty, but this is how most people live in Budapest, so it's worth a look. The playground features a manually operated merry-go-round for the little ones, and another nearby playground has a cable swing for bigger kids.

Rainy day desperation? Take the kids to the Moszkva tér McDonald's or to IKEA (Red line metro to Ors vezér tere), both of which have decent indoor play spaces.