The Atlas Obscura Guide To Budapest

80 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Budapest, Hungary

Updated September 22, 2026

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Unusual Attractions in Budapest

For Sale Pub

Budapest, Hungary

For Sale Pub

This Budapest bar allows drinkers to leave their mark on the walls, floor, and even ceiling.

Labyrinth Entrance from Castle Hill

Budapest, Hungary

Panoptikum Budapest

A series of caves under Castle Hill that once held the prisoner Vlad Tepes, better known as Count Dracula.

Reading room in the Ervin Szabo Library

Budapest, Hungary

Szabo Ervin Library

A 19th-century artistocrat's mansion, turned into a library, hidden in a modern library.

Shoes on the Danube

Budapest, Hungary

Shoes on the Danube Promenade

A trail of iron footwear stands as a monument to the thousands executed along this riverbank during WWII.

The grade is about 37 degrees

Budapest, Hungary

Budapest Castle Hill Funicular

Built in 1870 at the bridge that connected Buda and Pest, this spectacular incline railway was almost lost forever during World War II.

Vajdahunyad Castle

Budapest, Hungary

Vajdahunyad Castle

This Hungarian castle was built out of cardboard and wood until it proved so popular that it got upgraded to stone.

Budapest, Hungary

Budapest Cave Church

Once the home of a hermetic monk, this cave now houses a small church.

See All 80 Things To Do in Budapest

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Budapest

Budapest, Hungary

Szimpla Kert

A Trabant car, a kangaroo statue, and a plethora of plants take over this abandoned-factory-turned-bar.

Budapest, Hungary

Central Café and Restaurant 1887

Some of the greatest minds in the history of Hungarian art and science converged in this café.

Example of Unicum as Molotov Cocktail.

Budapest, Hungary

Zwack Unicum Museum

Central Europe's largest collection of mini-bottles is on display at this museum devoted to a bitter Hungarian liquor.

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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Budapest, Hungary

Statues 17

Memorials 10

Sculptures 10

Museums 9

World War Ii 8

Architecture 8

Soviet History 7

History & Culture 7

Holocaust 5

Monuments 5

Military 5

Castles 4

Abandoned 4

Trains 4

Collections 3

Engineering 3

Communism 3

Design 3

Architectural Oddities 3

Bars 3

Unique Restaurants & Bars 2

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Stories About Budapest

The Columbo statue in Budapest, Hungary celebrates an unlikely American television hit from the communist era.

The Budapest Columbo Statue: From American Detective to Socialist Folk Hero

This 1970s crime show was an unlikely Western hit on Hungary’s state-owned television channel.

by The Podcast Team, Atlas Obscura

All we know is it’s 1943.

Embracing the Mysteries of a Trove of Hungarian Photos, Rescued From the Dustbin of History

Glimpses of a century of everyday life.

by Winnie Lee, Atlas Obscura

Why There's a Columbo Statue in the Middle of Budapest

The American television character is memorialized in an unlikely locale.

by Lizzie Philip, Atlas Obscura

October 23, 2018

Lists Featuring Budapest

Twinings tea shop on the Strand.

Sashimi on a stick.

Top 25 Food Places that Fed Your Curiosity in 2025

Discover the food destinations Atlas Obscura readers loved most this year—and get inspired for where to go (and eat) next.

Including Café in the Crypt, Twinings Tea Shop, and Omoide Yokocho