Buda Castle: tickets, tours, opening hours and more

One of the things that stands out when researching what to see in Budapest is its division into two large areas: Pest and Buda. In the latter, no one should miss the complex that forms the so-called Buda Castle.

The grounds themselves do not require an entrance fee, although the museums inside do: the National Gallery, the Budapest History Museum and the History Museum. Below, you will find all the information you need about tickets, tours, opening hours and prices for your visit.

The gardens, main courtyard and surroundings of the Castle are free, so you can walk around there for as long as you like. However, the three wings of the main building house different institutions that do require an entrance fee. That said, you can book the Budapest Card and get discounts or even free admission to some of these institutions.

Here is more information about the different tickets:

• Hungarian National Gallery: around £8 for the permanent exhibitions, with a 50% discount for EU citizens aged between 6 and 26, as well as for seniors over 62. Free with the Budapest Card
• Budapest History Museum: around £5.50 per person, with a 50% discount for young people and seniors. Free with the Budapest Card
• Széchenyi National Library: free admission
• Buda Labyrinth: just over £6.50 for adults. Students, teachers and senior citizens pay around £5.50 and children under 12 pay only £1.50. Budapest Card holders pay around £5.50 for admission.

The best way to make the most of your visit to Buda Castle and the surrounding neighbourhood is to book a tour of Budapest. Bear in mind that although you can hire a bike in Budapest, the hills and narrow streets in this area make it impossible to do so.

The main advantage of guided tours is the presence of an expert guide who will explain the history of the complex and the narrow streets that surround it. These tours usually cover the entire castle complex, although admission to the museums is not normally included. They also show the historic houses and churches in this part of the city, as well as the remains of a medieval synagogue.

When choosing a tour of Buda Castle, you should look out for one of the main differences between them: Matthias Church. While some tours do not include it, others do. My advice is to opt for the latter, as it is a truly impressive monument.

What these types of tours usually include

A tour of Budapest that includes the Castle District usually lasts about 3 hours, costs from £28 and is conducted in an air-conditioned vehicle. It includes several stops:

• Walk through the Castle District.
• Heroes' Square.
• Elizabeth Bridge.
• Andrássy Avenue.
• St. Stephen's Basilica.
• Matthias Church.
• Fishermen's Bastion.

Another option: the free tour of Buda Castle

A perfect alternative if you are looking for flexibility and historical context is the free tour of Buda Castle. For just over two hours, you will walk with a local guide to places such as Matthias Church, the Fishermen's Bastion and the medieval streets of the castle district, with an introduction to Hungarian culture and language included.

These types of tours do not have a fixed price: at the end of the tour, you decide how much to contribute based on your experience.

In principle, both the gardens and courtyards are open 24 hours a day. I recommend checking if there are any concerts or festivals taking place, as these usually require an entrance fee.

The National Gallery is open every day except Mondays, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The History Museum has the same opening hours as the gallery. In both cases, closing time in winter is brought forward to 4 pm.

If you want to visit the National Library, you will need to book in advance by phone, as it cannot be visited on your own. Finally, the Buda Labyrinth is open every day from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm, as well as at night from 8:30 pm to 8 am.

To save money during your visit to the paid attractions at Buda Castle (and other places in the city), you can buy the Budapest Card.

There are three different types of this card, which allow free entry or significant discounts to the city's main attractions. You can choose between a 24-, 48- or 72-hour card, with prices starting at £45.

To calculate whether it is worth buying, you should not only take into account the price of each museum, but also the cost of public transport (included in the card) and a free thermal bath.

The first thing to know is what you can visit at Buda Castle, also known as the Royal Palace. Given its history, this castle has suffered attacks that destroyed much of its structure, although it has always been rebuilt each time this happened.

• Today, the exterior of the castle is quite austere, especially when compared to the exuberance of the decorations inside, which take visitors back in time to its heyday. The first thing that stands out is its location within the city: on a hill about 300 metres high with impressive views of the Danube.
• The main building, the castle itself or Royal Palace (so called because it was the residence of the Magyar kings for a time) consists of several wings built around the so-called Lion's Courtyard.

The vast majority of tours and individual visitors tend to enter the grounds via St. George's Square, as this is where the funicular stop is located, which connects the hill to the Chain Bridge and, therefore, to Pest. To enter, you have to go through a beautifully decorated gate dating from the early 20th century. Next to it, you will see a bronze statue of a bird on a pedestal, the symbol of the Kingdom of Hungary.

What to see in Buda Castle

• Lion's Courtyard: it is worth walking around this courtyard to see the exterior of the various museums that are now located in the castle.
• National Gallery: this large museum occupies no less than four of the wings into which the palace is divided. Here you can see works by Hungarian artists from the Middle Ages. One of its most interesting rooms is the former throne room.
• National Library: opposite the gallery is the wing of the palace occupied by the National Library, founded in the early 1800s. According to reports, it now contains at least one copy of every book published in the country.
• Budapest History Museum: the last part of the castle is occupied by the city's History Museum. Inside, you can learn about the history of the Hungarian capital from prehistoric times to the modern day. If you go inside, don't miss the Gothic Chapel and the Armoury.

When talking about visiting Buda Castle, the surrounding neighbourhood is usually included. In its fascinating streets, you will see some of the city's best-known monuments, not to mention the wonderful views of the Danube from some of its viewpoints.

• Fishermen's Bastion: there is probably no better place to see the whole city from above. The building was constructed on top of an old fortress and has seven towers symbolising the seven leaders of the Magyar tribes. You will also see a large statue of Saint Stephen.
• Matthias Church: built in the 13th century in Gothic style, continuous renovations have not detracted from its grandeur. Its interior is divided into three naves, with the decorations in the chapels being particularly noteworthy. Several Hungarian kings were crowned in this church and, if you are lucky, you may be able to attend one of the concerts held there today.
• Vienna Gate Square: located in the upper part of the Buda Castle district. It was formerly the site of the market and today you can see a beautiful gate with rich ornamentation.
• Buda Labyrinth: one of the area's major attractions is this labyrinth of caves and natural tunnels that run through much of the hill. In total, there are 4 kilometres of these tunnels, although only the first kilometre can be visited. Exhibitions and guided tours are held inside.

If you like contemporary history, don't miss a visit to the Rock Hospital Museum and Nuclear Bunker located in the neighbourhood's tunnel system.

If you want to go to Buda Castle on your own, there are several ways to get there. I recommend that you at least walk up or down the hill so that you can explore the neighbourhood streets at your leisure. To do this, you can use one of the two main entrances to the Royal Palace:

• The first is reached by going through a decorated gate (located a few metres from the funicular station) that leads to the Habsburg Stairs. Climbing these stairs will take you to the castle courtyard.
• The other option is to reach the Corvin Gate from Dísz Tér, near the Buda Labyrinth. This gate is easily recognisable by a raven-shaped ornament holding a gold ring, representing Matthias Corvinus.

In addition to walking up (or down), you can also reach the castle by taking the Budavári Sikló funicular railway. A single ticket costs around £3.30, with discounts available for return tickets. This means of transport usually runs between 7:30 a.m. and 10 p.m. Finally, bus lines 16, 16A and 116 also stop at Buda Castle so you can start your visit.