Valentine’s Day in Budapest – Recommendations for quite walks and programmes for couples.
In this entry we would like to provide a few options for couples spending Valentine’s Day in Budapest and also share a few spots in the city for long romantic walks not just for this occasion, but all year around.
For a romantic afternoon spent together, instead of staying home binge watching tv series or visiting the obvious sights of Margitsziget, Gellért Hill, and Városliget we would like to offer you a couple of unique places and programmes for you to check out! We tried to go for some other sights which will prove that the above-mentioned locations may not be the only perfect spots for quality time to spend with your loved one. The following places, although visited by fewer people compared to the mainstream areas, serve as real oases in the hustle and bustle of the capital, where the two of you can hide from the world for a few hours.
As a precursor to spring we would like to recommend you both openair and some covered attractions throughout the city.
Home to many urban legends: Feneketlen tó (Bottomless Lake)
Photo: ourwanders.com
Although located in the heart of the city, if you wander onto one of the paths from the busy Bartók Béla Street in district XI, you might feel like you’ve stepped into another world.
If you’re planning an outdoor date, it’s worth choosing the surroundings of Bottomless Lake, one of the most beautiful downtown parks in Budapest, located near Kosztolányi Dezső Square in the 11th district. Numerous urban legends surround the origin of this park. And if you not only circle around the lake but also explore secret places, you may come across hidden gems.
In 1877, a 4-5.5-meter-deep cavity was formed during the excavation of a clay pit for a brick factory, filled with hot water due to the construction works. However, some theorize that the actual depth of the pond is 30 meters. The park surrounding it, which has been maintained since 1957, was once an abandoned area rich in spring water. Although it was never used for bathing purposes. Today the park surrounding the tiny lake offers a lovely atmosphere complete with a sense of isolation from the city’s noise.
Bathing together in a unique atmosphere – Beer Spa Budapest
Photo: Thermalbeerspa.com
If you have already tried any of the spas in Budapest and you think you saw it all, you could not be further from the truth! If the crowded areas of the spas are not what you are looking for, go for the Beer Spa! A tiny bit of heaven on Earth with beer in hot tubs. Available in both the Széchenyi Spa and inside the Lukács Bath providing a truly unique experience for couples.
During your 45-minute session you can relax in the wooden hot tubs filled with fresh thermal water along with the ingredients of beer, while you enjoy an unlimited consumption of beer which you can tap yourselves right next to your tub. Sounds fantastic? Wait there is more! A new feature available only in the Lukács Bath facility, you can try an ice bath combined with the refreshing reward of the beer bath experience afterwards. In the dimly lit confines of the establishment, you are invited into tubs which you can share with loved one, or if you would like to stretch out comfortably you can opt for two separate tubs still being close to each other creating the perfect atmosphere for the occasion. Before your session, the staff put malt, hop, and a special bathing salt into the water ensuring skin and muscle relaxation. The benefits of each element mixed in your tub is told in a short briefing.
This truly refreshing facility is one of the many underrated gems of Budapest and it is a must try even with your couple or with friends once you visit Budapest. If you plan on a full day of recreation and might want to visit the adjacent spas, they also provide combined entry tickets to either the Széchenyi or the Lukács baths. Be sure to book your session in advance. For additional info we provide their link below:
Services – Thermal Beer Spa
A tiny miracle in the heart of Budapest: Fűvészkert (Botanical Garden)
Photo: kozeltavol.hu
Hidden among the streets of District VIII in Budapest, the Budapest Botanical Garden, also known as the ELTE Botanical Garden, created from the former estate of the Festetics family, promises a truly romantic experience as a literal oasis in the city center for couples.
Established in 1770-71 and relocated from Nagyszombat to Budapest, this garden, designed in the English park style, has been considered a nationally valuable nature conservation area since 1960. You can wander among peace-time palm houses and rock gardens, shaded by centuries-old Chinese fern pines and evergreen ornamental trees, enjoying the color and scent extravaganza of the numerous species of flowers that bloom here.
In this three-hectare area dominated by plants, you will find a pond inhabited by wild ducks and turtles, fed from a natural spring, a baroque-style mansion, and ruins. If you crave a bit of solitude, you can visit the palm house or the arboretum of the garden. It’s worth strolling to the tropical water basin at the Victoria House, where you can walk among uniquely beautiful Amazonian water lilies, orchids. And while you’re here, you can also visit the adjacent squirrel reserve in Orczy Garden.
Photo: Szallas.hu
In addition, during this Valentine’s Day you can visit the Garden of Lights – Alice in Wonderland.
We introduced this event in more details in our previous entry, for more details check out our programmes for January article! Until March you can visit this truly unique sight. For more details we provide the link for the occasion:
Garden of Lights – Alice Csodaországban
The perfect programme for the occasion – Valentine’s Day Cruise on the Danube
Photo: Silverline Cruises
Looking for something special to impress your loved one? Silverline Cruises provides just the right programme for the occasion! Indulge yourselves with the fantastic scenery of the capital of Hungary. Discover the city highlights from the Danube, complete with a 4-course menu and live piano music in the background. In addition, we would like to surprise you with our gift package including a red rose, strawberry sparkling wine cocktails and heart-shaped dessert. This 3-hour long candle-lit programme is surely a great way to express your love and properly celebrate Valentine’s Day in Budapest.
See more details here.
Strolls on the Danube bank: Kopaszi Gát (Kopaszi Dam)
Photo: privatbankar.hu
If you cannot resist the allure of the approaching good weather and desire a peaceful pastime without leaving the city limits, Kopaszi Dam, located at the foot of the Lágymányosi Bridge in District XI, offers an excellent recreational opportunity for both of you. In this ten-hectare modern green area opened in 2007, you can stroll along the impressive promenades of the Danube, among colorfully furnished cafes, restaurants, and exhibition spaces, all while enjoying the company of freshly baked chimney cakes on the well-kept lawn.
Additionally, during summer times you can cool off with an ice cream under the oak trees, marvel at the blooming flowers in the park and the view of the bay, formerly used as a winter harbor in the last century, beyond the modern silhouette of the Lágymányosi Bridge over the Danube, the Liberty Statue towering above and the Citadel. The peninsula hosts numerous cultural events periodically, and you can choose from the programs of the easily accessible Palace of Arts or the National Theatre. It also serves as an ideal location for an intimate picnic combined with a romantic rendezvous.
Romantic walks in the Buda Castle – Tóth Árpád sétány
Photo: Silverline Cruises
The last entry on our list is best to experience in full springtime however the view from the western wall of the Buda Castle District is breathtaking regardless of the season. Despite being a highly frequented touristy area, you might find spectacular wonders and lovely hidden spots especially if you take the serpentine road leading down to the Tabán area, which on itself is a sight worth visiting for couples.
The Tóth Árpád avenue was created in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the recapture of Buda, it was then transformed into a promenade and the surroundings of the western section were arranged between 1934 and 1936. Its present form was obtained during the restoration work following the devastations of the Second World War, carried out between 1966 and 1970 based on the plans of Ildikó Kecskésné Szabó. The most recent renovation took place between 2005 and 2011. During this restoration, in two stages in 2006 and 2009, the outer row of trees was uniformly replaced with Japanese ornamental cherry trees, the blossoming of which has since become a tourist attraction.
We hope that we could give you some tips and advice on some truly romantic spots and things to do in Budapest around Valentine’s Day, be sure to check out next entry soon.
