Outdoor Activities for November

From a nostalgic train ride among the trees of the Buda Hills to the continent’s largest ice skating rink, here are the city’s most visit-worthy programs for this month!

Children’s Railway

Opened in 1947, the diesel locomotives of Budapest Children’s Railway throttle among the Buda Hills between the Széchenyihegy and Hűvösvölgy neighborhoods, passing by lookout towers, forest playgrounds, places of pilgrimage, and a number of other attractions, including the Budakeszi Wildlife Park. Like any other railway, it has ticket offices, signals, switches and a timetable. Unlike other railways though, this one is run by children. The trains, which run every day except for Mondays, make six scheduled stops along the way, making up a total journey time of 50 minutes. Travel for children under the age of 6 is free.

1021 Budapest, Gyermekvasúthoz vezető út 5.

Zugliget Chairlift

Transporting passengers from Zugliget to János Hill, home to the city’s highest point and the beautiful Elizabeth Lookout Tower, the Zugliget Chairlift has been in operation for more than 50 years, providing an unforgettable bird’s eye view of Budapest for hundreds of thousands of people. The ride (covering a track length of 1,040 meters and an elevation of 262 meters) takes approximately 12 to 15 minutes to reach the terminal, allowing romantic couples plenty of time for getting lost in each other’s gaze and snapping a few selfies for Instagram, too.

1121 Budapest, Zugligeti út 97.

City Park Ice Rink

Set to open for the 2022/23 winter season in the middle of November, Europe’s largest ice rink has been awaiting skaters since 1869. Its Neo-Baroque style main building (today a national monument) came a few decades later, built in 1895 in preparation for the Millennium Celebrations. Overlooking the marvelous Vajdahunyadvár castle complex and the grand statues of Heroes’ Square, a visit to the city’s number one open-air ice skating arena, paired with a chimney’s cake and a mug of mulled wine is one of the most fairy-tale-esque programs we can think of!

1146 Budapest, Olof Palme sétány 5.

ELTE Botanical Garden

Established in 1847, the ELTE Botanical Garden (better known as Füvészkert, or Herbalist Garden) plays an important role in Ferenc Molnár’s world-renowned youth novel, The Paul Street Boys. Operating on a little bit over 3 hectares just outside the city center, it houses 8,000 plant species, including a variety of cactuses, Queen Victoria’s water lily, the ancient Wollemi pine, witch hazel, orchids, bamboo, and more. The most notable attraction of Füvészkert is the country’s oldest Palm House: boasting a small pond inside, tropical conditions, and a wide range of exotic trees, it will surely make you forget about the cold world outside.

1083 Budapest, Illés utca 25.