ELTE Botanical Garden

Hungary’s first and most famous botanical garden was established in 1771 in the city of Nagyszombat (present-day Trnava, Slovakia) for the medical students of the university. After a couple of moves and seven decades, the so-called “Füvészkert” found its eventual home in 1847 in Józsefváros, then a neighbourhood of Pest. Its name derives from Ferenc Molnár’s classic youth novel, The Paul Street Boys, where the Füvészkert (literally ‘herbalist garden’) plays an important role in the powerplay between the two rivalling gang of schoolboys. In its heyday the garden housed more than 12,000 plant species on 10 hectares. Today it operates as a special educational unit of the Eötvös Loránd University on a little bit over 3 hectares of land, giving home to 8,000 species, including many kinds of cactuses, Queen Victoria’s water lily, the ancient Wollemi pine, witch hazel, orchids, bamboo and more. Füvészkert’s most notable monument is the country’s first Palm House, complete with a small pond inside, tropical conditions, and a wide range of exotic trees. If you want some peace of mind, there’s no better place to find it than in the green ocean of the fascinating Füvészkert! Open every day from 9 AM to 5 PM. Entry is 1,000 HUF for adults.

Budai Arboretum

Located at the south-western foot of Gellért Hill, near Feneketlen Lake, the 7,5 hectares large Budai Arborétum is a truly unique place: it’s a university campus and a nature reserve at the same time, with a mind-bogglingly rich collection of flora. Financed by the Emperor Franz Joseph and the Hungarian nobility, Buda’s number one botanical garden was founded in 1860 as a gardening school by Dr Ferenc Entz, who previously served as a military doctor during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. In the beginning, the whole area was covered in grapes, which were eradicated by the phylloxera epidemic of the late 19th century, giving way to thousands of other plant species. The castle-like school building still stands after more than 150 years in the upper garden area of the lush and romantic arboretum. In addition to thousands of ligneous ornamental plants, bulbous flowers and perennials, the garden also boasts ponds, rock gardens, greenhouses and more than 30 kinds of protected perching birds. The garden is open every day between 8 AM and 6 PM. Entry is free.

Budakeszi Arboretum

Surrounded by the mild green slopes of the Buda Hills, Budakeszi Arborétum was founded and designed in 1959 by forest engineer Gáspár Galambos and his team of landscape planners. Part of the Buda Landscape Protection Region, the botanical garden occupies an area of almost 30 hectares, making it one of the largest arboretums of the country. The majority of its plant collection was transported here from Szombathely’s Kámon Arborétum, while the rest of its 1060 species come from public parks and botanical gardens from all over the country. The Budakeszi Arborétum awaits nature lovers every day of the week from 9 AM to 6 PM with a rich assemblage of conifers, including fir trees, redwoods, Japanese red cedars, and Canadian hemlocks. Entry is 1,000 HUF. To get to Budakeszi Arborétum take the 2840 bus at the VOLÁN station on Széna tér.

Soroksári Botanical Garden

Sprawling over 60 hectares, this seemingly impenetrable wilderness has been operating since 1963 at the south-eastern edge of Pest, making it the city’s biggest and youngest arboretum. The botanical garden gives home to the indigenous plant species of North America, the Carpathian Basin, Central and East Asia, the Caucasus, as well as Eastern and Southern Europe. Awaiting visitors from subtropical trees to a buoyant wildlife (including newts, owls, foxes, deers, and weasels), Soroksári Botanikus Kert is open on weekdays between 8 AM and 4 PM, and from 9 AM to 4 PM on Saturday. Entry is 500 HUF, while a guided tour costs 2,000 HUF.

Fűvészkert

You may have heard the word ‘fűvészkert’ (which means botanical garden in Hungarian) before, since this particular garden is the main scene of Ferenc Molnár’s famous novel, The Paul Street Boys. In Fűvészkert, the first botanical garden in Hungary, more than 8000 types of plant can be found – you can even take a guided tour with an expert who will tell you all about them! The centrally located garden is otherwise ideal for long walks, romantic dates, and, of course, picnic.

Margaret Island

There is nothing like Margitsziget in sunny weather. The 2,5-kilometer long green island is located on river Danube, halfway between Buda and Pest, and visited by every Budapester in springtime including the enthusiasts of outdoor sports, dog lovers, cyclists, youngsters, pensioners, workers, locals as well as foreigners. You can try lángos, the Hungarian fatty food specialty; borrow a bike, watch the fountain show, use the street workout facilities, take the running path, or just chill on Nagyrét. Don’t miss out!

The yard of the Hungarian National Museum

The yard of the Hungarian National Museum is located in the heart of Budapest, between Astoria and Kálvin tér. In 1848 it was the meeting point of Hungarian revolutioners, nowadays it is that of the students of the nearby universities who either lie in the grass, or sit on the stairs drinking, eating, and chatting. Although the noise of the busy streets may be bothering for some, the vigorous vibes of the young compensate.

Garden of Philosophy

Situated a bit lower than the Citadel but still over the city there is Gellért Hill’s hidden gem, the Garden of Philosophy. The park was named after Nándor Wagner’s sculpture which has stood there since 2001. Garden of Philosophy is less known by the tourists, so it is not as crowded as the Citadel but the view is similarly impressive.

Kopaszi-gát

Buda has its own island of peace, namely Kopaszi-gát (gát meaning dam). The huge green area at the waterside is situated in the outskirt of Budapest, which might be the reason why it is so calming walking around the recently renovated area. You will find restaurants and cafés in case you forget to bring your own for the picnic. Remember not to take dogs, because they are not allowed in the park.

Római-part

When you take the train to the only natural coast of the city, you will be amazed by the retro atmosphere the place has preserved since the second half of the nineteenth century. There are plenty of restaurants and cafés that mostly serve Hungarian specialities you can try, or you can organize a barbecue while enjoying the closeness of the river.

Normafa

Normafa is the perfect choice for families who would like to get away from the urban bustle to spend a day in green environment. You can take one of the walking paths, go up to Erzsébet Lookout Tower for a beautiful view over the nearby hills, take the children’s railway, or just enjoy the afternoon on a blanket while the kids are having fun at the playground.

Erzsébet tér

As soon as the warm weather arrives, every year Erzsébet square becomes loaded with people chilling in the sun in the afternoon, and getting pre-drinks in the evening. This green spot of Deák square is filled with loud laughter mixed with the sounds of jamming musicians every day.