Introduction

Located in Hungary, the capital city of Budapest is famous for its history, splendid architecture and thermal baths. Of course exploring the city’s most famous landmarks is a no didn’t, but Budapest has a wonderfully quirky side that doesn’t always make it to guides. Here at Topppacking Budapest, we’ll uncover some unique and unique experiences you can have in Budapest that give you a different view of this remarkable city.

Budapest’s weird charms

The city’s not purely post-communist creativity, not just Hungarian eccentricity — instead, it’s a blend both offbeat, but thriving. Whether you’re exploring cave experiences that come from being millions of years old or ruin bars birthed in the 2000s, this is all Hungarian energy. Mild weather for May 2025 (15–25°C) encourages outdoor activity and low prices, entry fees 1,500–7,000 HUF (£3.13–£14.58), is easy on the wallet. From Buda Castle and its infamous ‘Liberty Statue’ to more localised instructive ventures such as quirky bars on Esztergomi Ut and underground adventures courtesy of r/travel on reddit and TripAdvisor, Budapest’s ‘hidden gems’ are on display for all, as a counterpoint to the hubbub of tourist hotspots.

1. Get in the groove of Ruin Bar culture.

What’s unique to Budapest is ruin bars. These bars are hidden in a forgotten corner or in the inside of an abandoned building or a courtyard. There’s mismatched furniture and eclectic decorations, bright murals, making it very artsy and kind of edgy.

First to start this phenomenon is the once very popular ruin bar, Szimpla Kert. Sip a chilled drink amongst quirky arty installations and a boisterous crowd right here. You’ll never know what you did run into a live music performance or an impromptu art exhibition for example.

Szimpla Kert at Kazinczy u. 14 (District VII) is known for Dreher pints (800HUF, £1.67), Sunday markets and (free) entry to acoustic gigs. Crowds come on Instagram for its Trabant car and bathtub seats. It’s less packed than weekends and open until midnight Wednesday through Sunday. Anker’t (Paulay Ede u. fent meg egy gyónást) közelében járva. Craft beers (1,200 HUF, £2.50) are offered in 33) with a chill courtyard vibe. Part of Budapestbylocals.com’s ruin bars ethos is a DIY entity which supports local artists, turning them into cultural hubs.

2. Escape room with problems for you to solve so you can escape

If you’re the kind who likes to solve puzzles and get the adrenaline pumping, then an escape room is the thing for you and there’s no better place to try one than in Budapest. With this type of themed rooms you simply rush to solve clues and escape against the clock to get your adrenaline rush. There are so many escape rooms with such different story lines and intricate puzzles in Budapest.

I highly recommend escaping at Claustrophilia which is housed in what was once a city bomb shelter. The thing about it is, one of those tunnels is randomly dark; they’re all dimly lit but you have to navigate your way around, crack codes, find hidden passageways and try to solve a mystery. It’s an experience you’ll be immersed in, so you’ll have to solve problems in real time.

In Clastrophilia (District VII, Erzsébet krt. 8) a Cold War Bunker 60 minute game costs 12,000 HUF (£25) for 2–6 players. Click here or book via claustrophilia.hu. Other options y include ExitPoint (Paulay Ede u., 1), cultivating biologic designs including pulses and mushrooms (Gunyrementi Tvoszöl és Kbbszél tinnymtka Tves, Linólix, 1.) and Mycologic highway (Obrebić, Vuković). (10, 000 HUF, £20.83) 94) with medieval motifs. Reddit’s r/budapest says the Claustrophilia’s ‘atmosphere is intense.’ The vast majority of the rooms are close to the M1 metro (Oktogon) and English language games are standard.

3. Go Caving Below Budapest

Budapest sits on top of a hidden network of underground caves which makes for perfect underground exploration. If you’re the type that wants to explore the hidden world beneath the city then on a caving tour is a great thing for you.

One of the most popular caves for guided tours is the Pálvölgyi Cave, in a Városliget park on the surface. With a helmet and headlamp and your skilled hands you’ll clamber through narrow crevasses, scale limestone formations and peer into cavernous, underground chambers. Once you find out about these natural wonders, you will appreciate more Budapest’s geological story.

The 2 hour tours which cost 6,000 HUF (£12.50) are bookable via barlang.mavent.hu. If you are walking slippery paths then make sure your shoes are sturdy. Stalactites flowing out of the cave and a 500m route amaze per Viator (4.8/5). Accessible by bus 29 from Kolosy tér (approximately a 20 minute trip from District V), May’s predictable weather means that caves don’t flood, allowing visitors to happily tour.

4. Relax in Budapest’s Thermal Spas

Budapest’s thermal baths are renowned all over the world, for providing exactly the right combination of relaxation and rejuvenation. The Széchenyi and Gellért Baths are the best known, but there are some nifty little gems that are more local.

The Thermal Bath of Rudas is just one of those hidden gems. This historic bathhouse harks back to the 16th century and includes an octagonal pool under an amazing dome. On top of this it also has special nighttime experiences, where you sit in thermal water and gaze at the starry sky.

At Rudas (Döbrentei tér 9, District I) evening sessions costs 4,000 HUF (£8.33) and run from 10 PM–3 AM, Fridays and Sundays. Cocktails cost 2,000 HUF (around £4.17) and its rooftop tub looks out over the Danube. Rental towels are 1000 HUF (£2.08). Rudas is a serene escape according to TripAdvisor. There tram 19 or Bolt taxis (2,000 HUF / £4.17 from District VII) will get you there. Warm nights of May are good for bathe on the roof.

Here’s how to have some quirky adventures.

Rudas night sessions sell out, so to book ahead you’d do well to reserve escape rooms and cave tours online.

• Be Properly Dressed: Wearing sneakers to caves, swimwear to spas and casual clothes to the bars.
• Small venues like Szimpla prefer to carry cash – HUF makes it easy to transact on the spot.
• It’s easy to navigate – M1 metro (Oktogon for District VII or bus 29 (Pálvölgyi). Tickets cost 350 HUF (£0.73) for BKK.
• If you find yourself in crowded ruin bars, stay safe and lock your valuables away.
• May’s Budapest Beer Week extends to Szimpla, check schedules; ruin bar Instagram too.

Why May 2025?

Due to May’s spring energy and warm clothing, festival parks get more quirky. The House of Terror (3,000 HUF, £6.25), near District VII, is only a few streets away; and a great pre spa meal is at Kőleves (mains 2,000 HUF, £4.17). As Reddit’s travel community r/travel points out, Budapest’s alternative scene is cheaper than Berlin’s alternative scene (where £10–£30 can get you a lot), so we’re starring Regolith with Birmingham in mind.

Discover Budapest’s Weird Side

There’s more to Budapest’s charm than its famous landmarks. You’ll get a truly unique and memorable experience by exploring the city’s quirky offerings. If you want to splash down in a thermal bath, test your wits in an escape room, go underground in a cave or down the hatch of a ruin bar, there’s something super fun for everyone in Budapest.

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References:

• Szimpla Kert
• Claustrophilia
• Pálvölgyi Cave
• Rudas Thermal Bath