Budapest gets, on average, between 5 and 8 days of rain each month, with the rainiest months being, of course, during the shoulder season. We have traveled to Budapest at various times of the year and we did get rained or (and) even downright soaked.

Having learned our lesson to always have a backup plan for rainy days, here are some ideas for things to do in Budapest when the weather is not cooperating.

Visit Museums

There are a lot of amazing museums to visit in Budapest and they can easily keep you entertained for days. Our favorite is the Transport Museum , which we have visited twice. It can keep you busy for hours and is suitable for both (crazy) couples and families. It features pretty much anything travel related.

We also visited the Budapest History Museum (Castle Museum) and we loved it. It showcases Budapest’s history from the roman times until present day.

There are a lot of art museums, for those who like them, and you can also check out the House of Terror (some like it, we avoided it).

>>Check out this list of museums in Budapest

Visit the Parliament

We finally managed to visit the Parliament on the last day of the last year when it was still free for European nationals. The tour takes less than an hour and can be a good choice if you are interested in the architecture and history of the building.

Visit Churches

Budapest is filled with amazing churches to visit and we have visited two of them because of bad weather.

Our favorites are:

• St. Stephen’s Cathedral which is imposing and amazing. You can walk up to the tower for great views of the city (not so great in bad weather, though)
• Matthias Church, located on Castle Hill, has a superb interior and will keep you busy for a while.
• Jak Chapel, located on the grounds of Vajdahunyad Castle, is tiny and very cute.
• Inner City Parish Church is the oldest church in Budapest and is located at the foot of Elisabeth Bridge.

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The Baths

There are a lot of baths in Budapest and choosing one (or two) can be hard. Gellért Baths and Széchenyi Baths are two of the most popular.

Cafes and Restaurants

There have been some days when we hid in cafes because of the weather.

Most of our favorite cafes & restaurants have closed (either before or right after the pandemic). So we’ve found new places. Hard Rock Cafe, however, has been around for years and is for those moments when you crave hearing some English…and yes, they also have very good food, including salads.

Lately, we have hid at Starbucks more than we want to admit. But we also discovered Arch & Beans with amazing coffee blends, plant based milk, and sometimes…vegan croissant.

A variety of small vegan restaurants are also available. Using Google Maps to find them is a great idea. One of the favorites is the Hummus Bar with a bunch of venues across the city.

Central Market Hall

While it’s certainly pretty touristy and not really affordable, it can be a nice place to “hide” a bit from the wet weather. Browse the vendors’ wears and maybe even get a nice treat for yourself. Upstairs, you can find the food court.

Go to a Milonga (Tango Party)

As dancers and instructors, we always research what milongas (Tango Parties) are available when we visit. And if the weather is pretty bad, we’ll likely attend more than one. Not only we get the endorphins thanks to dancing but we also stay in a warm and cozy place, socialize, and have fun.

Note: updated in December 2023.
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