Everything You Need To Know About the Bridges in Budapest

Budapest is also called the city of the bridges, rightly so: the Danube has 8 major bridges and all of them have an interesting backstory. Here, we collected the most important ones and what you should know about them!

Chain Bridge (also known as Széchenyi Lánchíd)

The most iconic bridge of all times in Budapest is the Chain Bridge. Walk around the city's souvenir shops and you'll find all the magnets, postcards, and notebooks with a picture of the Chain Bridge on it! Tourists and locals equally love this beautiful landmark and there's a huge possibility that one day it will become a walking bridge. Right now, the Chain Bridge is open for the traffic too, but sometimes (on weekends and special occasions) it transforms into a walking bridge.

The Chain Bridge is also the oldest bridge in Budapest and back when it was built (1840-49) it used to be the longest bridge in Europe. It has lion sculptures on both ends which - according to an urban legend - don't have a tongue. But is that really true? Check out yourself next time you visit Budapest!

Margaret Bridge (Margit-híd in Hungarian)

Such a beautiful bridge, yet the more famous ones always steal the limelight from her! Margaret Bridge was designed by Ernest Gouin, a French engineer and it also has sculptures from famous French artists too. It connects the Grand Boulevard's Pest and Buda side and also, the easiest way to get to Margaret Island is by Margaret Bridge.

The bridge itself is open for both cars, pedestrians and public transport, but we recommend to go on foot to get an amazing view of this beautiful city!

Liberty Bridge (Szabadság-híd in Hungarian)

Liberty Bridge is the shortest of the Danube bridges in Budapest, but it doesn't take away anything from its shine: tourists and locals love it unconditionally. University students and youngsters tend to spend their time here, so it's always full of life. We dare to say that the view from Liberty Bridge is even better than from Chain Bridge - don't believe us? Check it out for yourself!

Some weekends, Liberty Bridge turns into a pedestrian-only bridge and the people of Budapest just love it: they even have yoga sessions here for free!

Elisabeth Bridge (in Hungarian: Erzsébet-híd)

Not so beautiful as before, but still stands strong: the Elisabeth Bridge is one of the busiest bridges in Budapest. It was bombed in WW2, and only got renovated twenty years later in a so-called brutalist style. This might say that Elisabeth Bridge is not worth a visit, but we beg to differ: you don't have to walk through it if you don't want to, but traveling through it on a sightseeing bus for a beautiful view is a must in a tourist's case. 

Make sure you visit the Rácz or the Rudas bath when you are in the Elisabeth Bridge-area! The spa culture in Budapest is worldwide famous and one should never skip on a relaxing evening at one of the famous baths. 

Interested in Budapest's most famous bridges? Why not visit them on a well-organized sightseeing journey with our Hop On Hop Off bus-trips? Book a ticket today and have an unforgettable trip to Hungary's beloved capital!

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