Budapest for Families

Budapest offers a great variety of activities for its younger visitors. Most of them are quite interesting and fascinating not only for children, but for the entire family. Moreover, we could guess who will enjoy the Palace of Miracles or the Children's Railway more, father or son.

City Park
One of the largest (1 sqkm) parks in Budapest, City Park lies north of Heroes' Square. Bordered by a winding avenue featuring its key sights, the park is full of playgrounds, sports fields, small gardens and green esplanades.

The City Park is home to the Municipal Zoological and Botanical Gardens, the Transport Museum, a Municipal Circus, a Funfair , an Aviation Museum located in the concert facility Petofi Hall and the Széchenyi Medicinal Baths and Swimming Pool. The world famous Gundel Restaurant is the first sight of interest on the inner avenue. Built at the turn of the century, this fine restaurant and its garden has gained an international reputation and has become one of the highest standard restaurants of the capital.

The Zoo , which is also a historical monument, recalls the atmosphere of the years around the beginning of the 20th century. One of the oldest zoos in the world, it is home to 500 species of animal and 4000 types of plant. From April to October there are many events and programs going on, especially for entertaining young visitors and introducing them to nature, meanwhile teaching them to love and care for it. Warmly recommended to visit.

The Amusement park is a public entertainment center in the City Park. Ferris wheel, roller coaster, shooting gallery, merry-go-round, dodgem cars, etc. are there to try and enjoy. The 19th century carousel has recently been opened after restoration.

The Circus is the country's largest circus, famous for its company's enchanting and exciting performances. Tightrope walkers, clowns, artists, magicians, animals and tamers present their shows and fascinate every single small and not so small member of the audience. The circus takes its show to several towns throughout the year, their huge white booth with the tricolor is a popular resort.

There is also a beautiful internal lake in the Park known as the City Park Pond , a preferred site for rowers in the summer and an excellent ice-rink in the winter. This is the largest outdoor skating-rink in Central Europe featuring special night-lights and a disco to attract those hunting for Saturday night fever on ice.

The Palace of Miracles
The Palace of Miracles is practically a museum of physics, but in reality it offers much more. In its special rooms the visitors can try out themselves by using the unique instruments and tools, all based on the laws of physics. Can you always believe your eyes, or what you see is maybe just an illusion? How good are your reflexes? Can you harmonize the movements of different parts of your body? Can touch substitute your eyes and lead you through a dark labyrinth? Try the instruments that work on the laws of physics, and you will discover that some things are quite different from what you have thought them to be! The visit guarantees a few hours full of fun, new experiences and exciting discoveries for each member of the family!

http://www.csodapalota.hu/main/english/index.htm

The Planetarium
The Planetarium is a documentary institute, its aim and purpose is to deliver the newest developments in astronomy and space research. It is more of a theatre though, but the stage is the artificial sky above the visitors' head, on which the magnificent stellar sky appears, that looks exactly like the real one. It is used for teaching geography, astronomy, navigation, but also for entertaining. Hour-long, dubbed performances introduce different scientific results and information, and unique laser shows fascinate the audience, let them be for the music of Vangelis, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, or Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. It is located in the 9 th district, in Népliget, opposite from the bus terminal.

The Children's Railway
The Children's Railway is located in the west of the city of Budapest, on Széchenyi Hill. Its eleven-kilometer-long, narrow gauge line runs through the woods of the hills of the city on the Buda side. It is often called "the greatest child toy of the world," but it is not entirely true. Children aged 10 to 14 control the traffic and commercial services provided but strictly according to regulations of any other railway line of the State Railways of Hungary (MÁV Rt).