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5 awesome things to do in a Budapest layover – And they are totally free! 

You only got about 10 hours (and a limited budget) to explore this amazing city before your flight/bus/train leaves? Sounds quite impossible, right? Good news here: it is very much possible to make the best out of Budapest with a ticking time limit and a very tight budget. Here are our 5 favourite things to do in the city – which are also totally free!  Take a stroll in the historical Buda Castle Quarter Narrow cobblestone streets, architectural masterpieces, jaw-dropping vista of Budapest and over five hundred years old beautiful medieval houses make this district a must-do when in Budapest. The Castle Quarter (Várnegyed) is located high up on the Castle Hill on the Buda side, so you better find a luggage storage in the city before you take on this lovely stroll. Spoiler alert: we have several luggage storages in Budapest, which are 24/7 available with EUR card payment, so it’s pretty convenient during a layover, if you don’t wanna sweat through your day carrying your heavy luggage.  Local advice: the old funicular going up to the Buda Castle is pretty cute, however totally overpriced for the 2 minute experience it offers! If you don’t wanna take the steep walk up, you can take bus 16 and 16A from Clark Ádám square only for the price of a single ticket (about 1 euro). Once you’re up there, let the stroll begin! Enjoy the magnificent Buda Castle and the scenic panorama it offers; check out the nearby Matthias Church and the Fisherman’s Bastion – all totally free. Done with the main sights? Let yourself get lost in the charming streets of the Castle Quarter, which is one of the most beautiful districts of the city.  Have a drink on Liberty Bridge  Not many cities can pride themselves on how beautiful their bridges are, but Budapest is definitely one of them. And one of these gorgeous bridges offer a one-of-a-kind experience, which is so Budapest: you can sit on it! Liberty Bridge, which connects Fővám Square (and the famous Central Market Hall) with Gellért Square (and the also famous Gellért Spa) is a local favourite spot during warm weather to sit on. The climb-up is easy: you need to go to the middle of this lovely green bridge, pull yourself up and just let this amazing vista of Budapest spoil you!  From this location you can see the the Gellért hill and the Hungarian Statue of Liberty, the Buda Castle, the Central Market Hall along the cruises on the Danube and the old rambling trams on the bridge. Tip: you definitely wanna drop your heavier bags before this experience (you don’t really want to pull a 20 kg luggage on wheels up that bridge, do you?), which you can easily do at our Locky luggage storage Central Market Hall, just a couple of minutes from Liberty Bridge. Buy a beer and cheer to this amazing experience on top of the bridge — and you’ll feel, the world!  Chill in the City Park  Once in Budapest, a must see tourist attraction is the Heroes Square, where Andrássy Avenue ends. This is one of the major squares in Budapest, noted for its iconic Millennium Monument with statues featuring the Seven chieftains of the Magyars and other important Hungarian national leaders, as well as the Memorial Stone of Heroes. The square is surrounded by two important buildings, Museum of Fine Arts on the left and Palace of Art (or more accurately Hall of Art) on the right, and is the so to say entrance to the City Park.  The park offers many lovely sights to see: you mustn’t miss the historic Vajdahunyad Castle and the contemporary, architectural award-winning House of Music and Museum of Ethnography. But before your walk, we strongly recommend you to drop your luggage at our Locky luggage storage City Park, which is located right next to the gorgeous Boating Lake. Once you’re done walking, you can just grab an ice cream, lay down in the grass and enjoy the calming view of the park.  Be mesmerised by St. Stephen’s Basilica and the beautiful 5th district  St. Stephen's Basilica is a Roman Catholic basilica located at the very heart of the city. It’s astonishing size is no mere spectacle: it is the third largest church building in present-day Hungary and it is the largest church in Budapest with a significant historical landmark within the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site Buffer Zone. The basilica is as beautiful from the outside as it is on the inside, and is totally free to enter and be mesmerised by the grande dome, the architectural genie and the breathtaking paintings all around.  It’s free, however you can’t bring any luggages inside, so — again — we recommend you to drop off your things in one of our 0-24 automatic luggage storages. Conveniently, our Locky luggage storage St. Stephen’s Basilica is just a mere five minutes walk from there. Once you explored the church, don’t stop there: get lost in the beauty of the surrounding streets! 5th district is one of the most architecturally beautiful and rich neighbourhoods of Budapest: you’re neck is gonna hurt a bit for sure after this stroll, as there are so many wonderful architectural gems above you. Lay back and have a beer on Margaret Island  If you just really wanna have a refreshing rest in the calmest spot of the city, Margaret Island is your place! The island between the river Danube is mostly covered by landscape parks, and is a popular recreational area: during warm weather, citizens bring their blankets, badminton rackets, a pack of beers and just enjoy the sunshine all day long. The island has a curious history: its medieval ruins are reminders of its importance in the Middle Ages as a religious centre, and before the 14th century the island was called Insula leporum (Island of Rabbits). To get to the best spots of the island, you need to walk some distance, so once again, drop your heavy bags before! Our luggage storage Parliament is located just two minutes away from the Pest side of Margaret Bridge, so it’s super convenient for you to enjoy just chilling without your traveling stuff.  And if you did all these 5 activities, we officially rank you a true Budapestian! Enjoy your stay! (Photos: Unsplash, Pexels, source: Wikipedia)