Budapest for Children

Happily for parents, come rain or shine, come winter or summer, indoors and out, there is always plenty to keep children occupied in Budapest. Here are just a few examples. For the curious, try the Zoo: there you can observe at close quarters ancient indigenous Hungarian animals as well as exotic wild game. The special handling sessions are always hugely popular with smaller children. They can safely stroke the tamest animals, and feed and talk to them.

In the giant Tropicarium at the Campona shopping centre you can watch the sharks, ray fish and alligators, as well as hundreds of other types of brightly coloured sea- and freshwater fish.

The Fun Fair (XIV. Állatkerti krt. 14-16) is another perennial favourite. There are loads of interesting things against which you can test either your skill, strength or bravery. The roundabout is genuinely a museum piece, which has been awarded a Europa Nostra prize. From here it’s only a hop, skip and a jump to the Great Circus, home to a fantastic show with animals and humans.

Boys (and their Dads!) will particularly enjoy the Hungarian Railway Museum (XIV. Tatai út 95), where as well as working the model railways you can even have a go at driving a real steam engine.

The Palace of Miracles (II. Fény u. 20-22. - Millenaris Park) is a truly unique experience, with a continually changing range of challenges for children with enquiring minds, and loads of exciting ways to learn new things about the world.

For a whole day’s fun and splashing about try the Aquaréna Water Park at Mogyoród (Mogyoród, Vízipark út 1). There is a giant slide that goes both over- and underground and is a mile long! Altogether there are eight pools, 26 slides, a lazy river, an acrobatic pool, caves, and much more besides.

More traditional indoor entertainment for children is on offer at the Budapest Puppet Theatre (VI. Andrássy út 69) and the Kolibri Theatre (VI. Jókai tér 10).

You can try riding the Bringóhintó family cycling cars and the sétacikli recumbent tricycles on Margaret Island, and of course there are the Cogwheel Railway, the Children's Railway and the Funicular as already mentioned.