What are the neighborhoods to avoid in Budapest and the dangerous areas, where are the best neighborhoods to stay to visit the city? These are questions that visitors ask themselves when planning a stay in the splendid capital of Hungary.

And even if Budapest is not a dangerous capital like Johannesburg ou Mexico City, when we see the increasing violence in Europe, it is normal to find out about the districts of Budapest. This is how you avoid choosing accommodation in a red light district or in a district that is not recommended for tourists.

That's why I produced this guide to the districts of Budapest with advice and a map that allows you to identify the districts to avoid in Budapest but also the best places to stay.

All information and figures in this article come from serious and verifiable sources of information published on the Internet: Press articles, blogs, traveler forums, statistics and web rankings. It is therefore a simple synthesis of information and figures on the different districts of Budapest which does not involve any judgment or discrimination.

Is Budapest a dangerous European city?

In 2024, Budapest is not a dangerous city. On the contrary, it is even one of the safest cities in Europe.

This is confirmed by the French Government website France Diplomacy which classified all of Hungary on normal vigilance, stating that the crime rate is low throughout the country.

This is also shown by the data from the Numbeo ranking of the most criminal cities in Europe. Indeed, in 2024 Budapest is at the bottom of the table because in 92nd position out of the 156 classified cities. Compared to other European cities, Budapest has a fairly low crime index of 34,71. Thus, Budapest appears to be less dangerous than Barcelona, Athens, London, Rome, or Paris.

Is Budapest safe in 2024?

To assess whether Budapest is a dangerous city, I compared its crime level with other major cities around the world.

For this comparison, I again used the site Numbeo.com which ranks 400 cities according to their crime index. And we see that in 2024, Budapest is ranked 301st, which is in the low average. We can therefore say that Budapest is one of the least dangerous cities in the world, just like Dubai, Copenhagen ou Montreal.

To compare Budapest crime globally, I also looked at other sites like statista.com ou populationu.com who do not mention Budapest among the most dangerous cities in the world.

Is Budapest safe for tourists?

It can be said without hesitation that Budapest is a safe city for tourists. But as in all tourist towns, visitors should exercise caution.

Here are the recommendations made by the French Government to travellers:

“Pickpocketing of personal effects, cash and identity documents have been reported, particularly on public transport and tourist attractions in the capital as well as around gas stations. It is strongly recommended to never leave your drink unattended and never accept a drink from a stranger. French people may have been drugged without their knowledge. Cases of tourists being victims of fraud in certain nightlife establishments in downtown Budapest have been reported (disproportionate bills, incitement to consumption, fraudulent use of bank cards). " Source : Diplomatie.gouv.fr

The US State Department as well as many other Western governments have also rated Budapest as a city where tourists are not exposed to a high risk of crime.

Map of Budapest neighborhoods

It is difficult to identify the best and the neighborhoods to avoid in Budapest. Indeed, the city is divided into 23 districts which themselves are composed of neighborhoods. See full list at Wikipedia.

Moreover the capital of Hungary is divided into 2 parts Buda and Pest:

• The part of Buda on the right bank of the Danube includes the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 11th, 12th and 22nd districts.
• The part of Pest on the left bank of the Danube includes all the other districts.

Suddenly, to evoke the districts to avoid in Budapest, some will speak of districts and others of real small districts.

So here is a map that will make it easier for you to locate the neighborhoods to avoid and the best places to stay in Budapest: https://maps.app.goo.gl/8DwepAVn5EXJiAVF8

Dangerous neighborhoods in Budapest

I searched many forums, blogs and local press and couldn't find any media that pointed to a single dangerous neighborhood in Budapest. Indeed, apart from the outskirts, there seems to be no truly dangerous district in Budapest.

However, as in all Western capitals, there are a few areas that are safer to avoid, especially at night (see list below).

Neighborhoods to avoid in Budapest

The few neighborhoods to avoid in Budapest are a few neighborhoods in district 9, district 10 (Kőbánya) and especially district 8 (Józsefváros). See Google map location

Located in Pest, District 8 has kept a bad reputation for its insecurity. This reputation was founded when the neighborhoods looked like ghettos. It is true that even a few years ago, District 8 had problems with drugs and thefts.

But today many buildings have been rebuilt, the area has changed and the neighborhoods are safer.

However, there are still some areas of District 8 that should be avoided, notably between Blaha Lujza tér and Corvin Pláza, the Magdolna district (Dankó and Lujza streets) as well as Népszínház, Bérkocsis, Auróra and Fecske streets and Orczy Square. See District 8 areas to avoid on Google Maps.

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Best neighborhoods in Budapest

It is difficult to define the best district of Budapest because the choice of a district is made according to tastes and the type of stay envisaged.

So I will tell you below the best districts of Budapest for a tourist stay and their particularities:

• District 1 – Buda Castle : Historic center very busy during the day but not very lively at night.
• District 5 – Downtown : Lively downtown with many shops, restaurants, tourist attractions and upscale hotels.
• District 6 – Teresa town : Quiet, wealthy and posh residential area.
• District 7 – Elizabeth City – Area with a very lively nightlife for tourists who like to party.

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Best areas of Budapest for tourists

To visit Budapest (see my tour to visit Budapest on foot), I recommend that you choose between the 2 favorite neighborhoods of tourists: Budavár and Belváros (see details below).

Budavár in the 1st district Várkerület (part Buda)

On the Buda part is District 1 which is a beautiful historic district with cobbled streets, medieval facades and many tourist attractions: Budavár Palace, Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest History Museum, Matthias Church, Fisherman's Bastion, Gellért-Hegy and the Citadel

Várkerület is the castle district which is the most visited site in Budapest. But if during the day, Budavár is a lively and very busy district, at night it is a very quiet district and therefore perhaps less interesting for young people.

Where to stay in the historic district of Budapest?

At the foot of Buda Castle, facing the Danube, the hotel that I recommend enjoys an exceptional location in the heart of Budapest's historic attractions: Boutique Hotel Victoria

Indeed, this hotel is only 400 meters from the Chain Bridge, 500 meters from the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, 400 meters from the Fisherman's Bastion!

In addition, the Batthyányi Square metro station on the M2 line is also just 500 meters from the hotel.

Belváros in the 5th district (part Pest)

District 5 is the city center of Budapest. It is a wealthy area (numerous palaces and luxurious buildings) which brings together the majority of the Hungarian capital's public institutions: Parliament, Ministries, Universities, Hungarian Academy of Sciences. )

In District 5 is the tourist district of Belváros where tourists can visit:

• The great market hall
• St. Stephen's Basilica
• Vidago Palace
• The site of the shoes on the bank of the Danube
• Vaci Street
• The chain bridge
• The Gresham Palace

You should also know that it is in this district of Belváros that you will find the Christmas markets during the end of the year celebrations.

Where to stay in this district of Budapest?

The areas around Get out (the most famous pedestrian street in Budapest), the Vorosmarty Square and the pedestrian area Duna Korzo between Chain Bridge and  Erzsebet Bridge are the favorite places of tourists.

Here is one of the most beautiful hotels in this district: Parisi Udvar Hotel Budapest

Indeed, it is much more than a hotel because it is a real historical monument fitted out with a romantic and designer atmosphere.

200 meters from the Get out, its location is ideal for a tourist stay because you can visit everything on foot! Note that the Ferenciek tere metro station is only a 1-minute walk from the hotel.

Where to stay in Budapest to party

If you are looking to stay in a party district in Budapest, this is the district toElizabeth City in District 7 that will have to be chosen.

Indeed, this area is famous for its bars, clubs and the best places to party in Budapest. And if you are looking for a nice hotel in this area, then here is theEurostars Ambassador.