Parks · 16 of the best in Budapest
Margaret Island: the green heart of the Danube
The back story
About Margaret Island: the green heart of the Danube
Margaret Island stretches for two and a half kilometres in the middle of the Danube, a largely car-free park of lawns, old trees, medieval ruins and summer pools, reached from the Margaret and Árpád bridges.
Saint Margaret
The island is named after Margaret, daughter of King Béla IV, who lived in the Dominican convent here in the 13th century. The convent’s ruins still stand among the trees.
Gardens and fountains
Near the southern tip, a musical fountain dances to music, and further north are a Japanese garden, a rose garden, a small zoo and a water tower from 1911.
An island of gardens in the middle of the Danube.
Running and cycling
A rubber running track of about five kilometres loops around the island, and you can hire bikes and pedal cars.
Summer
In summer, the Palatinus strand fills with families, and the Hajós Alfréd pools host Hungary’s swimmers.
Our advice: walk onto the island from Margaret Bridge, watch the musical fountain, then wander north through the gardens to the ruins and the Japanese garden. Bring a picnic.
Why it's on our list
- A royal princess
- Gardens and ruins
- Running and cycling
- Summer on the island
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Margaret Island: the green heart of the Danube before you go.