The caves under Budapest

About The caves under Budapest

By the ULTIMATE Budapest Editorial Team

Beneath the Buda Hills lies a maze of caves, formed not by rain from above but by warm thermal water rising from below, the same water that feeds the city’s baths. Two show caves are open to visitors, and adventurous travellers can join a caving tour.

Caves made by hot water

Budapest is one of the very few capitals with large caves under its streets. Over hundreds of thousands of years, warm, mineral-rich water dissolved the limestone of the Buda Hills from below, creating chambers decorated with crystals and mineral crusts.

Pál-völgyi Cave

The Pál-völgyi Cave is part of the Pál-völgy–Mátyás-hegy system, the longest cave system in Hungary, with tens of kilometres of passages. A guided tour follows narrow passages, ladders and steps between impressive chambers.

The Pál-völgyi Cave is part of the longest cave system in Hungary.

Szemlő-hegyi Cave

The Szemlő-hegyi Cave is famous for its mineral formations, especially its “pea-stone” crusts, which look like cauliflower or frost. The tour is easy, on a level path, and suits families.

Caving tours

For something wilder, organised caving tours in the Mátyás-hegy Cave give you overalls, a helmet and a headlamp and lead you through tight squeezes.

Our advice: both show caves are run by the Duna-Ipoly National Park and visited on guided tours; bring a jacket, as they stay cool all year, and check tour times in advance. They make a perfect rainy-day trip with a bus ride into the hills.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The caves under Budapest before you go.