Székesfehérvár: A Unique Day Trip from Budapest
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Why You Should Plan a Day Trip to Székesfehérvár
Székesfehérvár was the first capital of the Kingdom of Hungary and where the first Hungarian Kings were crowned and buried. The city is filled with history and culture, from medieval ruins to a replica of the Hungarian Crown Jewels. A Székesfehérvár day trip is a must if you want to learn more about Hungarian history and visit a unique destination that is often overlooked on Hungary itineraries!
Wondering how the heck to pronounce Székesfehérvár? In English, it means “white castle,” probably because of its long history of royalty! Hungarian is known for being one of the most difficult languages in the world, and I can tell you from personal experience that learning it is a challenge.
Bory Castle
What You Need to Know about Székesfehérvár
General
Székesfehérvár is in Hungary, which is in the European Union. It is the ninth largest city, with a population of around 100,000.
Money
The currency in Hungary is the Forint (HUF). You will need cash on your Székesfehérvár day trip for buses and entrance fees, so make sure to get money in Budapest.
Language
Hungarian is the official language, but many younger people speak English. However, in Székesfehérvár, we definitely struggled more than in Budapest. Download the offline version of Hungarian on your phone before you go!
Safety
Székesfehérvár felt safe to me, and since it is not a popular tourist destination in Hungary, there were not any crowds.
Tips for Travelers with Anxiety on a Day Trip to Székesfehérvár
When you arrive in Székesfehérvár, take the bus from the train station to Bory Castle first. It is much easier than squinting at bus routes at a random stop in the city and hoping to get on the right one!
Bring Forint with you from Budapest — you won’t have to find a place to change money (there are only a few in the city). Many things to do in Székesfehérvár require cash!
Acknowledge that you will have a language barrier with at least some people on your day trip to Székesfehérvár. Most signs were written in Hungarian as well. You are capable of figuring it out! Google Translate and Google Maps are your friend.
If you’re anxious about the language barrier and navigating the train system, consider booking a day trip from Budapest!
A statue and fountain in Székesfehérvár
How to get to Székesfehérvár from Budapest
The train from Budapest to Székesfehérvár leaves from the Budapest Kelenföld station, on the west side of the city. There is at least one train every half hour between the two cities, and you can show up whenever you are ready to depart to purchase a ticket. The stop no matter which train you take is Székesfehérvár. It takes about an hour, which makes a day trip to Székesfehérvár a perfect addition to your Hungary trip! The train ticket is less than $5 USD, so there’s really no reason to rent a car unless you plan on exploring other parts of the region like Lake Balaton or want to see other attractions near Székesfehérvár that are not accessible by bus.
Things to do in Székesfehérvár
Székesfehérvár is not a large city, so you can easily see everything on a day trip. I’ve listed everything accessible by bus, but there are other beautiful sites outside the city that I totally would have stopped for had we rented a car. So without further ado, here are my favorite things to do in Székesfehérvár!
Bory Castle (Bory Var)
Move over Taj Mahal! Bory Var is a romantic castle designed and built by hand by Jenő Bory, an architect and sculptor who loved his wife so much that he built a castle in her honor. Cue the swoon! It took him 40 years to complete his masterpiece, and you can see paintings and sculptures by him and his students throughout the property. I recommend spending about two and a half to three hours here on your day trip to Székesfehérvár, especially if the weather is nice. The rose garden was lovely, though I wished the weather had cooperated when we were there.
Medieval Ruin Garden
Medieval Ruin Garden
The Medieval Ruin Garden was once the Coronation Bascilia that crowned St Stephen, the first king of Hungary, and today holds his sarcophagus. The Basilica was destroyed in 1601 and never rebuilt. The site is still undergoing archeological excavation, and you can learn more about it at the Szent István Király Múzeum. This is one of the main attractions on a day trip to Székesfehérvár, especially if you love history!
Szent István Király Múzeum
Many sites around Székesfehérvár fall under the care of this museum, but the main building has artifacts and other historical items related to the Medieval Ruin Garden. You can find out more, but the website is all in Hungarian, so you’ll have to translate it.
Explore the City Center
The Right of Fehérvár
The colorful historic buildings and squares are perfect for exploring on a day trip to Székesfehérvár. One of my favorite parts of Hungary was how colorful all the buildings were, and I have way too many photos of random buildings simply because I loved the color! Notable landmarks include Vörösmarty Theatre, St. Stephen Basilica, and Árpád Bath, but you will find many more by simply wandering the streets of Székesfehérvár.
The Orb
In the middle of the city, there is a giant orb sculpture called The Right of Fehérvár. It depicts notable dates in Hungarian history, though it has quite an interesting history itself. The Soviets altered the Orb during the communist regime, and in the 1980s it was fully restored to its original form. Behind the Orb is the Town Hall where a certified copy of the Holy Crown resides.
Clockwork & Museum
There is an adorable animated clock that sings every two hours starting at 10 AM. You can tour the museum if you book time in advance.
Flower Clock
Another unique thing to do in Székesfehérvár is visit the Flower Clock! The flowers that tell the date are replanted every day, and it keeps accurate time.
St Stephen Basilica
(Note this is temporarily closed)
Inside the walls of this historic church, you can see frescoes of St Stephen’s rise to power and coronation. The crypt houses the remains of several former kings and queens of Hungary.
I <3 SZFV sign
I <3 SZFV sign
Who doesn’t love a cute sign to show off where you’ve been on your trip? Make sure to stop by the I love Székesfehérvár sign on your day trip to Székesfehérvár for proof you went for the ‘gram!
Final Thoughts on a Day Trip to Székesfehérvár
I hope you enjoyed this guide to a day trip to Székesfehérvár! It is a unique day trip from Budapest and one you won’t find in most guides. If you are curious about other parts of Hungary, check out some of my other posts.