Places to Watch Sunset & Sunrise in Hungary & Budapest

Sunrise and sunset in Hungary are beautiful parts of the day, especially if you like to reflect, see beautiful views or take some photos. The places I’ve visited in Hungary have been lovely places for watching both the early and late sun.

These include Budapest, Győr, Pécs, and Keszthely on Lake Balaton. Hungary has some great locations to sit and watch the early and late light shows.

When are sunrise & sunset in Hungary?

Sunset and sunrise times vary depending on the time of year you visit Hungary. However, a quick Google search will show you today’s times. If you arrive 45 minutes before the specified time, you can enjoy the sky changing colour. And don’t forget to hang around for the 45 minutes after to enjoy the beautiful skies.

Budapest

Budapest is a city brimming with fantastic architecture. Much of this is enhanced by the sunrise or sunset. The River Danube is a particularly good spot for the early or late sun. So much so that they offer sunset cruises on the River Danube in Budapest. I’ve enjoyed exploring the city many times at sunset, but not as much at sunrise.

Places to Watch Sunset in Budapest

The Hungarian Parliament Building in Budapest is a fantastic place to catch the red skies of the late sun. The low sun enhances the building; however, it’s great to visit at any time of day.

The views from the Fisherman’s Bastion viewpoint in Budapest are fantastic. You can see the river and the iconic Parliament building. This can get colourful during the golden hour.

The riverbanks on the Pest side are excellent for a sunset walk. You get to see all the sights with the red skies as a backdrop. The main highlight during golden hour is the castle on the hill opposite.

Another fantastic place to enjoy the sunset is the Széchenyi thermal bath. Széchenyi Thermal Bath is a lovely place to relax in the thermal waters year-round. On a visit, we timed it right to see the colourful skies.

Walking the side streets and seeing random sights combined with the colours of sunset is a preference of mine. It’s a fantastic time of day for a walk with a camera in hand.

Sunrise At Buda Castle

One of the most popular spots to watch the sunrise in Budapest is Buda Castle, overlooking the River Danube. This is a fantastic location at any time of the day, but the early sun makes it very special.

The Fisherman’s Bastion is an excellent place to watch the sun come up, with great views of the river and the Hungarian Parliament. Because it’s so popular, many others do the same, including influencers in the wild and people having wedding photos.

As the summer sunrise is so early, I had to get the bus from the other side of the city. Bus 216 was my best option, and it dropped me at the bottom of the monument steps.

The entire castle district was pretty special during golden hour, including St. Mathias Church and the walls of the main part of the castle.

Keszthely & Lake Balaton

Lake Balaton is the largest lake in Central Europe and is a great place to watch both sunrise and sunset. Keszthely is a city on the lake and a fantastic place to visit and enjoy the beautiful lakeside sunsets.

Where To Watch Sunset in Keszthely & Lake Balaton

Nosztalgia Sétahajó is a paddle steamer that operates out of Keszthely Molo. They offer a variety of tours, including a sunset boat trip. You can also arrange a Lake Balaton boat trip via their website. The pier they are based on is also a lovely spot to watch the sunset.

The Ferris wheel near the shore of Lake Balaton in Keszthely is excellent during the late sun. If you ride it at sunset, you get colourful views of the lake.

to visit in Keszthely. Festetics Palace is a stunning place of interest to visit in Keszthely. The main building makes a fantastic backdrop as the sun sets.

The gardens at the rear of the palace are also wonderful in the late sun. There are lots of benches on the grounds to sit and enjoy the spectacle.

Pecs

Pecs is a beautiful city in southwestern Hungary and a great place to visit. The city has lots of interesting places to see, many of which look especially good at sunset or sunrise.

Places to Watch Sunset in Pecs

Szechenyi Square is the town’s centrepiece and a fantastic place to watch sunsets. You can find plenty of captivating buildings in the area. This includes Art Nouveau buildings, churches, and a former Ottoman mosque.

The city walls are fantastic for a walk, including during the golden hour. At sunset, you can see towers, bastions, and the cathedral against the red backdrop.

Sunrise Walks in Pecs

The beautiful architecture in the central areas of Pecs city is great to see with the red skies of sunrise. The best place to see the early sun is Széchenyi Square and the various parks near the city walls.

Gyor

The historic centre of Gyor and its buildings are certainly enhanced during golden hour. My favourite was walking along the riverbanks and watching from the bridges that cross the river. In the late afternoon sun, you can also enjoy a beer on the dog-friendly terraces of bars in Győr while you watch. However, for the early summer sunrises, not much is open, so take your own refreshments.

Where to Watch the Sunset in Győr?

You can watch sunsets in Győr in several places, including the historic centre and along the city’s rivers.

The riverside path by the castle walls is a popular spot for people to sit and chill in the warmer months. The sunset views are pretty special too.

The statue of Miklós Pálffy and Adolf Schwarzenberg is rather interesting to see. Especially at sunset, when the skies are red. This monument is on the city side of the river near the Kossuth Bridge. This statue was erected to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Győr’s liberation from the Ottomans.

Again near the river, the Petőfi Bridge is a great place to watch the sunset. You can see views of a variety of neighbourhood churches and the city’s synagogue.

Szökőkút is a pretty fountain to see next to the castle walls. It’s also a great place to stop on a sunset walk through the city.

Photos From Sunrise Walks in Győr

Some photos from various sunrise walks in Győr’s city centre.

My favourite place to watch the sunrise in Győr was on the banks of the river Rába, looking towards the castle walls. The banks here were empty, and it was wonderful to sit and watch in the calm.

The early morning sun certainly enhances the 18th-century Ark of the Covenant statue. This Baroque monument is great to see at any time of day; however, the nearby seats are quiet at sunrise and a great place to sit and watch the sunrise skies.

One of the best places to watch the sunrise is from the Kossuth Bridge in Gyor. The bridge has a footpath on either edge, and for the early sun, you need to be on the downstream walkway. From here you get a fantastic view of the sun appearing. The path can get busy with cyclists, so pay attention while you watch.

Much of the city centre is in a grid pattern, and fortunately for sunrise lovers, the grid points are in a favourable direction for the early morning sun.

The restaurants in Széchenyi Square are a fantastic sight at early sunrise. The only shame is that none of them is open to enjoying the view with a drink.

Széchenyi Square is lovely for sightseeing, including at sunrise. The red skies certainly enhance the square’s features.

Danube Bend Sunrise & Sunset

We enjoyed nearly a week in the villages of the Danube Bend in Hungary and enjoyed both sunrise and sunset. My favourite was the early morning sun from Nagymaros, facing towards the famous Visegrád Castle.