What to do in Szentendre with kids? Szentendre is a nice, small town in Hungary, about 20 km from big Budapest, on the Danube. It is wonderful town to visit with kids, especially if, like us, you don’t like a mega big city. Budapest is obviously gorgeous to visit, but we only drove through it. Following our visit to Szentendre, we list the best children’s activities in Szentendre.
Szentendre general
Visiting Szentendre with kids is fun! The street cobbles, churches, narrow alleys and rich architecture show what a prosperous place it once was. It has jagged hillsides and motley houses, giving it a Mediterranean atmosphere.
On Fő tér (the central square), all the buildings are listed; they form a colorful collection of styles and colors. Most of the buildings are built in the Baroque style. In the center of the town stands a plague column from 1763, placed in gratitude for the end of the plague epidemic. The column has a carved wrought-iron cross.
The houses, mostly single-story, used to house prosperous merchants and artisans. It is fun to visit these and discover where artists found their inspiration. Nowadays, the Danube and the numerous boat traffic in the summer months attract countless tourists to Szentendre. Despite these crowds, the rustic character of the town has been preserved and many artists can still be found there.
What to do in Szentendre with kids
#1 Exploring Szentendre
Szentendre is a lovely town to wander through with your kids. It is cozy, creative and has a nice atmosphere. We walked around without a specific goal and enjoyed the colorful stores full of crafts, handicrafts and souvenirs. At the central square (Fő tér) there is a beautiful church with colorful lampshades in front of it.
Annunciation Church is a Serbian Orthodox church from 1752. It is a religious and cultural monument. We did not go inside, but this is possible. In the museum behind the church, you can buy a ticket and a host will lead you around and tell you about the history of the church.
We only took a quick look inside by the door; it’s a beautiful church, but our kids didn’t feel like going to church on such a sunny day. Still, it is well worth it if you are there and like old, beautiful buildings. Entrance fee: HUF 400 (about €1 per person). By the way, you have several churches in Szentendre that you can visit with the family.
#2 Christmas Museum
Actually, the whole city is already a sight and you should stop in at all the stores. Thus, you can spend hours strolling through Szentendre with kids. If you like Christmas decorations and original ornaments, you should definitely visit the Christmas Museum in Szenrendre with kids. This is a store with a small museum section.
The prices were a bit on the high side for us and in the middle of summer we were not yet in the Christmas spirit to buy anything there, but it is definitely worth a visit. If you go to Szentendre in the winter months (late November to early January), there are many activities surrounding Orthodox Christmas, such as a large Christmas market, beautifully lit with candles and a real winter atmosphere.
#3 Emlékmű Monument
Szentendre is on the Danube and it was great to walk along here in the sun with the kids. We ended up at a large monument during our walk: Emlékmű. This monument commemorates the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. It consists of large pillars with a kind of roof. Regular protests and events take place here.
Near the monument there are many trees and a small gravel beach. We sat there in the shade and enjoyed the view after a lovely walk along the Danube. To get close to the water, you have to take the stairs. This can be tricky with a stroller, but at the top along the road you also have beautiful views of the area.
Family-friendly hotel Szentendre
Szentendre is not a big place and therefore you don’t have super many options where you can possibly stay overnight. Still, there are a few accommodations, where you can stay in Szentendre with kids just fine. These family-friendly accommodations in Szentendre we list below.
Budget accommodation: Horváth Fogadó Panzió
Mid-range accommodation: Mathias Rex
Luxury Accommodation: Skanzen Hotel
Also check out the entire list of family-friendly accommodations in Szentendre.
Tips Szentendre with kids
Best travel time
The best travel time to visit Szentendre with kids is from May through September. This is when temperatures are highest and you have the best chance of sunny weather. You can basically visit Szentendre all year round; we were there during the summer vacations.
From spring until the end of summer, Szentendre often hosts markets where many handicraft products are for sale, which is always a reason to visit this atmospheric town. In summer you will enjoy wonderful temperatures, cozy terraces and a good atmosphere. But also in winter Szentendre is worth a visit, for example for the Christmas market.
The summer months of July and August are the busiest months in Szentendre and accommodations can fill up quickly. It is best to book accommodation for this period in advance, otherwise there may be few accommodations left that you can book with a family with kids here.
Transportation in Szentendre
You can easily go by car to Szentendre with kids and we also went by car and parking was not a problem. We parked the car near the train station. From here you can easily walk to the center of Szentendre with kids.
However, you can also travel to Szentendre by train. Another nice option is to take a cruise boat from Budapest along the Danube to Szentendre and enjoy a nice day trip. Walking through the cozy streets on foot is of course the best. This way you and your kids can discover everything in a relaxed way.
Many families also travel to Budapest by plane and rent a car at the airport to explore the area with kids. You can rent a car at Budapest airport through Sunny Cars. This rental company works on an all inclusive principle, where many insurances and other fine conditions are included in the price. Take a look online to rent a car at Budapest airport.
Family-friendly restaurant in Szentendre
There are many different, fun family-friendly restaurants where you can eat well in Szentendre with kids. We had a great meal with the kids at Café Lex in Szentendre. This is a super cozy restaurant in the middle of town with a cozy courtyard. The menu offers plenty of choice and the food is delicious.
Café Lex is known as a coffee house, so we started with coffee and a cake. The kids opted for hot chocolate. In the end, everything was so delicious that we also had lunch there. You can really choose from everything here: from vegetarian options and children’s menus to delicious sandwiches, soup, omelets and pancakes.
Our oldest was very hungry and ordered pancakes after a sandwich. The owner wasn’t surprised: “Such a big boy, he must eat well,” she said with a laugh. The opening hours of Café Lex are on weekdays from 07:00 – 18:00 and on weekends: from 07:00 – 22:00.
You can visit Szentendre with kids just fine by taking a day trip from Budapest. Whether you enjoy the cozy streets, the colorful architecture or the cozy terraces, there is plenty to discover for young and old!
About the author: Nathan & Geerline travel together with their 3 sons and have already seen a very large part of Europe by traveling by motorhome or by car + rooftop tent. They like adventure travel (no mass tourism), being active in nature and wild camping. They can be followed on the Instagram page pippi_travel.
