Music Fountain in Budapest: A Guide
Everything you need to know about the Musical Fountain in Margaret Island
- attractions
- March 7, 2024
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Budapest music fountain: history
Standing tall on Margaret Island since 1962, just a few minutes away from Margaret Bridge, this Budapest’s musical fountain has undergone a fascinating evolution.
Initially featuring live music performances, it later embraced electronization, enhancing its capabilities and expanding its repertoire. The fountain’s present-day form emerged from a comprehensive renovation in 2013, marking a new chapter in its storied history.
We’re talking about a 35-meter diameter pool, containing 400 cubic meters of water and over 1000 square meters of surface area, the perfect canvas for its captivating performances.
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Music fountain in Budapest: what to expect
If you happen to be there during a musical water show, expect jets reaching heights of 10 meters to the enchanting light display provided by 250 energy-saving LEDs. Sinchronized with those jets, you’ll hear a wide range of musical tastes, from timeless classics to contemporary hits. Whether it’s the whimsical tune of a cartoon fox the iconic rock anthem by Steppenwolf, or classical pieces by Bizet, Brahms, or Mozart, there’s something to for audiences of all ages.
In addition to that, the fountain also pays homage to Budapest. Visitors can enjoy local melodies, like “Margitszigeti fák” by Johnny K. Palmer, and “Király utca” by Viktor Király, offering a special glimpse into Budapest’s musical legacy.
Check the full program here.
Music fountain opening hours
The fountain is always accessible, as the Island is open 24/7 all year round, but it performs the water music shows only from May to October, between 11 AM and 9 PM. You can check the full program here.
How to get to Margaret Island's music fountain
Getting to the music fountain is pretty easy: if you walk 5 minutes into the bridge, you’ll find the entrance to Margaret Island. From there, another 5-7 minutes walk will take you to the fountain. Just walk straight, past the first roundabout (with the Centennial Memorial at its center.
If you prefer, you can also choose to take the only bus getting into the island (bus line 26), or a bike. And if you’re not sure of how to get to Margaret Island, here’s the best options:
- Tram lines 4 and 6 (from Pest)
- Tram line 19 (Buda)
- Bus 26 (from Pest, goes into the island)
- Train H5 (Buda)
- MOL Bubi bikes (there are docking stations inside and outside the island)
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From £32.77, €39, or $42.49, you’ll get a deal that usually pays off after 1-2 days in Budapest. If you’re visiting the Music Fountain, you might want to go by tram or bus. With the Budapest Card, the official city pass, you get free public transportation, plus benefits like door-to-door airport transfer, free entry to the best museums, free thermal baths, 20% off at Széchenyi and Rudas Baths, and much more.
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Is there a fee to watch Budapest's music fountain show?
The music fountain is free to watch, there’s no fee to pay. All you have to do is to visit the Island, which is also free and is open all year around.
Other attractions near the Music Fountain
The music fountain is quite central in Budapest, quite close to Margaret Island’s from Margaret Bridge. Here’s some of the other attractions that you can find nearby, inside and outside the island.
If you keep walking into the island, you’ll find many things:
You can get a relaxing day long SPA with different thermal pools and sauna, see the ruins of a Franciscan Monastery, visit a mini zoo, have a look at the water tower or the musical well, or visit the Japanese garden (the latter being one of the furthest from the fountain, about 25 minute by foot). Or you can also opt for a 3-hour segway city tour, which will include the island.
If we talk about attractions outside of Margaret Island, then the most important and closest ones are the statue of Imre Nagy, Budapest Parliament (just a 20 minute walk away from the fountain), or the Shoes on the Danube Bank Memorial (close to the Parliament).
