Three-lookout, child-friendly hike in the Buda Hills

Itinerary

• From Szépjuhászné, follow the P marking to reach the Erzsébet Lookout, then on the other side the Libegő upper station.
• From the rest stop, follow the S+ marking downhill towards Szépjuhászné until the S marking junction.
• Turn right on the S marking and continue on it to Szépjuhászné.
• From Szépjuhászné, follow the S marking to reach a bigger forest crossroad via the Kaán Károly Lookout.
• From there, take a detour on the S▲ marking to the Makovecz Lookout.
• Returning to the fork, the Z↺ marking leads back to our starting point.

Detailed description of the route

Around János Hill

Among the many routes starting from Szépjuhászné, we first follow the P marking to reach Budapest's highest point. Along the way, we climb increasingly steep slopes through dense forest, crossing several times an asphalt road winding up the hill. János Hill rises 527 meters above the city; several legends surround its name: one says it is named after János Hunyadi, another claims it was Count János Óvári, rector of Buda Castle, while rumors suggest it could be named after a 19th-century Saint John statue.

At the top, a wooden lookout was already standing at the end of the 19th century, reportedly visited regularly by Queen Erzsébet. The six-story tower named after her, built in neo-Romanesque style between 1908 and 1910, offers a wide panorama from its 23.5 m high upper terrace. To the southeast, you can see as far as the Great Hungarian Plain; to the southwest, the Velence Lake and Székesfehérvár; to the west, Budakeszi, Páty, and Vértes; northwest, Nagykovácsi and Nagy-Szénás; north, the Pilis mountains; northeast, Hármashatár Hill and Rózsadomb; and to the east, the Mátra and on clear days the Bükk mountains.

After the regime change, the lookout required significant renovation, partly due to a huge red star that was once placed on its top, which sagged under the weight. Since 2001, the structure has been managed by the municipality, and not only the lookout but also the road leading to it was rebuilt, with decorative lighting, walking and running paths, and paved surfaces arranged around it. Two internal spiral staircases lead up to the roof; its side terraces are wide, and the highest one resembles a crow's nest.

A café operates at the base of the lookout, but if you want to refresh yourself, continue a bit further along the P marking, descending to the Libegő upper station where you can find a buffet and restrooms. A forest playground is also located here, and from a terrace equipped with benches and tables, you can enjoy a view of the city while eating.

To reach Szépjuhászné, we follow the S+ then the S marking (on its right branch) along the western side of János Hill, winding mostly through old oak forest with some beech woods. Along the way, we approach the Children's Railway Vadaspark station, from where you can continue by train to Szépjuhászné. If you're hungry or thirsty, no worries—the small railway station and the area right next to Budakeszi Road offer dining options.

If we decide to ride the Children's Railway, we can travel in one direction towards Széchenyi Hill and in the other towards Hűvösvölgy. The narrow-gauge railway, staffed by children, runs for more than 11 km between Hűvösvölgy and Széchenyi Hill — it almost was built differently: construction began in spring 1948 originally planned for Margaret Island, but after deciding to improve access to the Buda Hills, Zugliget was initially designated as the lower terminus. Due to large elevation differences, the current route was chosen, influenced also by the location of the Csillebérc children’s camp and the cogwheel railway.

The lookouts of Nagy-Hárs and Kis-Hárs Hills

We start again from Szépjuhászné, this time following the S marking through dense oak woods. If tired, just before the Kaán Károly Lookout, we find the Csanádi rest area with benches, tables, and great views. From there, it’s only a short walk to the tower standing on the 454-meter peak of Nagy-Hárs Hill. Named after a forest engineer, the lookout was built in 1988-89; from its top, besides the capital city, you can see the Pilis, Visegrád Mountains, and Börzsöny. Kaán Károly (1887–1940) is notable for being the person behind the first Hungarian nature conservation law which came into effect in 1935.

Continuing on the S marking, the path becomes narrower, leading soon to a small wooden bridge and then the iron door of Bátori Cave. Between 1437 and 1457, Blessed László Bátori lived here, translating the entire Bible into Hungarian in this modest refuge. The cave is only accessible by permission today and remains closed otherwise. The sight outside is also striking, as harsh rocks break through green foliage. From here, we descend along a wide forest walkway still under huge oaks on the side of Hárs Hill.

On the S▲ marking, we make a detour to the summit of Kis-Hárs Hill to visit the Makovecz Lookout. Although it was last reinforced structurally in 2018, the tower appears somewhat rickety and unstable. The spiral-shaped tower was built in 1970 by the Pilis State Forestry, and renovated in 2008. From the top you can see Budapest, the previously viewed Kaán Károly Lookout, and Hármashatár Hill, with János Hill rising opposite.

We walk back to Szépjuhászné on the Z↺ marking. It is roughly level with sometimes slight ascents, walking along a comfortable forest path crossing the Children's Railway tracks before arriving back. Szépjuhászné itself inherited its name from an inn: from the late 18th century to the early 20th century, the dining place attracted Budai citizens wishing to relax, capitalizing on the traffic of the road connecting the city and Budakeszi. According to legend, King Matthias visited a shepherd’s alluring wife several times, but Queen Beatrix disguised herself to uncover and dissolve the affair—hence the name of the inn. During the construction of the Pioneer Railway around the station, a park with pools was created, while nowadays buffets provide opportunities for a food and drink break, and you can also see the ruins of a Pauline monastery.