No one should ever go to Budapest without taking an afternoon out to take a walk around Margaret Island. This beautiful island is located between Buda and Pest, in the Danube River. It's only 2.5 km long, and 500 m wide, so it's very easy to take a nice stroll across and see the whole thing.
It's predominately park land, with several old ruins and churches. There is a 16th century church that I especially loved. There are a ton of statues all over the island, and I found them fascinating. There are no vehicles allowed on the island, so it's very peaceful; you feel very removed from the city.
Towards the end of your walk, you'll reach the old water tower in a huge clearing, which I loved. Then finally at the end, there is a small Japanese garden. Lovely.
There is so much to see and do in Budapest, but it would really be a shame to miss this; if you are in the area, try to fit this in!!