Margaret Island is located in the middle of the Danube flowing through the Hungarian capital, Budapest. The men who were the first to settle on the island were the memebrs of the order of Saint John who arrived there in the twelth century. Yet, they were not the only ones to dwell there as the members of various religious orders were also the residents of the Margaret Island. Nowadays, we can admire ruins of the Premonaterian church as well as of the remnants of the Franciscan church and Dominician church and convent. They came from twelth anf thirteenth century respectively. Apart from that, another group of sttlers in the Margaret Island were the members of the Augustinian order. Presence of nunneries, churches and cloisters was the prevalent feature of the Island up until the sixteenth century when the vast part of Hungary was conquered by the Ottomans. Their eventual military success brought about the destruction of the sacral buildings. The monks and the nuns living hitherto on the island fled. In the eighteenth century after the subjection of Hungary to the Habsburg Monarchy, the island became the resort for the palatines. Later on, it became a public garden in 1908. Nowadays, the island serves mostly recreational purposes.

Interestingly, the island was called in the Middle Ages by the name Nyulak szigete which means Island of the Rabbits. It was remained later on after Saint Margaret (1242–1270) who was the daughter of Béla IV of Hungary. She also lived in the Dominican convent on the island. The island has been known under other names as well, such as Nagyboldogasszony-sziget, Úr-sziget, Budai-sziget, Dunai-sziget, Nádor-sziget, Palatinus-sziget during different periods of its history. (The names mean Island of Our Lady, Island of Nobles, Buda Island, Danube Island, Palatine Island.)

The island is not only appealing owing to its natural feature, but it is also a place offering various attractions to the tourists. What can be found on the Margaret Island are:

• the Centennial Memorial of 1973 that commemorates the hundredth anniversary of the city's unification;
• a small Japanese Garden with a mildly thermal fish pond;
• a tiny zoo featuring a wide range of exotic waterfowl among other animals;
• the "Music Well" (Zenélő kút), a small pavilion, which was originally built for open-air concerts (it is close to Árpád bridge);
• the "Music Fountain" (Zenélő szökőkút), a fountain near which music is played and light shows are performed in summer (it is close to Margaret bridge). The water springs out according to music, so that the fountain seems to dance at the various classical themes reproduced. The last piece played is Con te partirò sung by Andrea Bocelli. The fountain is also a protected UNESCO site;
• an octagonal Water Tower of 57 m (built in Art Nouveau style in 1911, today functioning as a lookout tower and an exhibition hall) is also under the UNESCO protection;
• the Palatinus water park (the largest open-air swimming complex in Budapest);
•  the Alfréd Hajós sports pool (where the European LC Championships 1958, 2006 and 2010 took place);
•  a tennis stadium and an athletics centre;
• open-air theatre accommodating an audience of 3500

There are also two hotels on the island which provide accommodation: the fin de siècle Grand Hotel Margitsziget, and the modern Thermal Hotel Margitsziget with thermal spa and various medical services. Apart from that, the more outgoing tourists can also find entertainment in one of several clubs and restaurants located on the island.