Budapest is very centrally situated in Europe and can easily be reached by air (with both Budapest and Bratislava airport served by low cost airlines), train (e.g. from Vienna, Bratislava or Prague) or boat (down the Danube). Being outside the euro area, using the Hungarian forint, it is cheap to visit. This very thriving city has many attractions. Ten highlights are suggested below.
Budapest Shopping, Food and Souvenirs
1. Go to Vörösmarty tér metro station (served by the second oldest metro line in the world after London). There is a significant paved area for shops, souvenirs and restaurants. Eat goulash or chicken soup in one of the pavement cafes.
2. Go to the Mammut Shopping Centre near Moskva tér metro station. This is a large and new mall, but contains many interesting restaurants, bars, and a variety of facilities including a bowling alley, cinema (in Hungarian), with good ATMs, banks, post office and toilets.
Danube River and Thermal Baths
3. Relax in a thermal bath. There are many such in Budapest, partly due to the thermal waters and also due to the Turkish influence.
4. Take a river cruise on the Danube. This can either be a short trip e.g. in the evening with food and drink, or a longer one to Bratislava or Vienna.
5. Walk across the Budapest chain bridge, built in 1849, the first bridge across the Danube in Budapest, and also the neighbouring squares.
Walking in Buda Near the Castle
6. Ascend the Budapest Castle Hill Funicular, which is the second oldest funicular in the world. Take some pictures of Budapest whilst ascending, and reach the castle area.
7. Visit the Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion, in the Buda Castle area. The Fisherman’s bastion is an a fairytale castle of turrets, built around 100 years ago. Walk around the historic castle area on the hill in Buda which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
8. Go to the Labyrinth near Budapest Castle, consisting of a large collection of caves to cool down in, having been used for numerous purposes over the years.
Budapest Museums and Buildings
9. Visit the Hungarian Parliament building. It is the third largest in the world, contains St Stephen’s crown, and built in neo-gothic style in the late nineteenth century.
10. Visit the Hungarian National Museum and the Budapest History museum, to get a feel for the varied history of this region of the world.
Plan your itinerary carefully in advance using a map, preferably before you arrive, if your time is short. You will need between 2 and 4 days to fit all this in. The visit will be more efficient if you work out metro stations where appropriate in advance, although some parts of the visit especially to the castle area are best seen by walking.
Richard Brereton - Richard has a PhD, MA and BA from Cambridge, is a chartered chemist, Fellow of the Royal Societies of Chemistry, Medicine and Statistics ...
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